I don’t care about my colleagues who live fake lives —Surutu

Remi Oshodi hardly grants interviews but after much pressure from this reporter, Surutu as she’s fondly called, finally decided to sit down with SEGUN ADEBAYO, as she speaks on her acting career and how she has remained on top of her game.

How do you feel when people call you Surutu, knowing that the name portrays you as a troublemaker?

The funny thing is that I didn’t name myself Surutu. My name is Remi Oshodi. I am surprised you are starting the interview with this question. I knew you would ask me about the name Surutu but I never knew it would come this early.

How did you come about the name?

I got the name from a movie that I starred in many years ago. I can’t even remember the movie again. I don’t feel anyhow. I am not a troublesome person and I don’t go about making trouble. It is just a name that emanated from a movie and it has since stuck. Those, who call me Remi Surutu, know me and they surely know that I am a peace-loving woman.

You have been an actress for quite awhile and you seem to be getting better by the day in the delivery and interpretation of roles. You have also featured in a number of soaps. What was it like when you started?

The truth is that I never started as an actress. I actually started as a model but while I was doing that, I was also travelling out of the country, particularly to Dubai to buy goods that I would sell in Nigeria and other places. It was not that I set out to be an actress, it only happened along the way and I have enjoyed it since then.

Why would you ditch modeling for acting?

When you are young, you tend to want to try to do everything that you could do. I started with modeling but later,  I joined theatre because I felt I could also do it. It was not like I dumped modeling for acting, as you would want me to put it. It was just one of those things you tried your hands on while growing up. When you have not really settled in for what you want to do, you will have to keep trying until you get to the point where you feel like you are comfortable with this. So, modelling came from what I could describe as the undecided moments of one’s life. The moment I discovered my acting skills and people loved what I did, I didn’t look back again. Acting is the main thing for me, and it will remain so for as long as God permits.

I understand you started your career in acting in the English movies, what was it like then?

It was very interesting. These days when people say this person or that person does not appear in English movies because their English is bad, I just smile and move on. When I started my career, it started with the English movies but I decided to try the Yoruba movies too and it was very interesting. I actually went for the auditioning and I was picked for the role. In the last few months, I have also been doing soap operas, so very soon, many people will start seeing me in some new soap operas. I don’t like to be known for one thing, I always like to try my hands in different fields. I guess that’s why I have not been frequent in many Yoruba movies.

How have you managed to remain on top of your game over the years?

I don’t even know I have been on top of my game. Where is the game? Who is playing the game? I don’t think I understand I have been playing any game. I have just been me. I do my job diligently and I go back to my private life. I am a mother and yes, I have a relationship that I cherish so much. There is no big deal about that. Yes, I have been doing this for years, but it has just been God. I understand I would not have been this known and famous without the God factor and of course hard work. The truth is that I am not faced by the number of years I have spent, or how I want to remain relevant. Now, that you are telling me, maybe I will start paying attention to my game. One thing I have come to learn about the job is that you have concentrate on your job and ignore the noise or distractions that may arise. I am no saint; I have had some bad moments and good moments too. I can’t tell you I have got it right since I started, but one thing that I pay attention to is my job. I thank God for the grace to have come this far and to still remain relevant. Trust me, it has not been an easy task but I am grateful that I am still here doing my thing. It can only be God. I don’t have any special principles like some of my colleagues would say. God is the only principle that I know. Once you put your plans before God, he will guide your steps and make the journey seem so effortless.

What does it take to be a successful actress?

It is God. Only God can make you become successful at anything you do. I am not guided by any principle as I said earlier; I only do my job and allow God to do His will in my life.

Does that mean you live a care-free life?

It depends on what you mean by a care-free life. You know the problem with most people is that they tend to pattern their lives after certain way of life and end up paying dearly for it. I am guided by God’s principles for every human. I am not condemning anybody for living their lives the way they like. Why should I be bothered about how others choose to do their thing?

Everybody knows you are a mother, but not many people know the man in your life. Would you like to tell us who the man is?

Why do you want to know about the man in my life? Why would anybody want to know about my relationship anyway? That’s a private affair. It should remain private.

You just mentioned that you have a relationship; it doesn’t seem to be a private thing again, or what do you think?

You are a funny man. I have met quite a number of journalists like you and I always have a response for you.  You probably won’t be the last. Why do you want to brush my teeth for me? No way! Yes, I have a relationship and I am enjoying it. That’s all you will hear from me about that. When you eat a particular food inside your room, why must you come out and show everybody your stained mouth? You should have cleaned your mouth before coming out. I don’t think it is necessary to let people know you have just eaten or what you have eaten.

Would you marry the man you are currently dating?

I don’t think I have ever informed or announced that I need a husband. If you check my profile on all my social media platforms, what you would see is the name Remi Oshodi. That’s the name I have been using since I was born. I was never married to any man despite the fact that I am a mother. I am happy with my life and the man I am dating. Do you want to know him?

Yes, a lot of people would like to know him.

You are the one. Are you satisfied now?

What do you think about some of your colleagues who live fake lives?

Why should I be bothered about that? I can’t think for them and I can’t speak for anybody. Everybody has the right to live their lives the way they like. Let me tell you this today, you know that when you sleep, you can dream of buying 20 houses in Lekki and another 100 in Banana Island. Still in your dream, you dream of driving a G-Wagon Benz. All these things only happen in your dream. But what happens when you finally wake up from that sleep? You will face the reality on the ground. The reality is what I am trying to bring out from this analysis. You can choose to be what you want to be and when you want to be it, all in your dreams but at the right time, especially when the reality hits you well, you will wake up and do the needful.

Some of your colleagues have bemoaned the poor condition of living as the economic recession continues to bite harder. How have you been coping?

No, I don’t feel any recession. No matter the condition of the jungle, the lion will never eat grass. God has continued to supply all my needs even in the face of the recession. I don’t know what my colleagues do to survive but I know God knows how He makes things less difficult for me.