I was once abandoned at movie location —Olalekan Olatunji

Tell us briefly about yourself?

I hail from Osun State, Ile Ife to be precise. I have been in Ogun State for over 30 years and I believe once one has spent over 10 years in a place, you have become a citizen of that place. Though, my mum is from Ogun State, my dad was a lawyer and my mum is a teacher – a retired headmistress. I am the first born in a family of five, three boys and two girls. I am married to Ifedolapo Olatunji, who is from Ogun State. And our union is blessed with three boys.

My primary education was in Poly Staff Primary School in Ojere, Abeokuta and my secondary education was at Motitun High School, Housing. Then I did professional examination for eight years, which is equivalent to OND. I then proceeded with a direct entry into Olabisi Onabanjo University where I bagged a degree in accounting.

So, how was growing up like for you?

Everything was not that rosy as it is being pronounced though, there were times I went to learn how to produce dye; I was at Ewekoro loading and off-loading cement for a living. I once worked in an electronics shop as a clerk and I thank God it was after that I also set up my own electronic store after which I joined the movie industry. I joined the movie industry in 2008 as an apprentice under my boss, Olu Olowogemo, who everyone knows as ‘Portable Actor’.

Though a lot of people find it difficult to understand how a comedian would teach someone who is not a comedian how to act, but whoever follows or watches my movies very well, will see some traits of comedy in it, though it might appear serious but you cannot watch my movies and not find it humorous.

You said you loaded cement for a living, how did this happen?

Like I told you earlier, we are five in the family and as the first born; you have to find your way to fend for yourself and to also take care of your younger ones and even your parents. So, I went to Ewekoro to ‘hustle’ and over there, in a day we may offload more than 600 bags of cement per trailer in a day. When it got dark and we had to sleep, we just find a nearby shop to sleep and that was it. But I thank God, along the line; I met one of my bosses, Kunle Aderibigbe, who is now in the United States with his family. He was the one that called me and was like, are you not educated at all? Then I told him I have something equivalent to OND, then he introduced me to his boss and from there, I became their audit clerk. From there everything moved on and I just thank God.

On the 25 of August, you had a programme tagged 3 in 1, where you celebrated your birthday, launched your movie ‘Mokoore’ and also did presentation of an award. What prompted this kind of event, who are the recipients of these awards and why did you give the awards to them?

You see, when you are growing up, you have to understand that you do not grow alone. Though some people like to attribute their growth to themselves alone, but it can never be you alone, there will definitely be some people who must have contributed in one way or the other to your career growth. Then it will get to a level when you should be able to appreciate these people. So, this event was just the one people really know about. I did one last year also which was when I premièred the movie ‘Kobewude’, so it is actually an annual event.

This year, I just felt that I needed to honour some people in my life who have contributed in one way or the other to my career. That which was why I decided to give those awards. There are marketers among the people I gave awards to; I gave awards to Sylum Ventures and Corporate Pictures.

These are people who believed in me and never looked down on me. These are people who gave me money and believed I could do it and anyone who could give you money to do business, you need to appreciate them.

Did you give awards to some of your fellow actors in the industry?

No, but next year’s edition by God’s grace, I will. This year’s event, I used that to appreciate those I can refer to as ‘outsiders’ but in next year’s edition, when my apprentices would be graduating, I will do that. Though, there were a lot of actors present at this year’s event, like Odunlade Adekola, Ibrahim Owolabi, Kemi Korede, Segun Ogungbe and I thank God for every other person that was present that day.

Can you say something briefly about the movies you have produced yourself?

I have realised that there are some people that give titles that align with their movies and it is just like human beings. When they give you a name, that name has a way of reflecting in you. That is why I have decided that all my movies, I will give them good names. I have produced nine movies and they are: ‘Ta lo fe’ku?’, it was the marketer that changed it because I named it ‘Ayo mi’. Then the second one was ‘Agborodun’, also I did ‘Omo Wobe’, Idile Kan, ‘Dupe tie’, ‘Ko Bewu De’, then, ‘Ninu Aye’ and ‘Mokoore’.

As a movie star, you have several admirers, how have you been coping with the female ones?

Yes, normally the female folks are the ones who appreciate this work we do so much and what I do is that I make sure I am not too free with them and at the same time, I am not too hostile to them. They will definitely come and show you some affection and when you have to make any mistake with them, some of them will not just admire you alone, but would want to take the stuff to another level and you will know that with some you will be friends and some will later be your business partners. So, everything should be done in good faith.

What is your best moment in life and in this profession?

Hmm, let me put it two ways. Can I say, the day I had my first child? I looked at myself and I was like, so I am now a father? You know, I was not the gentle type as a youth (laughs), but I thank God. In this profession, ah, it was the day we did a production and it was Odunlade Adekola that called me for this work and after we finished, he gave me N20, 000 and I was like, ehn ehn, in this profession? So, there is money in it? That I am just doing it for the love of it and ever since then, I thank God for what he has been doing in my life.

Conversely, what are your most embarrassing moments in the profession?

This is not the first time I will be asked this question and I am always frank with myself, because when you want to do something or you are someone who venture into a profession at an old age, just like the Yoruba saying that ‘Agbalagba toba fi agba ara ko bata, omele lo ma san ku’ (A man who learns how to drum at old age, will only be limited to beating the smaller drums). Although, that was not the case for me because I was already married and had children before I joined the movie industry.

So, before I joined, I made up my mind that, whatever happens, I will take it like that. Even my boss then told me. I would be threatened, some people would disrespect you and it happened. I recall that it sometimes at rehearsals, some guys who are literarily my ‘younger brothers’ will be at the location and I will be the one asked to sweep the floor? Or someone who is younger to you talking to you anyhow and you will not be able to do anything because they are your ‘seniors’ in the profession?

There was a time I was in the bus on our way to a location and the location manager told me to get down, asking who invited me? Or the day we were at a location, till late in the night, everyone left while I was still asleep and no one woke me up. It was around 3am when black ants bit me that I woke me up and I realised that I was the only one left there. Normally that should make me angry and unhappy but because I know what I was looking for and where I was going, I did not let that discourage me.

How profitable is this profession?

Do not let us deceive ourselves, it is on an average. It is not as juicy as it is being portrayed because when people see you, they will tell you to drop something and ‘throw away money for the boys’ and all that, it is not that nasy, but we thank God. I am grateful because a profession in which you have a wife, have a car, build a house and all that, then it is still okay. But it is not as if you will become very rich once you join the movie industry, no! Everybody is just struggling.

Veterans in the industry are of the opinion that present day Nollywood movies no longer promote our culture and traditions like the olden days, what is your take on this?

That is absolutely true and it is as a result of civilisation, it is where we have found ourselves. Everything is now digital; just like we now heard that DSTV will no longer accept traditional movies, that they will have a separate channel for it or so, called epic movies. So, these days, when you are not even sound educationally or fluent in English language even in Yoruba movies, that is a problem. So, it is civilisation, because they have seen that it is what the people want, which is very wrong.