You act mainly in the Yoruba section of Nollywood. In your opinion, what has made the genre popular over the years?
I joined the industry in 1996 and the Association of Nigerian Theatre Practitioners, now TAMPAN, in 1998. It has been over 20 years since I began my career in the movie industry. I believe the Yoruba movie industry has benefited from the advent of the internet and social media. The introduction of African Magic Yoruba has also contributed to the global awareness of the industry. Every industry, however, needs continuous improvement. And we need to also move up with the trend because when you are moving with the times, you solidify your ground. We need to protect our future by adapting to changes in the world.
Are there area(s) you have in mind for improvement?
One needs to always upgrade the thing one does. No man is perfect except God. Sometimes, people complain that our movies aren’t getting to them. They want us to improve on the distribution channel. There are other areas also people want us to improve on.
Would like to give specific examples?
I can’t really mention any. But I know, it is normal to take corrections about what you are not doing well. If you want to grow, you must listen to correction. Like I always say, if you are a leader or planning to be one, you are bound to be corrected. Anything people tell you, you must digest and understand; and you must effect changes where necessary.
For a long time, poor subtitling has been one of the complaints people have raised about the Yoruba movie industry. Do you think permanent solution is long overdue?
To be sincere, people still complain to us about that. In fact, it is a jocular topic on social media. And I think, if we want to be honest, that changes have really begun in that direction. A lot of our people have brushed themselves up. We no longer hire incompetent people to handle that area of movie production. We now have professionals who proof-read our movies before they are released. For instance, I have not received any complaints of the sort for the movies that I have produced. And I know some producers, who are equally making efforts to correct poor subtitling.
Your role in Taxi Driver seems to have given you a face in the mainstream movie industry. What would you say about that?
Before Taxi Driver, I had done some English movies, though they are still unreleased. My motto in life is: do anything you want to do to the best of your ability. That is the way I approach my work. You never know the extent to which your actions would go. I didn’t quite anticipate that Taxi Driver (Oko Ashawo) will get this far when we started. But today, a lot of people are talking about it. I say again, try to put all your efforts in anything you do.
You are known as a versatile actor. What comes to mind when you land a new project?
A lot of people say I am versatile and I appreciate them. And I always tell people this: if acting is your profession you should protect it. To my mind, this is my own way of protecting my job – being the best that I can be. If I am invited to play any role, after reading the script thoroughly, I try to understand it. Once I understand the character, then I am able to inject my own ideas. Most of the times it is not always easy. Being versatile is the result of long term hard work.
As an established actor, you have had a fair share of scandals. What do you have to say about them, especially the recent one?
Some elements have hijacked social media for their own mischievous gains. People just sit down and cook up stories simply because they want traffic, they want to make money. I think Nigerians need to get it right. It is not everything that is on social media that is factual. An entertainer who knows his craft should not be carried away with social media. This is because before social media, we have been in this industry. It is not social media that will bring us down. I have been in the industry for more than twenty years. So, social media cannot bring me down.
You have been pronounced dead on social media for five consecutive times. Do you sometimes think there was more to it than social media mischief?
I don’t know who else may have been responsible for them. But I know that someone somewhere has continued to cook up something negative to ridicule me and to make profit out of it. This is not good. I always say this, if you are engaged in any illicit practice just to bring food to your table, it will definitely backfire. It might not backfire today, but it will someday. We have a lot of journalists who write good things, who verify their information before publishing. And they are doing well. I am not bothered about the negative reports. I have said it and will say it again, social media will not bring me down because I predate social media, and all of us do.
And for a long time, a lot of people have tied your meteoric rise to diabolic means. Do you feel any need to react to it?
[Moment silence] Yes [in low tone]. I have reacted to it. I am a Christian. I was born in a Christian family. I grew up in a Christian home. As far as I am concerned, if you are in one level in this country and people have not said this thing about you, it means you have not gotten high enough. If you are a celebrity and you are bothered about what people write about you, it means you still need to pray very well for Baba God to take you higher. We are still praying. People have said Pastors use jazz. So, why would they not say the same thing about me? I am a Christian and I am still in Christ.
You attend Christ Apostolic Church in Abeokuta.
[Cuts in] I was born in Christ Apostolic Church and I am still in Christ Apostolic Church.
What is your own story? How did you rise to fame?
Like I said, I am a Christian and it will always show. If I am still talking about what I have gone through in the past, it means I do not appreciate God. I told you, I was born over forty years ago in a Christian home. I went to St John’s Primary School. I attended St Peter’s College, Olomore, Abeokuta, Ogun State. From there, I went to Moshood Abiola Polytechnic and then to the University of Lagos. I am presently in 500 Level at the University of Lagos studying Business Administration. When I was a young man, I had so much interest in singing because my dad was a former choir master in our church. He is now a pastor. Then, I had so much interest in singing because I composed songs. And in school, I loved Business studies. I also love anything that pertains to leadership. That is why I am studying Business Administration. But God said, “No. It’s good. You will still administer, but come and join the movie industry first”.
And to be sincere, I said this in school, when you are a student of Business Administration, there is no place you can’t work. If you have a lot of money and you do not know how to manage it, your money would soon be squandered. If you are a doctor, heading a hospital, and you don’t know how to manage the hospital, the establishment would soon close down. So, the knowledge of business administration is key to the smooth running of any organisation.
And I always tell young actors, if you want to come into the industry, you must go to school. If you tell me you are interested in acting, I will ask you, “What are you doing presently? … When you finish it come.” If you are in school, finish it before you join the movie industry. If you are learning a trade, make sure you are certified before you join the movie industry. If you are looking for admission, first finish your studies before you come because if you do not do these things once you are accomplished in the movie industry it will be difficult for you to go back. Education is important to anything you do.
Entertainers are beginning to show interest in leadership. With your love for administration, do you see yourself joining the train someday?
If you have any opportunity in this country and at this time, use it. Make use of any opportunity positively, I mean good opportunities. In my own case, I can’t say anything pertaining to politics for now.
But do you wish to become the governor of Ekiti State in the future?
I do not know.
and then