Nollywood actor, Aremu Samson Oseni is a familiar face in the Yoruba section of the Nigerian movie industry. He rose to fame under the tutelage of popular actor, Afeez Abiodun also known as ‘Afeez Owo’. Oseni, in this interview by FEMI OGUNTAYO, talks about his relationship with Afeez Owo and also his rising career. Excerpts:
How was growing up for Aremu Samson Oseni? Tell us about your childhood.
I am from Igbo Ora in Oyo State but grew up in Lagos, had both my primary and secondary education there. I could not further my education because my parents couldn’t afford it, so I went into vocational works. Right from my childhood I had always wanted to be an actor, so in 2011, I met with Mr Afeez Abiodun (Owo), and the rest is history.
How would you describe your career as an actor?
Well, I thank God because since I started, I would say I have been improving and developing. I believe whatever one does, if one doesn’t relent and one is hardworking, there will be changes. Now, I cannot move around like I used to before now, without getting one or two people pointing at me, saying they know me and have seen me on their screens. So, I thank God.
Would you say you are getting there or you still have a long way to go?
I still have a long way to go. If those there before us are still working day and night and have not said they are getting there or have gotten there, who am I to say I have. I will just give God all the glory because I am not where I used to be. I know my journey in this industry is still far and I am just starting.
In the past you have always talked about how Afeez Abiodun helped your acting career. How would you describe your relationship with him now?
I would say he is my boss on this job and that is the way I see him. Even though he doesn’t treat me as his protégé, he takes me as his son. Whatever I do now, he guides me on how I do it. So, if someone does that for me, I believe you will understand the level of our relationship. We are now closer than we used to be.
Do you still see the Nigeria movie industry as still very difficult to make it in?
It is still not easy but I know things will change very soon by His grace.
What would you say distinguishes you from your peers in the industry?
Being an actor, there are various things that I do that show my distinctiveness. I started with acting the role of a gatekeeper in movies, and I gave it my best whenever I was on set, that gave me the attention I needed at that time. Also, the fact that I can switch dialects like Egba and normal Yoruba distinguishes me.
What roles do you enjoy playing most as an actor and why?
There is no role I cannot take and I love roles that are very challenging. I don’t stick to just a particular role. I don’t want to be known to just a particular role in the industry, there is no role I am given to play that I shouldn’t be able to do, as long as it is still under acting, I can take it up.
Are there people in the industry, like a senior colleague, who you look up to?
Anyone in the industry who is hardworking and is upright are people I look up to. I like it when people live up to their words. Senior colleagues who fix a particular time to show up at movie sets and keep to that time, not the ones that will keep people waiting. So whoever is upright in his or her works is who I look up to in this industry because I know it is not an easy virtue to keep, so whenever I see people like that, I respect them. I pray God blesses our hustle and takes us all to that Promised Land that we all hope for.
Are there personal projects you are working on presently which you would like to share with the public?
Yes, I have project I am working on which will be out very soon for my fans and lovers to stream online. The movie is entitled: ‘Igun’, it is going to be showing on Apara TV on YouTube. I want to implore all my fans worldwide to watch out for this movie, it promises to be a great one.
Tell us about some of the challenges you face on the job, especially when you have not yet gained the ground yet as actor.
Oh, a lot of challenges. For example, the time it takes for a movie to be released by a marketer. Sometimes, it takes around six to seven months and it is when a movie is released that we can realise the money spent on those movies. As an up and coming actor, it also takes time to gain that popularity, there are insult and humiliations one experiences, either from one’s peers or even those one looks up to, but just because of the passion, we have to keep going, no going back. Should we talk about challenges faced because one is a male? In this industry, the ladies have the upper hand and are always the first to be favoured, unless God’s blessings come your way. But, these challenges are actually not something so bad, they have been what made us into what we are today. So I thank God for where I am today.