If not for her love for acting, beautiful Bukky Ogunnote-Ogunade would have remained in paid employment. So, she shocked quite a number of people, including her father, when she resigned her appointment as the head of administration in an insurance company and hopped the fast-moving train of Nollywood over two decades ago. Interestingly today, it is doubtful if Ogunnote-Ogunade, who is now the vice chairman of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Lagos State chapter, has not wowed movie buffs with her acting skill. In this interview with BABATUNDE SULAIMAN, she talks about her humble beginning in the industry as well as the pains and gains of being an actor, among other interesting issues.
AT what point did you actually make up your mind to go into acting and what really informed that decision?
As the saying goes, Rome was not built in a day. I have been into art-related activities like dancing and acting since I was a child. I was the head of admin in an insurance company, so I was doing it on-again, off-again. While I worked in that company, I would rush to do some radio dramas, jingles, soaps and films and then go back to the office. But I realised that to excel in this kind of profession, one really needs to give it enough time. And that is why I always get angry with anyone who describes acting as his or her hobby.
After a while, I decided that I wanted to go into acting fully. You see, with my kind of job then, it was difficult to concentrate. In fact, I wasn’t fulfilled when I was in that job. Sometimes, when I got an acting job or a related one, I would feel that I had already taken about two or three days off duty, so I would be worried that I might not be allowed to go. And as the head of administration, I needed to be fully on ground. When I did a 30-minute jingle, the money I would get would sometime be more than my salary or close to it. So, I resigned to face acting squarely.
So, what year was that?
That was in 2005.
But professionally, how long have you been acting?
Hmm! For me, anything you do and you get something in return, that is your profession; so, I would say I have been acting since 1988/89.
I understand you once worked in a bank…
(Cuts in) No, I didn’t. I would have worked in a bank during my national youth service, but I eventually changed it. I had an offer to serve in a bank, but I declined.
Why?
I don’t know. Really, I had always dreamt of working in a bank, but when I told my uncle that I wasn’t interested in the banking job any more, he was surprised. I told him that I had a flair for acting and that the banking job would not allow me do what I was passionate about. If you cannot do what you love doing, it will be as if you are being caged. So, I ended up working in an oil company, NOCHEM (now Conoil).
But most people will give their right arms to work in an oil company?
Yes, you are right. But as I said earlier, if you are passionate about anything, you will not want to sacrifice it for any other thing.
You developed an interest in acting at a very early age, but I guess there must have been some influences from some quarters?
Yes, when I was growing up, I loved watching foreign movies a lot, especially American action ones. I looked at the way most of the actors act and I got inspiration from them. I would look at them and say, ‘God, these people are good and I think I can do something like that.’ Besides, I used to get inspiration whenever I saw the likes of Aunty Bukky Ajayi, Aunty Taiwo Ajai-Lycett, some other people that are a little higher than us like Joke Silva and some of my contemporaries.
Are you from an art-inclined background?
No.
Ok, what were your parents into then?
My mother was a senior staff at the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), Telephone Exchange Department, and my father was also at the University of Ife; they were both senior staff. But my mum is late now.
How did they react to your going into acting?
They always tried to make sure that one was not doing the wrong thing. From my little age, I used to get a lot of applause for what I was doing, so that gave my parents a very strong hope that I was heading somewhere. But the only time my dad reacted somehow was when I told him I had resigned my job as the head of administration in that insurance company. I remember I just said, ‘Dad, emi ti drop iwe o( Dad, I have resigned)’. He said, ‘Okay, but why? Have you got another job elsewhere?’ I said I resigned so that I could face my acting squarely.’ He then said, ‘Are you sure you are not making a mistake?’ And I said I was not. At the end of the day, he prayed for me; and since then, I have never regretted going into acting.
How many are you from your parents?
My dad is a polygamist: he was married to women from Calabar, Ijebu and Delta State.
How?
I knew you would ask me. My mother was from Delta State; then, my stepmother (the first wife) is from Ijebu and my dad had a daughter, his first child, from a Calabar woman in those days. The woman is late now and, unfortunately, we lost that my half-sister some years ago; otherwise, both of us would have been the only two girls in the family. So, as it is now, I am the only girl in the family. Before my mum got married to my dad, she was married to one Delta man and had three children for him. Actually, she would have been the first wife of my dad, but her own parents were a little tribalistic.
They claimed that Yoruba men don’t take good care of women; so, mum was forced to marry that man and she had three sons for him. But it happened that the man died in an auto crash and then my dad came back to my mum. That was even after he had gone to marry my stepmother, who is now the iyale( first wife). But my dad said he still wanted my mother as a wife. Therefore, my mum’s parents now thought that for a man to say he wanted to marry a woman who already had three children, then, he must be truly love her. So, they consented to the relationship and they eventually got married. Perhaps, without that, my brother and I wouldn’t have been born today. So, from my mum to my dad, we are just two; but I am the only girl among my father’s children now.
What is the greatest lesson you have learnt from that background? I mean can you recall any nasty experience when you were growing up, given the way polygamy is seen in our society?
There were so many experiences, but I wouldn’t want to delve into all that in this interview.
Were you closer to your mum than your dad?
Yes, I was closer to her than my dad. Unfortunately, I can’t speak her language.
So, you have a Delta-Ibo name?
Yes, I do. It is Ukoyen, (I am contented with what I have).
You recently marked your birthday…
(Cuts in) Ha! Somebody must have told you.
So, how old are you?
How old do you think I am?
I can’t say; maybe 55…
Ha, you are a wicked man! I was born in the mid-60s. Let’s just leave it at that.
Were there things you really wanted before your last birthday?
Hmm! A lot, my brother. All in all, I still thank God for where I am today. Though where I am is not where I am supposed to be, I thank God because there are still some people that are looking at me and wishing they are like me. However, they don’t know what one is going through. The most important thing is that one should give thanks to God in all situations. I got married late and I am just doing what I should have done in the past; and, in fact, I am yet to achieve some, but I believe it is not over because my God is still there. I am okay, but I just pray that God will bless the children He has given me so that, where I will be unable to get to in life, they will get there and even surpass it in Jesus name.
You said you married late, so what really happened?
Nothing!
I don’t know how old you were when you got married, but you couldn’t have just waited…
Forget o, Mr. Babatunde Sulaiman! I don’t want to go into that. Okay, normally anyone will expect a young lady to get married at age of 28 and she should have been done with child-bearing by early 30s. But in my own case, I married late.
At what age?
Not too late because some people are yet to be there. But I am just saying that it (marriage) didn’t happen when I expected it. I got married in 2007. Some, who are older than I am, are yet to get married; so, it is not too late-I am not saying this to spite them.
With regard to love and relationship, how has the experience been like?
For me, that area is too sensitive; I don’t want to go into that.
So, how did you eventually meet your husband?
Eh, eh, for God’s sake( pauses)….We met, we met!
But he couldn’t have been your first love?
No! Don’t ask who the first love was( pauses)…Ha, journalists!
Why didn’t the previous relationship work?
It didn’t work naa ni..
What happened? Were you the one at fault?
It wasn’t me. Ko work naa ni( It just didn’t work).
So, you must have suffered a heartbreak at some point?
My brother, I bless God. What really kept me going was the fact that I have Christ in me. To the glory of God, I am a minister in the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCGG) ordained by Baba G.O; so, this one has really kept me strong. I am not making mouth, but if I don’t blow it, who will do it for me. I doubt if you have ever read any controversy about me in the newspapers or magazines. To the glory of God, I have been able to keep my head, so to say. Despite the fact that I am within an industry, where promiscuity is so strong, I am still able to hold myself. It is not that I am not a beautiful lady, except you Mr. Sulaiman now says, ‘Se Bukky ohun naa ni, ko ti e fine (So, this is the Bukky that people talk about… she is not even beautiful). Then, I will now know that (pauses)…
But I won’t say that.
No, you can say that; after all, beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.
Okay, that is why I want to say again that men must have fought over you when you were much younger.
Yes, it was much. But as I said earlier, what makes the difference is that I look at myself and say what I didn’t do even while I was in the university, how will I be doing it now? No, I won’t. It is a matter of personal discipline. I tell people that the end of the world has come because what we are doing now is worse than what Sodom and Gomora did before God destroyed them. I know I will never compromise; I know God has given me a talent and the scripture says “Your gift will make way for you”; so, when the time comes, God will make way for me. I know I have it and I know I am good. I remember when Iyabo Ojo wanted to do her movie, Omo Gomina, she insisted that I play the lead role. I give kudos to her today for her brains and vision. She said, ‘Aunty Bukky, if you don’t act this, I am not giving it out to another person because when I was writing it, I had you in mind. I believe you can interpret it better. I can’t remember the number of calls I got from home and abroad when it was released. In spite of that, I never got one award for it. But it still doesn’t bother me .
What school did you attend?
While I was doing my ‘A’ levels at the Oyo State College of Art and Science (OSCAS), I was also running a diploma course at the University of Ife( now Obafemi Awolowo University) and I came out with distinction in Physical and Health Education. When my ‘A’ level result came, I got a direct admission into the University of Ife to study English. But I later crossed to the University of Lagos. I was the only student offered admission that year on transfer because of my grade.
Have you had any experience that moved you to tears?
So many, but I will tell you some sa. I am a very emotional person. You see, there was even a time everything was at a standstill. At that time, nobody was calling me for any job; I was just there. But you see, God has been very wonderful. One way or the other, something will just show up. If they don’t call me for films, they will call me to compere weddings etc and I sometimes organise workshop and seminar etc. Besides, I do alaga iduro job. But you see, many want me to do such things for them, but they don’t want to pay good money; they just want my face.
Are you sure it is not because it exposes you to sexual harassment from men?
No! Never! At best, they ( men) will come and say whatever they will say. But will they force me? They are human beings, so it is left for me to say yes or no. Even in this job, people have looked at me and said, ‘Ah, awon omo o ni theatre! Nkan kan naa ni won (all actresses are the same). But the few that have had the opportunity to come closer to me know that I am different.
How does your husband feel when he sees you in the midst of men or being kissed in movies?
My job is my job! The Bible says, ‘Show me a man that is diligent in his work and he will sit among kings.’ Therefore, he recognises that when Bukky is working, she is working and when she is not working, she is a different person. I had been into it before he met me and we have both sat down to talk about it. If he doesn’t want me to do it again, then, maybe he will open a big shop for me( smiles).
But some men can be jealous?
You are right, even we women can be jealous too. But it only boils down to trust. Do you trust your spouse? If you see him or her hugging another person, do you trust that he or she doesn’t have anything intimate with the other person? If you can look away and say, ‘I know my man/ woman can’t do it; then, you will have trusted him or her.
Does he encourage you to kiss in movies, if you have to do it?
We don’t talk about my job.
So, is it an unwritten law of sorts that you must not discuss your acting job?
I don’t know. Can we leave this? There are some things I don’t want to go into… you journalists.
What was your first stage production like?
It has been a long while. The first movie I did was Shattered Dream.
How much were you paid?
It wasn’t much; it was between N10, 000 and N15,000. But it wasn’t my first pay as an actor. I had collected N250.00k before and I even paid tax out of it-it was an NTA production. .
How many movies have you featured in?
Well, it should be over 40 in Yoruba; but I have done so many English movies as well as soaps.
At the inauguration of this exco, your chairman promised to ensure that there is health care plan and insurance scheme for your members, so how far have you gone to realise this?
It is still in place because recently we conducted free medical tests for the elders in the association. There are some elders that are on our payroll list. So, the health scheme is still in progress. We are working in collaboration with the national body, which has a plan for the health scheme. You will register under a particular platform and you can just walk into the hospital of your choice and do the test you want to do free- of- charge. You will only need to pay some money at the point of registration for the whole year.
You talked about promiscuity in the industry earlier, so could this be the real reason for the breakups of celebrity marriages?
It is not only in the movie industry; it is everywhere, including the media. But people see us because we are in the showbiz world. So, whatever we do even in the corners of our world, people bring it to the limelight.
What of the breakups of celebrity marriages?
There could be one thousand and one reasons why this happens. Who feels it, knows it. One thing about me is that I will never jump into any quick judgment about anybody when I see his or her marriage break up. You need to get closer to them and find out what really happened. Some will say, ‘Celebrities, don’t mind them; they are never satisfied with one husband.’ I have been told such a thing before. You see, people will quarrel, fight and all, but you fight or quarrel to make up.
How have you been able to keep your marriage?
It is God. I told you what makes the difference in me is the Lord. And anybody that now wants to say, ‘Jesu wo; she is a pretender…’, let the person come out and say it. So far, so good; I have not been in any controversy. It is not by my power, but God. Even if you make up your mind not to do certain things, there will be some…
You mean temptation?
Yes, of course. I experienced that, but I have been able to stand in Jesus’ name.
So, how do you ward off advances from the opposite sex?
Ha! I handle them maturely and diplomatically.
