Adedoyin Kukoyi is a woman who wears many hats, and this includes being a master of ceremonies, an entrepreneur with a successful restaurant business, an actress, a filmmaker, and a founder of an advocacy group, the Pregnant Care Foundation.
Kukoyi, a trained broadcaster, who said she would have been a lawyer if she hadn’t studied mass communication, became famous for her role as the host of the Gbajumo Osere TV show, which has aired on Africa Magic for over a decade.
In this interview, she tells The NATION’s ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR, GBENGA BADA, how she came into Nollywood over two decades ago, and why her new movie, ‘Flip’ is a testament of her abilities as a filmmaker.
WHAT is it like being interviewed?
I’m used to asking questions and putting people on the hot seat, but tables have turned, so let’s see how it goes.
At what point did you think beyond honouring Nollywood stars, and you wanted to become one yourself?
It’s always been in the pipeline, I’ve been in the industry for over three decades and like I always say, not everyone would be a producer. Some of us are better at acting than producing, and some are blessed to have both together. It’s always been a dream to produce a movie someday, and it became a reality last year. ‘Flip’ happened to be my major production apart from the stage play we do. But for YouTube, it’s less of my major production.
You said you’ve been in the industry for three decades, why did it take you so long to produce your first movie?
Like I said, not everyone would be a producer. Sometimes, when you are not convinced enough that you want to do something, why the rush? God’s time is the best.
You started acting before you went into production, what was your first film appearance?
That would be ‘Magnet’ in 1994 by Taiwo Odukoya.
Walk us through your career.
My career started with DAAR Communications, the owners of AIT and RayPower. The likes of Dokpesi, Segun Odegbami, I did my internship with him, after I finished with school, I went into 9-5, and I worked with MultiChoice for 7 years, then I went to Virgin, I was with them for 6 years, and I started Gbajumo Osere in 2010.
How did the idea of Gbajumo Osere come about?
The producer happened to be a friend. One of those days I went to her office and she had a concept of a programme. We were sharing different beautiful ideas. And after all of these beautiful ideas, she asked who was going to host the programme. I volunteered but she underestimated me because it was going to be a strict 30 minutes of speaking Yoruba and not English. I saw it as a challenge because I am a Yoruba person born and brought up in Ikorodu. So I did it because she believed in me and that was how we started.
Read Also: 70 Oyo, Ogun schools to benefit from group’s initiative on biology
What do you think about the misconception that when you see certain people speaking Yoruba on screen they cannot speak English?
It happens a lot to me, especially, when I am amongst those who are dressed corporately and I start speaking English. They are always very surprised at my command of English. Come on, I’m an MSc graduate in mass communication. Don’t judge a book by its cover. Some of us are in this because of the passion and I am proud of what I do.
What’s your take on the entry point into the industry? Some people believe that Nollywood is too porous and that anyone from anywhere can just jump into the industry. What do you think?
It shows in their character, prowess and behaviour. You would always know a professional when you see one.
Have you seen any news about yourself that you were surprised by how people came up with it?
What I have realised is that people talk about things you bring to social media. You don’t have the power to control people’s judgment about you; if you don’t bring your story, no one will talk about you.
The first one, I was on set with Ogogo, and we played a role in giving out our daughter in marriage, and we took a picture, and I tagged it on Instagram and wrote ‘my heartthrob’. They took it out of context and till tomorrow, people feel I’m married to him. I did that to sell that movie because it was not even my movie and to make the producer happy. People still think that’s my husband. My social media actually boosted because of that and I liked it.
Why did you like it?
Like I said earlier, if you don’t want your story out, don’t put it out. People have the right to judge. I had a reason for doing that and it’s my story. At the end of the day, I made them look stupid because they don’t verify the news. That’s bad journalism. You find the right news before you put it out. The best you could have done is put a call through.
What inspired the movie ‘Flip’?
The movie was born out of the necessity to appreciate family more. A lot is going on out there, we are busy and neglecting what we should be passionate about. Regardless of what we do, family comes for us. If you get the money you are running about for today and the family is not together anymore, then the money is useless. Contentment also plays a vital role in a family. It’s a story about two different families who had no business coming together but fate brought them together. A man who was passionate about family, who worked hard for money, but to his wife, it wasn’t about money. There’s more to you being a man than money. Don’t let go of necessary things. Also, a man who had a good wife and child but wasn’t content, and at the end of the day, one gained and the other lost. It wasn’t a twist and flip of what life can give out.
Did you do skits to promote the film because it looks like that’s the new thing in Nollywood?
Everyone who knows me knows I love to dance, that’s who I am. So I felt dancing would be a regular thing. Everyone has their unique way of selling.
What are the changes you’ve noticed in your 30 years of being in the industry, both positive and negative?
The only constant thing in life is change, it depends on where you’re looking at it from. For people like us who started way back, the growth has been tremendous and impressive. For example, you do not need to be taught how to be respectful. When you see people who have been in the industry long before you, you give them the respect they deserve, but it doesn’t really happen like that anymore. Respect comes in different ways, it depends on the family and upbringing you have. It’s not something I have to tell you. Nollywood is in the face of everyone now so they get to see the hard work that we put into it.
What do you think about YouTube?
YouTube has been on for many years, it’s just now people are catching the bug. It’s also an avenue for people in the diaspora to see what you do. Gone are the days we used to use the DVD but now you can just have your YouTube channel. Why won’t we want to be part of it?
Beyond FLIP, why should we go to your YouTube channel?
You want to learn about our culture, you find it there…even celebrities too. You get facts as a viewer watching my YouTube channel.
If you were to meet your younger self, what would you say to her?
I’d give her a knock on the head first. All the things I’m doing before now had been in my head long before now. I was raised by a family that supports whatever it is you want to do. My father was in full support of my craft and a lot of things I would have done back then I should have done because there’s no time. If you think it, do it, if you don’t get it, your consistency will make you get better.
What’s your thought on premature entry into the industry?
You get better in the industry by being consistent and persistent. You’d definitely fall but it’s not the number of times you fall that matters but how you’re able to stand and move on. I had different challenges but it didn’t make me stop. It was all consistency and being focused that helped me.
If you had to pick a career outside of Nollywood and the industry as a whole, what would you pick?
I was lucky to be raised by parents who always asked what I wanted to do. I used to have an aunt back then who was working with UBA and I told her I wanted to be a banker. I was told to do banking and finance, I needed to have math, and I knew it wasn’t possible, so I shoved it. Then I thought again, maybe I could go into sciences, but I still couldn’t because I had an F9 in the biological practical. If not for broadcasting or acting, I probably would be a lawyer.
What’s your take on investing in Nollywood?
Look at people like Kunle Afolayan, Kemi Adetiba and Funke Akindele, they have investors and people who believe in their craft and they’re supporting. If they are not seeing investors, they’d not make blockbusters like they are doing. Money even comes before passion. If you’re putting your money into something, you want to be sure you’ll get a profit back, and so we are asking more people to invest in the industry.
Does Nollywood pay the bills for you, is it enough to live on?
Experience and time will tell. When you’re in the industry, your experience will teach you. Consistency and persistence would take you a long way. I like people to experience things because I can’t share your experience, I can only learn from them.
Are you at any point going to dabble in the big screen like cinema?
That’s the projection, God willing. Next month, I’m moving into another location for another movie. We’d still do what we can. Acceptance is what’s important.
What are the projects you’ve worked on that are coming out soon?
A lot, just know that whatever movie I am in is definitely a good film.
What’s the most memorable script you’ve had to turn down and what was the reason?
I don’t really remember, but it’s a make-believe world, so when there are scenes I am made to do and it doesn’t look right, why am I doing it?
