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Femi Adebayo, son of veteran Nollywood actor, Adebayo Salami (aka Oga Bello), talks about his father’s acting career with GBENGA ADENIJI of The Punch. 

Excerpts:

Can you please introduce yourself?
I am Femi Adebayo born into the family of Adebayo Salami popularly called Oga Bello. I studied Law at the University of llorin and earned a Master’s degree in Law at the University of Ibadan. I hail from Ilorin in Kwara State. I am married and have children. I am best described as an actor and a lawyer.

Didn’t your father encourage you to study Acting instead of Law since you seem to enjoy the former?
I have always wanted to be a lawyer. My father always told us when we were young that he would support us on any career choices we made. Since I decided I was going to study Law, he was very supportive. He gave me all the needed support and encouragement. My passion for acting started when I kept seeing him on television while I was young. At a point, I felt like acting too. When he noticed my interest in acting, he did not discourage me. Rather, he encouraged my interest in the two careers. My father did not force any career on any of his children. He left us to study the courses we showed interest in and have capacity for. I must also say that he influenced me indirectly as an actor because if I had not enjoyed his acting style while I was growing up, there was no way I could have showed interest in acting.

How do you feel each time you feature in a movie with him?
The father-son relationship ends the moment we are on set. We instantly become professional colleagues and have to creatively interpret our roles. That notwithstanding, I always have the confidence that whenever I am on location with him, the movie being produced at that time cannot be less qualitative. This is because of his experience as an actor and the fact that I learn from him. Whenever we are on set, it is a different thing because acting is make-believe and we have to make the audience have a feel of reality. It is no more a father-son relationship but purely on professional basis. We have featured together in many movies. I recall that I played the role of a thief who robbed him in one of the films we acted in together. We featured together in movies such as Alade Owala, Jelili and Sonto Alapata among many others.

Were you opportune to receive tutelage under Ojo Ladipo (Baba Mero) who was your father’s boss and mentor?
I was not opportune to be trained by him. I was extremely young when he died.

How many wives does your father have?
My father has two wives.

Some people believe that his family is large. What is your view about this?
God will continue to enlarge our family coast. My father is blessed with both male and female children who continually make him proud in their chosen careers. I guess you are aware that a Yoruba adage says, A kin ka omo fun olomo. (one does not count the number of children a man has). So, I will not want to say the exact number of my father’s children. But I can tell you that he has about 12 children who are graduates.

How does he handle misunderstanding with his wives?
It is only my father that can answer that question.

How does he relax if he is not on location?
My father stays with his family at home. He does not like going out if there is no genuine reason to do so. I remember when I was still staying with him, he was always indoors whenever he had no movie shooting to do. He would take us out in his car to visit some places as a family.

Where were the places he used to take his family to for relaxation?
He used to take us to Amusement Park in Lagos during Christmas celebrations. We would ride horses and have a great fun. I remember that vividly. He would ensure we enjoyed ourselves to satisfaction. We had almost everything we wanted anytime he took us out.

What is his favourite meal? 
He likes amala and bush meat. During the outbreak of the Ebola Virus Disease in Nigeria, I called him and he started laughing because he already knew what I wanted to say. I told him to be careful eating bush meat with its link with the virus.

Did he visit you while you were in the university?
Yes, he visited me when I was in the university many times. I always felt on top of the world each time he visited. It was always a wonderful time for me on campus because many people who recognised him also expressed curiosity to know who he came to see.

When they discovered that he came to visit you, did colleagues and lecturers alike give you preferential treatment?
There was no preferential treatment extended to me by classmates or lecturers on account of who my father is. If anything, my father’s visits only gave me recognition in school. My lecturers were strict and besides, there are regulations set by the school authorities for all students. I did my first movie when I was in part-one, hence my father’s visit further boosted my profile and popularity as a student.

What kind of father is he?
My father is a highly principled and approachable man. He is a very wonderful man. He whistles to call my mother or to get her attention. They have maintained that method before I was born. If anyone of us tries to imitate him by whistling, my mother will know and will not answer. I think it is because she is familiar with his style of whistling to her.

How did he punish any of his children who misbehaved?
He neither used the cane nor the whip on any of us. We always tried not to offend him. We were often sober and remorseful whenever he expressed disappointment over any wrongdoing or told us not to talk to him for the moment. My mother was the one who used the cane.

Who are his friends?
He has many friends. They cut across all disciplines but there are no politicians among his friends. There are some of his friends that they have been together since his childhood days.

Why are there no politicians among them?
(Laughs) I really do not know.

What kind of songs does he listen to?
My father enjoys the songs of Ayinde Barrister, Ayinla Omowura, Yusuf Olatunji and Fela.

What is his preferred mode of dressing?
He dresses based on the occasion he is attending. But most times, he wears native attire.

What ideals have your father taught you?
The first and major one is to be good to people regardless of their status, religion or ethnic leanings. He always says it pays to be good to fellow human beings. I have imbibed this and I try to be good to anybody I encounter in my daily interactions. He has also taught me patience and honesty. These are the core values I appreciate in him and do thank him for instilling them in me. I am also trying to make sure those close to me exhibit same to people around them.

Since your father has two wives as you said earlier, are you also going to take after him in that regard?
I don’t think so.

Why don’t you think so?
It is not my wish.

How has your father’s name assisted you when people know you are related to him?
There are several of such instances. He is a very good man. Even before I started acting, people often identified thus, "Omo oga Bello niyen o" (That is the son of Oga Bello) I get special attention in many areas. When he was young, he was nicknamed Oba because they said he has traits of a leader. If anybody calls him by the appellation, he will know that the person must have known him from childhood.

What is his favourite drink?
My father neither drinks nor smokes.

What kind of car does he like?
He likes to ride any brand of Toyota.

How sociable is he?
When one considers the nature of what he does, he should have no reason not to go out and socialise. But he always tries to select the kind of social gatherings he attends. He also tries to enjoy himself in moderation whenever the need arises. He is not the kind of person one finds at every social event except it is vital for him to attend.

What image do you think your father has been able to make in Nollywood?
To the glory of God, he has been able to distinguish himself in the industry. When he celebrated his 50 years on stage, there were accolades from people and colleagues who have interacted with him.

How do you feel being his son?
I feel proud and honoured. It is my prayer that people will speak positive things about me more than they speak about my father.

Are there things you think people expect from you as his son?
There are some people who think that having served my father, they should reap the gains from me. I try to be diplomatic in my approach. The ones that I can handle I do and those that I cannot, I stay away from.

What pieces of advice does he constantly give you?
Most times, he always tells me to remain respectful as I have been. My father appreciates the fact that I am respectful but he constantly reminds me to remain so. He also advises me to be tolerant of people and be honest in whatever I do. I do not forget any of them. I continually remember them daily.

Did he tell you how he came about the nickname, Oga Bello?
He did not tell me because I did not ask him. It is an appellation which I think he earned on stage.

Which of his movies do you like most and why do you like it?
I like the movie, Emi Abata, which he produced about 10 years ago. In Yoruba, Emi Abata literally means 'For the sake of someone'. For example, one can say because of Bello, we give Femi the opportunity to do this thing. I featured in that movie too. I like the movie so much because it also mirrors my own experiences in life because I am enjoying my father’s goodwill.


Credit: The Punch

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