Popular comic actor, Kayode Olaiya, fondly called “Aderupoko”, started his acting career 52 years ago. He started with “Omonitan” Theatre Group in 1966, with stage plays before forming “Jesters International Group” in 1980, with the late Jacobs and Papalolo.
Aderupoko is one of the few veterans who have featured in a good number of English blockbuster despite being a Yoruba actor. In this interview with City Peoples Senior Showbiz reporter, BIODUN ALAO, he talked about how he started acting and how Funke Akindele’s movie entitled “Jenifa” gave him more popularity. Below is the excerpt.
How long have you been in the movie industry?
I have really stayed for a long time, I started acting in 1966 with WNTV and WNBC, the first television station in Africa, that was when I started acting.
How did acting start for you?
I was invited to be the anchor of a storytelling programme on the Western Nigeria Television/Western Nigeria broadcasting service in 1966. Like I earlier said, during that period, every programme aired on the television was live and there was nothing like a recorded programme. One particular day, my friends and I went to the government house to fetch firewood and also pluck some Mangoes. On our way back, someone working for the television station called on us and said he wanted us to come on air to tell African folklore and that was how the journey started in 1966.
How have you been able to remain active in the industry, despite being in the industry for over 52 years now?
Honestly, it is not by my power, but by the grace of God Almighty. There are lots of my colleagues, who we started together, but they are no more today. So, it is grace that has kept me, like the popular saying “if you can’t beat them, then you join them”. In everything you do in life, you need to keep upgrading, so you can meet up with the trend, I think that has helped me a lot. We are on a yet age, so as an individual, you always need to work on yourself, so you can remain the best, at what you do.
What do you do to keep your youthful look?
I eat good food, I don’t allow unnecessary things bother me, I also take my health serious, because they say ‘health is wealth. When you have peace of mind, then you have everything.
Would you say acting Jenifa’s father in Funke Akindele’s movie “Jenifa” has in a way helped your career?
It is still part of what I just talked about. You need to be good at what you do, so your audience can get the best of you all the time. I think in this industry I have lots of stage names, and this is owing to the way I have been interpreting my roles in movies. People often love to call me different names, owing to the characters I play in movies. I have been in the industry for over 5 decades now and I will say, people already knew me before I featured in Jenifa. Funke Akindele is like my own daughter. She gave me that role to play in her movie and I interpreted well, and before I knew what is happening, they started calling me Baba Jenifa everywhere I go. So, I would say acting that role, gave me more popularity, all my roles have been tasking and they always give me different breakthroughs. I give God all the glory.
What can you say about the movie industry, when you started compared to now?
There was nothing like piracy, during that time. All we do then was embark on different tours. We could embark on 5 different tours in 5 months before coming back home. And we equally enjoyed ourselves, because it is said that travelling is an art of education. What we did then strictly staged plays and we worked and ate, unlike what is happening now. Then as we travel round we also learnt more about people’s culture and tradition. Today, people spend so many millions producing movies and they don’t get their money back, not to talk of making profits, stage plays involve touring, round the country and acting on stage, while these days, once you just feature in a movie, they can take the movie round the world. So, that is just the difference.
Do you have any regrets so far in the industry?
There is no how, we will live on this earth, and not experience the sweet and bitter part of life. When disappointment comes, you need to stand up as a man and face it, work and get out of it. It makes you stronger and wiser. Those difficult times, make us work better and be a stronger person. Remember ‘tough times never last, but tough people do’.
Would you say staying in Ibadan has somehow affected your career since people feature more in movies?
No, living in Ibadan has not negatively affected my career in any way. I’m always travelling, shuttling from one location to another to feature in movies. Moreover, I lived in Lagos for a very long time before relocating to Ibadan, when we were still “Jestes International” with Jacob and Papalolo. Though Ibadan has always been our initial station before we moved to Lagos.
Who are your contemporaries in the industry?
Yes, I have lots of them, though some are no more. I started with people like Ayo Ogunshina and others. It’s just that I maintain a cordial relationship with a few.
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