Everyone calls him Boy Alinco, but his real name is Bayo Bankole. He has been acting for 34 years.A few years back, he relocated to the US where he lives. He spoke to Citypeople Online last week about his career. Below are excerpts.
Please introduce yourself to us and what you do for a living….
My name is Bayo Bankole, aka Boy Alinco, aka Jeje, am a proud Owu man, Owu Abeokuta. I presently resides in Arlington Texas, I am an entrepreneur, I am into logistics business and still manage to do a bit of entertainment business, as a side hustle.
Que2 How did acting start for you?…
Acting started way back as a kid growing up at Ebute Metta Lagos, I was part of the cultural group in my Primary school, African church Bethlehem primary school, at then Griffith Street, now Bornu way Ebute Metta, I was also a member of ACYA African church youth Association African Salem Church freeman street Ebute Metta.
Spent some time hanging around and watching some Yoruba theatre group rehearsing and performing at Lisabi Hall Ebute Metta, before taking a bold step to attend and audition for a stage play at National Art Theatre Iganmu, the play then was King Emene, the tragedy of a rebellion, written by Late Prof. Zulu Sofola and was directed by Frank Vaughan, this was in 1989. In 1991, I joined Sola Fosudo and Bakky Adeoye to run Centre Stage Production, a Sola Fosudo company and producer of “Concert Theatre, a celebration of music, dance and drama…
Same 1991 I joined Chuck Mike PSW performance studio Workshop, took part in several plays in several seasons at PEC. My rise to stardom started in 1992 in a play performance of EDA an adaptation of Duro Ladipo ENIYAN, it was the play of the season, the best of all season, the high point of the play is the bit of the area Boys, it was the first time street will be live on stage, therefore I can boldly say I brought the street to our entertainment industry, it was the excellent performance of the areaboy on stage that Gave me the role of JEJE in OWOBLOW directed by Tade Ogidan, in 1995 and it was my performance that gave the role of Boy Alinco in Papa Ajasco, produced by Wale Adenuga in 1997… Now to God be the Glory the rest is history today.
You have been acting now for how long?…
Professionally since 1988, that should be 34 years….
How challenging has it been sustaining your interest in acting abroad?…
It has not been challenging because of my mindset when I decided to settle down here, I made my mind up to make acting a secondary Carrier because bills got to be paid and I know acting can not pay the bills. The only challenge, I have is that our people producing are still doing it the way they ran it in Nigeria, they still making movies without ambition, very annoying.
Who are those actors you roll with abroad?…
I have my twin Brother WALE ADEBAYO aka SANGO, my Brother FEMI BRAINARD, FEMI OGENDEGBE and several others.
Where were you born? Where did you grow up? Which schools did you attend?…
I was born at Ebute Metta, a proud Ebute Metta boy, I attended AFRICAN CHURCH BETHLEHEM PRIMARY SCHOOL, Griffith street, now Bornu way, St Timothy’s college, Onike Iwaya Yabe Lagos, went to Akure spent a session at Oyemekun Grammar school Akure, before returning to Lagos and went to Nigeria Railway Technical School Loco, worked briefly at federal radio corporation ikoyi, before going to OBAFEMI AWOLOWO UNIVERSITY where I graduated with BA hons in Dramatic Arts.
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