His real name is Bashiru Ishola. He is a veteran actor who is popularly called Oloye Ajere. Oloye Ajere is a real winner. Someone who recognized his God given talents, early in life and worked his tail off to develop them into skills and used these skills to accomplish his goal.
60 years of acting isnt a child’s play.This has proved that consistency is key and vital. But which movie made him popular, we asked him recently. “The title of the movie that made me popular then was titled “Yanpon Yanrin” produced by Jimoh Aliu. The movie featured many Veteran Actors and we recorded it at Ado Ekiti then . He gave me the name according to the part i played. I played the role of one of the chiefs. Fadeyi Oloro also featured in that movie. I was to deliver message of Kabiesi which was supported by other chiefs to him. But the way and manner which i played around in delivering the message was captivating , with the kind of person Fadeyi was”.
When did he started acting ? “ I started in 1964. The First movie i featured was titled “ Ti le ni nba won dode”. It was featured on NTA. Those we started together then were Papalolo, Jacob, Aderupoko and so many others. Our boss was Ajimajasan. We did another one titled “ Bata Wahala” which was so popular in Africa and Abroad”. We went futther to ask him if he had produced his own movie? “ i didnt produce any movie but the movies i featured are so numerous and they are not just anyhow movies. Though i did one then but never came out in Nigeria, its in U.S. The reason is because i love to do good movies and not anyhow movie. I cant imagine spending much on movie production and not featuring those I’d like to showcase in the movie that didn’t made me produce, didnt made me produce. Then if you spend much on movie production, one still have to look for fund to edit and do so much. If I go out of my way to borrow money, that wont give me rest of mind which was my fear.And again, Marketer wont attach importance to your movie. So in my case, there was no fund. Look at Kunle Afolayan and Femi Adebayo’s movie, that is what we call good movies”. Even Doyin Amodu’s movie featuring all Veteran Actors today is a very good movie that teaches lots of lessons. Spent lots of money on that movie and i wan’t to say May God bless and continue to favour her. Doyin Amodu, Foluke Daramola, Kunle Afolayan, Femi Adebayo always remembers the Veteran and Artistes, may God continue to bless them”.
Life is filled with lots of challenges.Everything negative they say, be it pressure, challenges is all an oppprtunity for one to rise. What were the challenges you have faced in this 60 years journey of your acting career? “I faced lots of challenges. When we work for money, its the money that is been taken to movie location. We can go on stage play and not sell ticket and where you sell ticket, we use it to offset pending bills and debts. Again, when videos came on board, we were not called again to feature in movies because the younger ones see us as Old Cargoes. But above all, We thank God for everything”.
–Fakeye Aderonke
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