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What He Told City People About His Life
For veteran actor, Taofeeq Salami, acting runs in his blood. So notable is he that he is easily recognized in epic Yoruba movies as a warrior. and doing this for over four decades. In fact, by July first 2024, He will be celebrating his three in one Event which is his forty five years in the make belief world, birthday Celebration and the Thanksgiving which he describes as the most important. In this Interview with City People Editor’s FAKEYE ADERONKE, Adabanijaa as he is called, opened up on how he ventured into the film making when we met him at the movie premiere of “Ojo Ale”, produced by Doyin Amodu.
How did you get into the movie industry we asked? “ Well, if one’s desire is at something, nobody can hinder such person from achieving that thing. I have always desire to become an actor since my primary school days. So I started from the entertain aspect till I got to secondary school. I actually learnt radio mechanic work after my secondary school, so from there, I started acting and that was between 1979 to 1981. Initially I started off in Maroko Lagos before I went back to Ibadan to join my boss, Oga Lere Paimo, later formed my own group. I have tutored lots of people who are doing well in the industry. Acting is a natural thing for me and it has always been in the blood. Its over four decades I started now and I thank God for his grace. I will be celebrating my forty years on stage very soon. That will be in Ibadan and the venue will be Jogor Centre which comes up on the first of July 2024. I have featured in so many movies that I can’t even remember and I have produced my own movies. I was the one who produced “Gbo tie”. And presently am working on another movie right now titled “ MusGau Omo Oro”. That movie is really interesting. Very soon, we will be storming the location for another upcoming movie. Wao! You have really done great for yourself. Congrats. The issue of piracy cannot be overemphasized. Is there anything the Industry is doing to curb this menace? We asked him. “Well, everyday we discover new thing. We thank God for the social media thing. Though the piracy issue has done lots of havoc, in fact they really dealt with me but I thank God I’m still surviving . Because of YouTube that has been inculcated into the movie industry, my movies now go directly to YouTube where I monitor the number of people that watched it. So it’s that percentage that will be shared between me and the YouTube.” Do you have any advice for the upcoming artist and do you have good relationship with other Actors in the industry ?We asked . “ Yes I have good relationship with my colleagues in the industry. We met our elderly ones in the industry and accord them due respect they deserve and that is how it ought to be. When we joined the industry in the 70s, our mission is to teach people good lessons and learn from what they watch. But now, most of them acting, their belief is that if they don’t expose their body, they can’t sell which is not true. But we try as much as possible to make them understand that it’s not so, movies produced must teach great lessons without body exposure. Those films then can’t be compared to the once now. Then , if you have opportunity to produce on one film, it’s really a privilege. If you look at Femi Adebayo’s film, Jagun Jagun which I featured on people appreciated that movie because aside the fact that its an epic film, it throws lots of lessons to us all.”
But is the government helping the veteran artistes at all? “We want to appeal to the government especially our President Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to please partner with us in the entertainment sector. If you observe one thing, the artistes are now going back to the cinema, due to the havoc that has been done to us in the industry. We want them to remember us and have a policy that will be of benefit to us. But I believe things will get better. This is also a clarion call to all our South West Governors to please remember the entertainment industry. Our job is to make people laugh, the government too should put smile on our faces “. I also want to use this opportunity to thank Doyin Amodu who brought all of us here, may God continue bless her”.
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