Dupe Jaiyesinmi hardly grants interviews. She hardly talks to the press. All she wants, to be left alone to do is to act. But a few weeks back, this sexy Ibadan based veteran actress, Dupe Jaiyesinmi told City People magazine her story. And she was frank about it she felt comfortable talking about her life.
For those who don’t catch the drift lets quickly tell you more about her. She is one of the movie matriarchs in the Yoruba movie industry. She has been acting for decades, and the good thing about her is that she acts so well. Acting comes easy to her. She takes on any role, she is given. She is versatile. She is creative and she is a goal getting spirit that oozes life. She has a robust sense of humour that livens up anywhere she is. With Dupe Jaiyesinmi there is no dull moment. She is always full of life.
How does she feel being one of the veteran actresses in the Yoruba movie industry? City People asked her last week. “To God be the glory,” she explained. “I am so happy to be an actress in my life. And I have never regretted becoming an actress. I love what I do. It makes me happy. I derive great joy in it”, she added.
For how long has she been acting now? “It is been 29 years now since I have been acting. How time flies”. How did acting start for her who introduced her to acting? “I started acting from school when we were doing it in the Dramatic Society,” she explained. “Then, I discovered my passion for acting. I was introduced into acting by Mr. Akeem a.k.a (OFALE). We asked her to tell us about her growing up years. Where was she born? And which schools did she attend? I was born in the 60s in the Adeoyo area, of Yemetu in Ibadan”, she revealed.
“I attended Seventh Day Adventist Primary School in Ile- Ife, then to CAC Commercial High School (now CAC High School) Ilesha from there I attended Sight & Sound International School Ibadan branch, later I proceeded to Ibadan Polytechnic where I studied Secretarial Studies”. Many people describe her as an Ijebu woman. Is it true she is Ijebu? “Yes, I am Ijebu. My both parents are from Ijebu-Igbo in Ogun State”. Which movie launched her to the limelight and what year was that? “The movie is titled No-Rival produced by Wemimo Film Production”.
When she was young, did she plan to be an actress? “Yes, right from my secondary school days. You know then our parents use to dictate our courses for us It is either they wanted you to be a Lawyer or Doctor or an Engineer. I was not allowed to do so. That was why I went for Secretarial Studies. If they had allowed me from day one I would have graduated in Theatre art from one of the universities, it is because my father believed that those in the theatre are drop out student with no future. He feels that they are lazy people. And they don’t have enough cut-off marks that’s why they crossed to Theater art department. He preferred me to be a Poly student than become an actress. So that why I went for Secretarial studies.
I already have my 25 words per minute before I finished Secondary School. It really helped me to go further in Secretarial Study (as per) Daddy’s choice.”
Dupe Jaiyesinmi lives in Ibadan and not Lagos. Why is this so, we asked her. “Yes, Ibadan is my base. I like to be in Ibadan because it will enable me to go to any location around the South West, being at the centre point. Ibadan is the place where I was born. That is why I prefer to be in Ibadan.”
How old is Dupe Jaiyesinmi? Is she in her 60s? “Oh no, I am not in my 60s but I am over 50. I am in my 50s. How does she cope with the challenges of acting, moving from one location to the other “To the glory of God, I do cope with it. Yes, it is stressful. Being the job that I have a passion for, since my Secondary school days”. I have to cope. Every job has its own challenges. Several jobs have their own ups and downs, but at least we thank God, I am coping. The movie, No Rival came out what year? “It came out in the year 2001”.
What is the secret of her beauty, we asked? We wanted to know how she has been able to keep her good looks for years.
“Haha haha, Its all to the glory of God. I give thanks to God. It’s not by my power or might. Thanks for the compliment. I thank God because He made me what I am today.”
-Seye Kehinde
READ ALSO: MANY DON’T KNOW SEGUN ARINZE IS NOT MY REAL NAME, TALKS ABOUT HIS 35 YEARS IN ACTING
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