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Popular LAGOS OAP, LOLO
There are not too many avid listeners of radio stations in Nigeria who will claim not to know the popular on air personality called Lolo 1. And if you’re a lover of television dramas and sit coms, then you couldn’t miss the trouble making and cantankerous Adaku in Jenifa’s Diary. Strangely, this amazingly talented mother of four is the only showbiz personality that probably lives two lives in the entertainment sector. There are hundreds of radio listeners who are not ardent TV watchers who cannot even recognise her when they see her on screen and vice versa. On radio, she is their beloved and adorable Lolo 1, while on television, no matter what role she is playing, her fans simply know her as their fun loving and mischief making Adaku.
Originally trained as a Lawyer, this hugely talented, brilliant and creative lady dumped the legal profession after practicing for about three years and dived straight into broadcasting and subsequently the entertainment industry. Many thought she had gone nuts when she took this decision years back. But today, LOLO 1 whose real name is actually Omotunde Adebowale, is now a multi award winning actor and broadcaster. She has carved for herself an outstanding niche that will be hard to replicate.
Two Sundays ago, LOLO was at the City People Female Achievers Award. She spoke to City People’s Senior Editor, WALE LAWAL (08037209290) about her meteoric rise to stardom and why many think she is an Ibo lady.
A lot of people are intrigued by your personality. You’re an on air personality, a grounded broadcaster, a Lawyer, an actress, etc, and you seem to have the perfect personality that fits into all of these, tell us, what part of your childhood prepared you for what you’re doing now?
Well, let’s just say I’ve always been a creative child. Way back from when I could remember, I was always writing. I was always living in a world of fantasy in my head. So, it’s no brainer that I grow into what I grew into. And I was in the boarding school all my life so it afforded me time to grow my creativity when I was quite young. I’ve been doing drama forever from as far back as I can remember. Even from my secondary school, I was one of the best debaters, I was an impromptu speaker, I was in drama, I’ve been singing, you name it, I do a lot of things in the Arts.
Early on in your childhood days, what were your aspirations, what did you set out to do?
Ah! I set out to do nonsense like all of us, I wanted to be an astronaut (breaks into laughter). Somebody that cannot even draw a straight line. There was a time I even wanted to be an architect, but you know, I’m a lawyer now by training before I became a broadcaster by practise.
Was it accidental that you got into broadcasting or it was all planned out?
I wouldn’t say it was accidental. I practised Law for about three years but I knew I needed more. I wanted to do more, so I deliberately began to search and I knew entertainment was my calling so I just moved into it.
Where was your first stop?
My first stop was the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, that was where I cut my broadcasting teeth before I had stints with some other private companies. I did a little bit of talent management then I moved to WAZOBIA where I worked for 13 years. I was the General Manager of LASGIDI Fm, I was their pioneer GM, I did a bit of consulting too for Law Fm but now I am producing films. I have produced two of my own films. One will be on Netflix by the grace of God by July and I just produced a 13 episode sit com this year called Madam Felicia.
When people hear Lolo, they automatically think you’re Igbo, yet you’re a proper Yoruba lady, how have you been able to reflect that about you?
I know a lot of people think am Ibo but it’s okay. I always call myself an Ibo woman in a Yoruba woman’s body. For me, growing up, I didn’t realise there was any difference between us culturally. My father’s tenants were Igbo, so I grew up with them. I didn’t really see the need that being Yoruba or Igbo presented. So, when I started out on tv, I’ve been like that for years. I think I have more affinity for the Igbo culture than even the Yoruba culture. So, when I started out on radio, I asked people to name me and more than three thousand people responded and the only name that reasonated is Lolo. And Lolo is like saying Olori in Yoruba. In Igbo, you can actually be a high chief or a chief’s wife, so it sat pretty for me.
Your role in Jenifa has also added to your popularity. Adaku has added a new dimension to your personality, tell us how it all happened.
I’ve been acting for a long time. I’ve done a lot of stage dramas, did a lot church dramas, a lot of acting here and there but maybe it was Adaku that jumped at a lot of people. And I guess the consistency of the drama on tv also made people get to know about me a lot more. For me, I always tell people that just keep doing what you do. I never called Funke, I’d never interacted with her beyond industry hello and hi. But because she had been privileged to see me do comedy, she was like, this girl is crazy. And you know, many of our young people don’t even want to do something without being paid. The one that broke it for me was the one I did for AY on a AY crib. I did a series where I was like the wife from home and she watched it and she was impressed. She gave me a call and like they say, the rest is history. Adaku and I blended so well.
Who were those personalities that inspired you back then when you were young and looking at possibly making a career at acting, broadcasting and so on?
Different people helped me at different times. I had different people helping me for different things. Growing up, I had Sienne Allwell-Brown to look up to for broadcasting, I also had Ruth Benaimesia Opia, I had Ali Baba for comedy, Monique the American too for comedy, I had Yaw, my colleague for broadcasting, so different people uplifted me over the years.
What support did you get from family when you decided to you were going into the entertainment industry?
You know, initially, my parents were like, why would you be leaving Law for entertainment? But one thing I tell people is that, whateer you’re doing, just make sure you succeed and all their ‘nos’ will become ‘yeses’. And that’s what happened in my own case too. When I became someone prominent that people could recognise me and I was making money, of course I became Mama Lolo very quickly.
What sort of childhood did you have, was it a fun childhood, was it a regular childhood or a very restricted one because I am wondering where your charming, always bubbly personality evolved from?
Well, I was in boarding school and boarding school allows your imagination because you’re not at home, you’re alone. I grew up a little independently. So, it afforded me a lot of time to dream, to be able to project the kind of future I wanted. And my childhood was very creative, it was fun, at least in a restricted way.
What should we expect from you in the next few years?
You’re going to see me produce a lot more movies. I’m working on my feature movie at the moment. You’re going to see me doing a lot more acting, you’ll see me in more sit coms, more films, and a whole lot more.
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