Ronke Ojo a.k.a Oshodi-Oke has appeared in more than 300 home videos produced in Yoruba language. Easily one of the most visible Nigerian film actresses around, she speaks with ‘NONYE BEN-NWANKWO about her career and the rumoured breakup of her marriage.
You seem to take part only in movies produced in Yoruba language…
No. I do both Yoruba and English movies.
But you are not prominent in English language movies…
I started with the English genre. My baby’s father was an actor here in Nigeria before he left for the US. We were always going to locations together. Later, I crossed over to the Yoruba genre. Sometimes, the English movie producers invite me to feature in their movies. I was part of the cast of Oby Edozie’s movie that was shot in London. We will conclude the remaining part of the movie here. I have produced a movie in both Yoruba and English languages.
So you produce movies as well?
Yes. I am a producer.
How come most Yoruba actors and actresses have produced movies?
In the Yoruba movie industry, I will say that is where the money is. But talking for myself, I would say I like production. I am a script writer. I write stories and things like that. I can’t keep it to myself. And I know that producing movies will be another way I can touch other people’s lives. I like being a producer because I am a writer. In the Yoruba industry, you earn more money than you get from English language films.
Are the stories you write based on true life experiences?
Some of them are products of my imagination while others are based on true life experiences. Some people give me story ideas. When they share their stories with you or give you an idea, you can develop it. That is the way I do my jobs.
Are you working on a new film at present?
Yes, I am working on a new project. I did it with Sunday Esan. When I travelled abroad, I noticed that black men there still behave like African men. Although most of them have not been to Africa, they exhibit the same traits as our African men here. Some of them beat their wives and all that. It is as if the black skin is the same all over the world. Men expect too much from us. They are older than us, yet they want to act like babies. I think people should appreciate women more. I have seen so many things and I felt it was time I did a story on that.
Going down memory lane, how did you get into the movie industry?
I have been a lover of the arts since I was a little girl. I like watching movies a lot, especially Indian films. I like entertainment. There was a day I was passing by Palm Groove/Onipanu in Lagos. This was between 1996 and 1997. I met the likes of Jide Kosoko and some other people. I talked to one of them and he said I should come and join them. Initially, I was in the English movie industry. I was going for auditions and rehearsals at the National Theatre. But I am sorry to say that in the English movie industry, tribalism is common. Only a few Yoruba actors are among them. Although crossing over to Yoruba language films wasn’t easy for me, I met a better atmosphere. Other actors and stakeholders embraced and accepted me. They encouraged me and all that. It may be because I am Yoruba, I cannot say. But they were not like the other people who would just look down on you. That was how it started.
And since then, you have not felt like quitting?
No. The industry is part of me. I love it and I enjoy what I am doing. The money is not really coming, but we are comfortable. In my own little way, I am okay. But the thing is that when you enjoy what you are doing, you may not think of leaving it. I am happy doing this and I know in my own little way, I have touched the lives of some people.
Can you count the number of movies you have featured in?
No. I have lost count. I have featured in well over 300 movies. I have lost count.
Were your parents in support of your choice of career?
Oh no! My father was never in support. He was a customs officer. He graduated from Obafemi Awolowo University. He wanted me to go to the university. He wanted me to be a newscaster or an air hostess.
Why didn’t you yield to his wish?
He had problems in the customs and he left. I couldn’t complete my education. Things were very bad. After I finished my secondary education, I told him I could not sit at home doing nothing. I suggested to him that I should go into acting since it is what I enjoy. My mum asked me if I really wanted to do this. In a way, she supported me. But my father never liked it. At the end of the day, he didn’t have a choice.
How was it like growing up?
It wasn’t really fine. It was bad. That is why I like Saheed Osupa’s song, ‘I remember when I was nobody’. That song goes a long way to lift up my spirit. I never knew I would be somebody in life. I went through tough times. Not that it is really easy now; but it is still better than it was when I was growing up. Some people who you thought were your friends would turn you down. We had nobody. We struggled to get to where we are now. I never knew I would get here. I may not have made it in life yet. To chop na wahala. But I thank God. It wasn’t a nice experience at all. I was the first born in my family and I had younger ones to care for. Thank God things are okay for all of us now.
Do you intend to complete your education?
I have been dreaming of doing so. I have been saying it for the past four, five years, but I keep postponing it. I don’t have any excuse. But my husband is now on my neck. I think with his support now, I will do it before the end of this year.
Most people still think ‘Oshodi Oke’ is your surname.
Yes, people think so. But that is not my real name. My name is Ronke Ojo. Oshodi Oke is just a pseudonym.
How did it come about?
I featured in a movie titled ‘Oshodi Oke’. It was the movie that brought me into the limelight. Sunday Soyinka produced it. I was working with him then. I worked with him for about four years.
You have been associated with a few scandals…
The scandals have never made me want to leave my job. There is this colleague of mine that some people barged into her private life and took some pictures from her laptop and posted them on the Internet. She was a guest at one TV presenter’s show the other day and she said, ‘When you are coming into the movie industry, you should come in with an extra shock absorber. Anything can happen at any time. If your shock absorber is not strong, you will be pulled down.’ As for me, I have extra solid shock absorber.
Do the negative things they say and write about you affect you?
At times, they do get to me. I am human. But when you look at it, it is a price you have to pay as a celebrity. Everybody cannot like you. I am used to it. The fact is that they don’t really write scandalous things about me. However, whatever anybody writes, I am okay with it. I don’t see it as a big deal.
Once, it was rumoured that your marriage broke up. How true is this?
My marriage is 100 per cent intact now.
Did you say now?
I said now because anything can happen at any time. Nobody prays for evil or for a bad thing. But as I am talking to you, my marriage is intact. As an African man, anything can happen. Things do happen. I am not different from any other person. My husband is a man. He is an African man. He would always behave like an African man.
So, how did the story come about?
I was in London when some people called me and started asking me about that. I told them I didn’t know what they were talking about. I had travelled to Canada for a film festival. When I returned to London, I told them I didn’t know what they were talking about, since I was not in the country.
What happened later?
When I came back, I had to ask my husband what happened. He told me that nothing happened.
Did he say he did not go back to his former girlfriend?
Yes. He said nothing like that happened, and I agreed with him. I accepted what he told me. My marriage is okay for now. I don’t know about tomorrow.
But did you know about your husband’s ex-girlfriend that he went back to?
The lady lives in Surulere (Lagos). I knew about her even before we got married. My husband and I have been together for 11 years. We got married last year. We had been together even before I had my baby and before he had his own baby. He has a daughter and I have a daughter too. Our relationship was on and off before we finally decided to get married and settle down. Maybe during the period our relationship was on and off, he had a lady friend and I asked him about her. I knew the girl wanted to see me. She just wanted me to know he was dating her. You know how some girls behave. But after our marriage, my husband said he and the girl had not seen each other. Since then, things have been fine with us.
You said both of you had been together for 10 years before you decided to tie the knots?
Yes.
Why did it take you that long to get married?
I have seen a lot in life. As an actress, you will be exposed to a lot of things in life. You don’t rush into marriage. You don’t marry because you want to marry. You must marry your friend, the person you understand. Having a baby for someone is different from getting married to him. If you jump into marriage, you will jump out of it as well. If you rush in, you will rush out. You must get everything right before you get into it. You have to ask yourself if you really must get into that marriage. You must be sure of what you want to go into. I know it is God that perfects marriage. But you still have to ask yourself if you are ready to get into it. You have to be very ready. That was why it took us that long. We just had to be sure.
How has it been since you got married?
It is not the same as an ordinary relationship. It is a good experience though. It has its own ups and downs. You are not as free as you used to be. As an actress, you can be called upon at any time. But now, you just cannot wake up and take off. It is fun though. I like it.
How come you didn’t marry the father of your baby?
The distance contributed to it. He stays abroad and I can’t just live abroad.
Why? You travel all the time.
Yes, I know. I only travel. I can’t just pack my things and live abroad. So many things contributed to our not getting married, but the biggest factor was the distance. I don’t do ‘abroad marriage’. I am going to make my money in Nigeria. I am a Nigeria person.
Are you still friends?
Of course, we are. We still talk. As long as my daughter lives, we will be friends. He is my friend and we talk.
Do you belong to any cabal in the movie industry?
I don’t belong to any group. I was in one caucus and we went for training together. I was there for a year and I left. I have friends in the industry but I don’t belong to any caucus.
Many people are fascinated by your large boobs
Yes. I know that.
Have you ever found the size of your boobs embarrassing?
Initially, I used to hide them. I never liked the size. I saw them as something that wasn’t normal. I felt they were too large. Before anybody would abuse me, I would abuse myself and tell the person that I am orobo. I used to wear undersize bras so that I would tuck in the boobs. I wouldn’t want people to notice them. But I later changed.
Why the change?
A colleague, Foluke Daramola, made me to appreciate my boobs. She told me I was okay. Now, people want to have big boobs. Initially, it wasn’t like that. Foluke told me I should not hide them because my boobs fit me. She encouraged me a lot. I decided to listen to her and people started liking them. People appreciate them a lot.
Do you wear clothes that expose your cleavage?
I used to wear such clothes when I was much younger. That was before I had my baby. But now, my baby is about six years old. I wouldn’t want her to see my picture later in life and feel embarrassed. I see myself as a mother now. I don’t really wear such clothes unless I am on a set and the script says I should wear them.
What are your aspirations?
There are many things that I want to do. I am planning to go into music. I want to have my own studio. I want to have my own drama school. Singing runs through my family, but I never took it serious. I went to the US the other day for the premiere of my movie. I was given the mic to sing for 10 minutes, but I ended up singing for more than four hours. Nobody sat down. People danced and danced. That was when I decided that I should think of getting into music professionally.
Do you think you will be an actress for life?
I want to be a champion forever. I want to remain at the top. That is when I will appreciate what I do. The likes of Bukky Ajayi are no longer stars; they are moons. I want to be like them. I want God to help me to get to that level.
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