IT’S BEEN DIFFICULT FINDING TRUE LOVE —TAYO ADELEYE

Yoruba actor, Tayo Adeleye, joined the movie industry over decade ago having studied Computer Science at The Polytechnic Ibadan. The Ogun State-born thespian has gone through a lot of challenges before he got to this level. He shares his experience  in this interview.

Excerpts:

Not much has been heard from you for a long time, even your appearance in movies has reduced. What has been happening to you and your career?
Everything that has happened to me has been good. I have been in the industry for some years and I don’t have another job that I am doing aside acting. You are right if you observed that I have not been active for sometime in movie like I used to do because I have come a long way in the movie industry and right now, I have to be careful about the movies that I appear in and the things I get myself invloved in. I am growing old and one’s name is fast going to places that one does not even have the privilege to go. In view of all these, my roles would be restricted, but my relevance is intact. Acting is my job, my life and it is what I have been living on for a very long time. Another thing that has not been encouraging actors is piracy. It has dealt with us severely.

A lot of your colleagues have complained bitterly about the effect of piracy, poor remuneration and lack of structure. Despite your complaints to government over the years, nothing has happened, don’t you think it is high time you started thinking of another way out?
The truth of the matter is that we are all clueless about everything right now. Nobody knows how to put an end to this menace called piracy. And, even those who know who have intensified efforts to curb it, you will find out that there efforts were frustrated by some wicked people who are greatly and largely benefitting from this mess. If you produce a movie and give it to marketer, the marketer will tell you that your film is not selling because it has been pirated. Now the questions are who are the pirates? Why are they so powerful that even the government can not deal with them? In fact, these days, marketers will advise you not to spend too much money on your movie so that you won’t incur debt that could make you run out of the country. Things have gone from bad to worse in the industry. Let me open up to you because I know that some of my colleagues will not be bold to tell you the truth, we are suffering and smiling.

But some of your colleagues have continued to produce movies in spite of piracy and other problems that you have talked about. If you are not making from a venture, why must you keep pumping money into it?
Yes, you are right. We can’t stop producing despite the fact that we are doing so at a great loss. You can run away from the industry because you are not making money or because piracy is almost killing you.

So, you want to remain there till you are rendered useless?
We will continue to produce movies, whether we record gains or losses. We have lived all our lives on this job, how do you expect me to wake up today and say I am dumping the industry because I can’t withstand the challenges that  I am facing. That means you will leave the industry to quacks, half-baked writers and producers and even the pirates to kill it. We won’t allow that to happen. We will continue to produce movies as we hope that government will listen to our pleas one day.

Let’s leave piracy for now, looking at your life as an actor, what has been your success story so far?
I can only thank God for my life. I don’t even know how to start describing how God has used this career to turn around my life. I have successfully executed things that my colleagues have done as a thespian. I am a very quiet person, but people don’t know. You can hardly see me at social gatherings. I am sure you can attest to that fact, considering what you went through before you could conduct this interview. This is not about pride, I don’t appreciate exposing my life to the public for no reason at all.

If you are thinking of how to diversify because you are lucky or perhaps you have the resources to move around, what do you say about some of your colleagues who don’t have the privilege; don’t you think something urgently needs to be done?
My brother, I used to be in that state before, but I decided to take my fate in my hands and move on. The truth about what we are saying is that most movie producers are lazy, they are not creative and they lack the capacity to think outside the box. You can’t sit down in the four walls of your room and expect that a miracle will happen, you have to move out and let the people know whether acting sells or not, you are an all round entertainer.

I know you studied Computer Science at the Polytechnic, Ibadan, tell me how you found yourself into acting?
I was born and brought up in Ibadan. I read Computer Science at The Polytechnic Ibadan and I am sure you know that as humans, we can only propose, God has different plans for us.  I only picked up interest in acting before and that dates back to 2001. It is by God’s grace that I am here today. I am not perfect. I am not even the best actor, but I am sure of one thing in life, if you are not suppossed to be here, you won’t be there. I am into acting because God wants me to be here. I used to be a model. I do go for auditions and castings. My major goal has always been to do something that will make people notice that I have got what it takes. Then, I have a brother, Jare Ayo-Martins who encouraged and introduced me to my god-mother in the movie industry, Toyin Ajoke Asewo. From there, I met Olaiya Igwe who actually gave me all the necessary support to become a successful actor.

Tell me about the experience you had that almost forced you to quit?
I have never had such experience before. I am a man and I have to behave like one. I don’t see challenges as problems that could force me out of what I love doing. There is none that I can remember. Once I decide on what to do, I don’t look back. I don’t see anything stopping me. Some people have left because they could not endure the pains of taking home peanuts that they are paid at the end of the day. This brings me back to the issue of creativity that is lacking in the industry that I mentioned earlier. I am not expected to wait for calls from locations before I know what to do with my life. There is no experience that would make me leave this industry. I can only reinvent myself and keep myself abreast of the situation in the industry. I am not afraid of anything.

Why are you still single?
That’s a funny question, but I will answer you anyway. I will settle down very soon. It is  difficult for artistes to settle down, it only takes the grace of God for you to find a God-fearing woman who will love you for who and what you are. As a celebrity, it is difficult for you to know who truly loves you. It is not something you can buy at the market. I don’t pray to suffer a broken home, so I am taking my time to choose the woman whom I believe would understand and love me the way I am.

Are you searching for that kind of woman?
I am not searching for any woman for now. Like I said before, I don’t want to suffer a broken home. Allow me to take my time before committing myself to a union that I will cherish for a life time.