A quick look at your background?
I’m an actress married to Mr. Kayode Salako. I attended Maryland Convent Primary School and Obafemi Awolowo University where I read International Law and Diplomacy. I started coming out on television with a talk show in the 1990’s and I started acting in 1996. I started with ‘The Place’, where I was Jide Kosoko’s daughter.
And now I have two wonderful kids. What’s been happening to you? Nothing much, I’m working on my talk show, ‘The morning after’. It’s on Galaxy TV. It will be syndicated to AIT and other channels, before the year runs out. I’m also working on my foundation, PARA, Passion Against Rape And Abuse In Africa.
That’s more of what I have been doing, and I have a movie I have been trying to get to the cinema, maybe before the end of the year, titled ‘My Blood’. It’s a story on abuse as well. So that’s what I am cooking for now.
In the last few years, you have been involved in so many charity activities, which include rape and child abuse. What Inspired it, did you have a similar experience?
If you have been following me, I am always unashamed to tell those that care to listen that I am a rape victor, I don’t call myself a rape victim, because I have passed through that. In fact, the reason why I started my foundation was because I had an interview with a print media and afterwards, I was invited to France to have a documentary on it. They asked me if I had a foundation, I said I didn’t.
That was what actually pushed me because I have been doing something like advocacy on rape before. So given an opportunity, I always talk about it because at the end of the day, it is not for you to feel that you are less than yourself in anyway.
I try to build confidence into the minds of those who have been abused through rape. At the end of the day, you just know that, you have not taken anything out of them; they are just victims of circumstances and its doesn’t change or stop them from being who they want to be.
You have been with your husband for years, but recently tied the knot legally.Why did it take you so long?
For documentation purpose, we needed to because of the necessity that was going on around bank BVN and all that, and because I run a foundation, there are a whole lot of places that I will go to, that I need to establish the fact that I am a married woman.
They don’t recognise traditional marriages abroad, you have to be legally married to your husband. And for us, we needed to document our marriage. It didn’t add or subtract anything from who we are. My husband and I have been good friends and good lovers.
We dated and we are still dating. It’s a continuous thing, its not like we don’t fight or have issues, it just makes up the fact that we understand each other as best friends and we know that each step of the way, we take it as it comes and we believe that at the end of the day, we have to make the marriage work.
As a foremost actress and film maker, what do you think are the challenges confronting the present day Nollywood?
There are a whole lot of things that have not been in place. We do not have a structured system and the reason why we don’t have a structured system is because even with the so-called celebrities, without pointing accusing fingers on anybody particularly, are not as well read as they ought to be.
So most of the time, first thing that a lot of us lack is formal education and then, two, there are no structure and because that, we are not making the money we ought to be making from the industry.
Again, the government looks at us as low-lives, they don’t understand the efficacy of what we do. The weight we carry in Nigeria can never be over emphasised or quantified, but the government does not see us the way we ought to be seen; so a lot of these things are restricting us.
If they understand the efficacy of the art in the society, then they will be able to understand that this is where we need to take it from. This way, we move to the next level and then they will be able to organise a structure and even build schools where people that are not privileged to go to school before they became celebrities can go and brush themselves up to improve the lot of other people coming behind them.
But at the end of the day, when you have someone that is not well read and has gotten to a place, the younger generation will feel that, I can get to that place without going to school. So this is something that calls for concern.
If you look back and say, what other thing can I do apart of acting, as a celebrity you should be able to diversify and still make a success story out of it. So first and foremost, we need to have a structure and the government needs to realise that this industry is a gold mine and it will help us.
We have some new generation of actors and actresses coming up, and they have defined nudity as a form of art and don’t see it as anything. Do you agree with them?
All I can say is that they don’t have anything to offer. If you believe that the only thing you want to do is preach nudity, automatically you cannot go far in the industry. Like I said earlier, there will always come a time for the back stage, when it comes, what do you want to preach; nudity? When you get to a state that you are about 40 years and your body isn’t appealing as its ought to be, what do you want to preach? We have people like Ayo Mogaji.
I am sure she did not preach nudity in her time. When I was doing ‘ Barber’s Wisdom’, an Mnet new direction movie, the Americans that came referred to Ayo mogaji as the Whoopy Goldberg of Africa. So from that perspective, you know that that person has raw talent to give and not nudity.
I don’t believe that until you go nude is when you preach an act. During our own days until now, its not about nudity, we are still trying to make a difference in whatever we do. Foluke Daramola has come of age, I started acting in the 1990’s and for me to still stay relevant till now, it’s not about nudity.
You started acting in the 1990’s. How has it been for you since then?
I’ve had my challenges. I remember when I used to go for auditions. My parents never wanted me to go for it because a lot of them believe that people that act are just not serious minded. But I have been able to prove to a lot of people that you can always combine acting with education because I’m an advocate of that.
It hasn’t been easy, but one thing I have been consistent with is the fact that I have been able to combine the act with education and that has distinguished me. Even though I don’t do so much of movies, you cannot say a popular face in the industry has risen above Foluke Daramola’s own because I have been able to channel my popularity to something more constructive and it’s been making a whole lot of difference.
I just don’t want to be seen as the Nollywood face alone. No, that is not what I want because I know that Nollywood is for a while, but what will leave that depth and impact in my generation and even my generations to come is the fact that I have been able to channel my public face to something that impacts humanity. That is why I have been able to sustain the name so far.
Three things that fascinate you about your husband?
One, he is a highly intelligent young man. Two, he has a very wonderful heart, and three, he is very generous.
What has been the secret behind your beauty and smiles?
I express it all. If I’m annoyed with you, I bear my heart out, I don’t hold grudges against anyone. I take each day as its comes and I find happiness in whatever I’m doing. If I’m friends with you and I find your company exiting, I continue with you, its doesn’t mean that when you upset me I will hold it back. I will spell it out as it is. Also, I’m not a fanatic, but I hold so much reference to God.
How would you describe your fashion sense?
I’m a casual person, I love it simple and down to earth. I used to be a thumb-boy; when I was much younger, you will find me more i n my jeans. I’m actually not a fashion freak because I’m a contented person and I don’t hunger for what I cannot afford.
I live my life the way I can afford to. I don’t do beyond myself.
Favorite perfume, beg, shoes and all?
I’m a Gucci person. I love Elizabeth Taylor. I love to mix my perfumes.
Favorite foods and drinks?
Chinese is my favorite food and anything sweet. I love Champagne.
How do you relax?
I like to be with my family. My husband and I love to cook and read. I love to read because I always want to up my games and update myself.
If you have the chance to change anything about yourself, what would that be?
I’m not that kind of person. I believe I’m fearfully and wonderfully made. I’m beautiful the way I am, maybe I would love to be taller but any other thing, I’m perfect with it.
Would you allow any of your children take after you?
My son is taking after me. He loves to act. He is always very excited about acting. I try to put him in movies, I give him challenging roles; I noticed he likes to strive and put in effort even though he loves football. My daughter is a conservative. She loves to read, my son is much more art inclined than my daughter.
What’s your take about this Equality Bill?
I’m sorry I don’t think men and women should have equal rights in this case. I think the male should have more than the female, but it should be with proportion, maybe on a ration of 60 to 40.
The reason why I think so is because we women tend to be extremely domineering when it comes to issues and sometimes sentimental. Men can be detailed even though we are sometimes. So, there are proportions in all these things.
The role of a man can never be over emphasised. Even though I’m a woman rights activist, I still believe in the place of a woman and a man. The man is suppose to be a step ahead of the woman; you can never take that away.
Words for you fans?
I just want them to keep criticising me. Because I need to be on my toes all the time. I’m not perfect. To parents, they should always support their kids in education and their dreams.
0 comments:
Post a Comment