Idowu Adenekan is one of the veteran Yoruba actors, who is popular for his herbalist role in movies. It was the role that shot him to limelight many years ago after playing many roles in different movies. His first film was Ojulowa, where Mr. Latin was the star actor, praizemedia report.
This producer and actor has produced about 10 movies. A few weeks back, he spoke with City People’s SHOLA BAMIDELE, in a bare-it-all conversation about his growing up years in Abeokuta. He spoke about his challenges as a young boy, who lost his mother at age 6. He also spoke an why he acts herbalist role in movies. It is a revealing story.
WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW ????⬇️⬇️⬇️????
Can you be called a Chief based on your movies roles?
Yes, because of my movies roles, but in real life, I haven’t had any chieftaincy title. I have been offered, but I didn’t accept. I see myself as God’s messenger. And when you see some of us who are actors or singers, directly or indirectly, we are messengers, because at times, your stories always serve as lessons givers to some people. Some of our messages or stories talk about life experiences.;It could also be stories that will touch, even actors’ personal lives without knowing.
There are some stories you put out, and when you listen to it later, you realise it also touches your lives. That’s why I said, some of us who teach people are God’s messangers.
Everytime I wake up in the morning, I give thanks to God for my life. It’s His grace. We have seen so many things happened. My age mates, my juniors and those who are olders, many have passed on. If we put all these into consideration,, we must always give God the praise.
Idowu Adenekan is a son of the late Chief Nasirudeen Ojebiyi Araba of Iranwo, Abeokuta. Iranwo Abeokuta is a town in Ake side. Iranwo and Itoko are almost the same thing. So, I am from Iranwo.
I was born in 1966. My mother was from Owu. My father is Egba Ake.
I was born in a village called “Robiyan”. “Robiyan a place near Ijoko Railway Station and Agbado. That is also the village of Dayo Kujo’re. That was the village where I had my primary education.
My father was an “Ifa” priest; a competent Ifa priest. If I should narrate everything that happened to me in the past, it could divide my family, and you know that Yoruba people believe so much in family tie and unity. If I should recount my life story, it will tear the family bond, which I won’t do.
I was 6- year- old when I lost my mother. My step mum brought me up. I was like an orphan then and you know the suffering that comes with such experience. I saw a lot of things, but I thank God because everything I went through is now a lesson and that has made me to believe that, if you don’t have problems, you wouldn’t have experience. The bigger your problem is, the the larger your experience. So, my experience enabled me to have a rich experience, but instead of getting angry on the way I was treated by my step mum, I just gave God the grace because I have realised it’s a lesson. If I hadn’t been treated that way, maybe I wouldn’t be where I am today. Some of my siblings are close to me and I try as much as possible to forget the wrong things someone has done to me.
Early in life, I loved to go school. And among all my fathe’s children, I’m the one who shared striking semblance with him.
In my primary school days, I was loved by my teachers, school mates because I was very brilliant. African Church School, Igbore, Robiyan is the name of my school. I specialised in English; English language was my favourite subject. Even \when I finished my secondary education, I was still good in the language.
What did you have in mind to do that time?
I wanted to be a pilot. My mother’s siblings promised to help me relies my ambition. So, I had two things in mind. First was to become a soldier and the second one was to become a pilot. But when I was growing up, I was told I couldn’t be a soldier because of my height. I was a bit short. I was very determined to go to school, but a lot of things happened during that period.
There was a year in my school that an opportunity came to win scholarship. I was picked among those to go for the scholarship exam. It was at Agbado Railway station we had that exam. Mr. A.A. Falade was the teacher who took us to the exam hall(That was the man who taught me theatre arts.but he is late now). What happened was that, when we got to that big hall… and I was about to do English text, I became blank.
Immediately, I was given question sheet, I forget everything I’ve ever learnt. I couldn’t remember anything. I was just flipping through the pages until I heard pens up, It was at that point that my memory was restored, but I couldn’t write anything again. My teacher and I cried back to Robiyan.
I wanted to be a pilot. My mother’s siblings promised to help me relies my ambition. So, I had two things in mind. First was to become a soldier and the second one was to become a pilot. But when I was growing up, I was told I couldn’t be a soldier because of my height. I was a bit short. I was very determined to go to school, but a lot of things happened during that period.
There was a year in my school that an opportunity came to win scholarship. I was picked among those to go for the scholarship exam. It was at Agbado Railway station we had that exam. Mr. A.A. Falade was the teacher who took us to the exam hall(That was the man who taught me theatre arts.but he is late now). What happened was that, when we got to that big hall… and I was about to do English text, I became blank.
Immediately, I was given question sheet, I forget everything I’ve ever learnt. I couldn’t remember anything. I was just flipping through the pages until I heard pens up, It was at that point that my memory was restored, but I couldn’t write anything again. My teacher and I cried back to Robiyan.
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