How I Rose To Fame -Actor Adekola Tijani

Indigenous comic actor, Adekola Tijani, is arguably the toast of filmmakers in the Yoruba movie-making industry. Famous for handling the best comedic roles in movies, Tijani who’s otherwise known as Kamilu Kompo, in this interview with eelive.ng, narrated how he started acting, how he was able to break into the limelight in 2010 since he debuted his acting career in 1992, amongst other diverse issues.

Eelive.ng: How did you start acting?

I started my acting career in Oyo state, where I was born. I have developed an interest in acting since my secondary school days, but all those times, there was no exposure, because we didn’t believe that this is a profession one can make a living from. Our only belief then was mainly to go on stage, go on tours to perform, and that will give us happiness, fulfillment, and keep us busy. We never believed this is what one will be feeding on, not to talk of feeding and fending for one’s family.  So, I started, and with the help of late Omoba Seyi Adeoye, who groomed me, I started confidently.

Eelive.ng: When did you get into the spotlight and how did it happen?

That was in 2009. I produced a movie then titled Kamilu Kompo. Immediately after shooting and releasing the movie, it dawned on me that I’ve become a star. I didn’t know that was the movie that would give me fame. After releasing the movie, we shot a video ad for it which we were promoting, I noticed then that the movie request was much, people were requesting for it, asking when it will be released because it’s very unique. To cut the story short, the movie came out in 2010, and I noticed ever since, if I go out, maybe I want to get something, people will be referring to me as a star. I suddenly noticed the disturbance was getting too much. People would get into argument with each other, agitating if it was me or not. So, that particular year, I went to a garage in Ikorodu, Lagos, to my shock, my clothes were torn from fans and lovers of the brand, that I had to return home, that was when I realised that I had become a star.

Eelive.ng: What were the challenges you encountered since you debuted your acting career?

The truth is, there is no job without challenges, but that of acting is too much. As an actor, there are days of abundance, and there are days of scarcity. There are days we will go for a show, and everything will be scattered, and there are days we will go to some town with some of the things we use for acting, that will later become trouble for us on getting there. We can keep talking about the challenges and we won’t stop, but you will agree with me that when someone suffers for 20 years, and enjoys for a single year, he will forget the years of his struggles. So, that’s exactly my case, I really encountered a lot of challenges that I can’t start mentioning, but I’m grateful for where I am now.

Eelive.ng: What are the things you think needs change in the Nigerian movie-making industry?

What I can say is that we aren’t getting support from the government. I have gone to abroad a couple of times, and I’ve seen how they do things. In Fact in 2014/2015, I was in Berlin, Germany, they were shooting a movie, and I witnessed the way they were shooting, and I noticed the full support from the government. They had to block people from plying a particular route, they created an alternative for them for the sake of the movie they were shooting. There were many security men and cameras, it was really mind blowing for me. And in Nigeria, do the government even care when we want to shoot? Do they care about the entertainment industry in general? What is the government even doing for us as entertainers? In America, actors take pride in what they call film village, it’s a very secured environment for practitioners… but we don’t have all that in Nigeria, it’s not only piracy that is killing us, particularly indigenous actors like us, we don’t even have databases as actors… I think all these give me conviction that there is a long way to go for us, and a lot of things the government needs to put in place for us. They should even build somewhere for us like a film village. From onset, we have been individually struggling to break even. Our father, Ogunde, may his soul Rest In Peace… he had a project he was developing in his hometown, Ilesan in Ogun State, he built it to the extent that when he want to shoot in those days, and he had guest actors and filmmakers from abroad, that’s where they will all be.

Eelive.ng: How have you been handling fame?

This has to do with image branding and management. Since I realised I had become a star, I’ve been very cautious of my activities and engagements because I knew already I was now a public figure. As a celebrity, there are places you should not be seen at all, there are things you can’t eat, there are attitudes you should never be seen exhibit, there are women you can’t be seen with, and you must always be seen doing well. So, knowing all these has helped me a lot when it comes to handling fame.

Eelive.ng: Did you go to acting school or is the talent just natural?

There is something we call practical, and there is another thing we call theory. If you go to acting school and you don’t practise, that means you haven’t started, and if you practise too, without the theory, you will be lacking in some angles. What I did was practical; I learnt how to beat the drum, how to dance, how to write a screenplay, how to direct, how to act, and everything that concerns filmmaking. All these learning took no less than 15 years, but we thank God for the position we are in today. Although, I intend to go to school to do the theoretical aspect of filmmaking later on.

Eelive.ng: How has COVID-19 affected you?

I believe when one has millions of naira before the pandemic, by now, if he’s not working, the money would have finished or near a stage where it will get finished. Everybody is affected across the world. If it was before when things like this happen, our leaders and the wealthy ones will be seen flying abroad for treatments, but this is a disease plaguing the entire world. So, during the lockdown, I thought of something, like what can I do to keep entertaining my fans and to sustain my momentum as a celebrity actor. Those who are enjoying us are at home due to the virus, and is this how we will be sitting down and looking? Of course not, so I created a YouTube channel in order to start a series. I initially started with shooting with my phone. Although the idea of shooting the series was conceptualised during the lockdown; this is something we’ve had ambition for since like forever. 2010 was my first time opening a YouTube account, but I just saw the lockdown as an opportunity to shoot comedy series, and I’m glad people love it. The series is titled Oga Driver, and we will soon start another one titled Inside Life.