INTERVIEW:  Marketers and pirates forced me to withdraw from movie productions – BABA WANDE

Alhaji Kareem Adepoju aka Baba Wande is a household name in the entertainment industry especially in the Yoruba Nollywood. Baba Wande celebrated his 50 years on stage in 2013 which translates to 55 years on stage as at the time this interview was conducted by SOJ WORLDWIDE (SOJWORLD.COM) on Saturday, November 3, 2018 at his residence of Osogbo.

Baba Wande lives in a duplex at the front and a bungalow at the back in an expanse of land at Ogo-Oluwa Area of Osogbo, Osun State.

The interview SOJWORLD.COM had with Alhaji Kareem Adepoju was full of fun and excitements.

The interviewers comprised of the Editor-in-Chief of SOJ WORLDWIDE, Adesoji OMOSEBI, Cameraman/Reporter, Olanrewaju OMOSEBI and Nigeria’s Chief Correspondent of UK based Magazines, ‘Come to Nigeria’/’Nigeria Update’.  She is also the current Miss Tourism West Africa, Miss Aderemi Fisayo Queen

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THE INTERVIEW:

Q:  Can you please tell us your name?

Baba Wande:  My name is Alhaji Kareem Adepoju popularly known as Baba Wande.

Q:  Tell us little about yourself?

Baba Wande:  I was born in Osogbo, Arikalam Compound. I went to Osogbo Modern School, Quranic School where I completed Quran.

I did Tailoring before joining Oyin Adejobi Theatre Group.  Why I joined him was when I was in the primary school, Baba used to come and teach in the Ansar-U-deen Society where he gathered school children to train them in theatre arts.  The money they realized was used to pay the staff {Imams} the Quaranic Teachers because at this time the government had not taken over.

Before I joined Oyin Adejobi, he used come to our school for lectures. It was through the lectures he offered I made up my mind to join him. After joining him we acted plays like Adam & Eve, Joseph and his Brethren and many others through gate fee.

Q:  When did you join Oyin Adejobi?

Baba Wande:   I had earlier spent about six months with Duro Ladipo before joining Oyin Adejobi in 1963. I started fully with Oyin Adejobi where I spent 25 years with him from 1963 to 1987 before I started Baba Wande Production.  I produced movies like Ti Oluwa Ni Ile, Ogun Ko Dudu, Oko Fulani, Owo Gbemu, Agbabiaka, Sagbadewe, Omoluabi, Asiri Gbajumo and many more.

I also produced 30 minutes Islamic Programme sponsored by Alhaji Alao Arisekola on Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State (BCOS).

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Q:  What are your challenges?

Baba Wande:  Everything about life is ups and downs. At some times when we have outings, we would not have enough crowd to watch our performance, thus, we would record low sales after we might have spent much money.  However, television series helped us tremendously and we are enjoying it.

Later the Yoruba Photo Magazine “Atoka” came, we expanded our scope and we were paid handsomely.

It was after ‘Atoka’ and Home Videos were introduced that things became easy for us.

Initially, when ‘Home Videos’ came, the marketers do approach us for production of movies but later they took over from us to the extent that we no longer make profit from movies again. Instead of us approaching them, we are the one running after them.

Up till date, only few people gained from their productions.

The advent of Home Videos brought about the emergence of Marketers and also Pirates into the system which made things difficult for all theatre practitioners. Marketers came and took all our gains.  Most times, no returns on sales of our productions.  All the incomes and gains did not get to us.  Pirates were another monster that ate up all our sweats.

You could obtain a loan to produce a movie, but before the film is released pirates have already made millions of copies and are selling it.

I can longer continue to work for them again.  Marketers and pirates made me to withdraw from producing home video.

Q:  Why did you withdraw?

Baba Wande:  I withdrew because some of the marketers conspired with some of our colleagues because we can no longer speak with one voice in the theatre industry. At a time our colleagues refused to invite us to take part in any of their productions.

They refused to invite people like me and some of my friends, Jimoh Aliu, Eda, Olowomojuore etc any role in their productions.

The marketers colluded with some of our colleagues that they should not invite us for any role and they stopped.

But thank God we are still alive and God is taking good care of us. This is result of the awards given to me, not only in Nigeria but in United Kingdom, United States of America and other places.

Q:  Who are your role models?

Baba Wande:  Baba Hubert Ogunde, Duro Ladipo, Kola Ogunmola,  Oyin Adejobi.

Q:  Sir, in those days, your generation do not expose or strip yourselves half naked unlike what is happening now in the theatre industry where ladies expose major parts of their bodies.  At times, couples will almost strip themselves naked to show they are making love. But in your own time, once a man and woman locked themselves in a room, it was assumed that something was going on.

Baba Wande:  We cannot blame the youths. It is civilization. They are doing what their fans want but we cannot join them. The people watching such movies are enjoying it that is why they enjoy exposing their bodies and making open romance.

Q: What are the good sides of acting, your achievements?

Baba Wande:  This theatre work took me to different places in Nigeria and abroad. I have travelled several times to the United Kingdom (UK), Dubai, Unites States of America (USA), Mecca and a host of other places. I have also received many awards in Nigeria and abroad.  The popularity is there, I thank God for this.

I just came back from the United States of America (USA) where I bagged, “A LEGEND IN AFRICAN ENTERTAINMENT” award by American based, “Afro Heritage Broadcasting Heritage Entertainment Award”.

I celebrated my 50 years on stage in 2013.

As a celebrity who is well known, it made me to receive favour, accolades and encomiums from the people from different walks of life. If people were on queue once they see me they always assist me.  It made me to know people in high places, they also know me.  As good as acting is, no matter how good, there is other side of the coin to it.

They only area where my popular is worrisome are the ‘Area boys’ or miscreants, once they see me, they will ambush me and demanding for money.

If the ‘Area boys’ get hold of you, you will pay for what you did not buy (Ti awon ‘Area Boys’ ba gba e mu, owo ti e o je, e o san) – Laughter.  No matter what you give them, they can throw it at you.

If you give them like N2,000 they will not allow you to move, they will demand for more. The ‘Area boys’ are the only challenges people in our category are facing.

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Q: Do you make so much money as a celebrity?

Baba Wande:  Aaah! Where would the money come from? Is it raining  (Nibo lowo naa yoo ti wa, se nrojo ni – Laughter).  There is popularity, no doubt about that.  If not for the selfishness of the marketers people like me ought to be richer than this considering my works.

Q:  The America you visited recently, what did you go there for?

Baba Wande:  I went there to receive an Award, AHBHEA AWARD (Afro Heritage Broadcasting & Heritage Entertainment Award). Adebayo Salami aka Oga Bello was one of the awardees.

Q:  Sir, there was this notion that before a lady is given a role in a movie, the Directors most times always have carnal knowledge before given a role, how true is this?

Baba Wande:  There is nowhere in the world such things do not happen.  It happens between the doctors/nurses, students/teachers, woman/man but it has to be to the consent of both parties.  It has to be an offer and agreement. It is madness to demand sex from ladies before given her a role. If I want to date a lady I will approach her, if she likes she agrees if not, she will say no.

I must emphasize it that no man can force a woman to bed against her wish.  If a woman is not pleased, no man can force a woman. Except if there are many men on her and the man would not enjoy it.

On the other side, some ladies purposely go to locations where they were not invited to seduce the Directors to give them a role. In this way, these ladies had it at the back of their minds to sleep with the Directors in order to give them a major role in a movie production.

Q:  Your happiest moment?

Baba Wande:  My happiest moment in life was when I visited Kabba in Mecca for the first time when I saw people like sands.

Q:  Saddest moment?

Baba Wande:  None.  Nothing makes me sad. I always get over any sad moments because God had been so good to me. Anytime I see anything that can sadden me, I always waive it aside.  When I think of what God has done for me, there is no reason for me to be sad. I always thank God.

Q: What advise do you have for the younger generation in the theatre industry?

Baba Wande:  The younger ones should be patient.  They might think acting is an ordinary joke or play but we all will give account of whatever we do to God in the day of reckoning.  They should do well at all time. They should not destroy their lives because of money.

Q: Despite your old age, baba you are still handsome.  What is your relationship with women considering your look? Even if you don’t make advance to them they will seduce you, how do you control women? (ON A LIGHTER MOOD)

Baba Wande: I am not a saint; no one can claim to be one. I am not clean about relationship with other women, no man can say that.  At times you may not want to offend a woman; you will need to satisfy her despite the fact that she is not an actress. Any man whom God made whole cannot say he is a saint. This America I just visited, some ladies will embrace you. Will you now run away from such lady? I am not an angel. It is the love some people have for you that would make them to embrace you but some people will turn it to something else.

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Q:  What is your relationship with your theatre association?

Baba Wande:  I am a member of the Association of Nigerian Theatre Practitioners (ANTP) but I must tell you that unity is scarce in our association.

Q:  How many wives and children do you have?

Baba Wande:  I have many wives, boys and girls.

THE END

 

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