Adebayo Salami a.k.a Oga Bello Celebrates 50th Anniversary on Stage

                               

61 year old Veteran actor, Adebayo Salami a.k.a Oga Bello has announced his decision to celebrate his 50th anniversary on the stage and as an actor. Nigerian Entertainment Today chronicles the life of the actor and producer, who kicked off his career in 1964 at the age of 11 in Lagos.‎ 

The Man, Adebayo Salami 

Born Adebayo Salami on May 9, 1953 in Lagos, the actor, who hails from Kwara State, started acting in 1964 at the age of 11 with Youngstar concert group, led by the late Ojo Ladipo. The group was later transformed to Ojo Ladipo theatre group and then Awada Keri Keri group. In 1978, the mantle of leadership was passed on to Adebayo Salami after Ojo Ladipo’s death. He led the group till the early 90s and became popularly playing significant roles in the Awada Keri Keri, a TV drama that got many people glued to their TV sets in the 70’s. Adebayo Salami earned himself the moniker, Oga Bello on the set of the comedy sitcom powered by Awada Keri Keri, which also starred Sunday Omobolanle, widely known as Papi Luwe and Lanre Hassan, known as Iya Awero. 

His work 

Adebayo Salami produced his first celluloid movie titled ‘Ogun Ajaye’ in 1975, followed by ‘Omo Orukan’ in 1987 and ‘Eri Okan’ in 1989. The advent of home videos led other members of the Awada Keri Keri group to start independent productions, so he formed his own company ‘UB Media Network’ in 1993. In the early 90’s, he joined the home video train and produced a blockbuster movie titled ‘Asewo To’re mecca’, which brought popular actress, Toyin Adegbola to the limelight after playing the lead role. Oga Bello has since produced over 18 movies including ‘Agbaara Obirin,’ ‘Ilu le,’ ‘Oko’ (stone), ‘Gbemisola’ and several others. In his 50 years of working as an actor, Oga Bello has played the lead role in over 100 movies and is still very relevant in the Yoruba movie industry. Femi Adebayo is one of Adebayo Salami’s sons. 

Passing the baton to his children A few of Adebayo Salami’s children have not only followed in his footsteps as an actor, but have also become popular.

 Femi Adebayo, Tope Adebayo, Sadiq Adebayo and Rilwan Adebayo are Oga Bello’s sons, who currently work in several segments of Nollywood. Femi, Tope and Sadiq are popular faces that have appeared in countless flicks, while Rilwan reigns as a production expert. 

The celebration AO21 media, led by Afolabi Oyekoya, has taken it upon itself to celebrate the veteran Nollywood actor. The celebration, according to Oyekoya, will kick off on September 25, 2014 at the Agip Recital hall of the Muson centre, Onikan, Lagos, with a stage play titled ‘Oloko Oba’ (King’s Namesake). This will be closely followed by a grand party on Sunday, September 28, 2014 at Time Square event centre in Ikeja, Lagos. A happy Oga Bello had this to say, ‘it feels good to look back and see how far I’ve come and it sure calls for celebration.’ The organizers say that the stage play will be for just 200 dignitaries, including politicians, brand executives, businessmen, veteran movie stars, and the media. 

The Oga Bello Interview 

My big break in theatre

It was in 1976. Femi Okunnu’s tenure in the ministry had expired in 1974 and he asked me to resign and move with him, so he set up his own private law chambers and I went along with him. We set up the chamber together and that was where my love for law began. Meanwhile, through this period, I had risen to the post of second in command to Ojo Ladipo, and we were doing travelling theatre, going to places like Kano, Sokoto, Yola and other places. Back then, Ojo Ladipo was a bus conductor with the LMTS, so we all agreed to resign and take up acting full time. So when I also resigned from Femi Okunnu’s chambers, he wasn’t happy about it at all, he came to my home to talk to my parents about it, but my mind was made up to move on with acting full time. The name ‘Oga Bello’ I’ve been known as ‘Oga Bello’ since 1970. There was a programme on NTA Lagos then, the anchor was Art Alade, and the show was produced by Bank Olemo. They gave us a segment in the show, and on the show I was called ‘Bello’ and often times I always played the role of a boss, while Ojo Ladipo used to play the role of my messenger, so on set he called me ‘Oga bello’ and that was how the name stuck. 

My movies and I 

If I’m to count the number of home videos I’ve produced, I think it should be around 18 movies because I don’t rush my movies. My stories are always deep and executing them costs money; it got to a stage where I couldn’t make wishy-washy movies anymore because of the standard we have attained. As a producer, you have to know your story and how to interpret it with the right casting, locations, costume, dialogue and equipment, because it’s a creative teamwork. I won the award as the first Best Movie producer in Africa as far back as 1989 when I went to premier ‘Omo Orukan’ in London. The first home video I produced was ‘Asewo to re Mecca’ and it was a huge success. 

My life as a new generation actor 

There’s a difference between a stage actor and a movie actor. If you are on stage, you must be audible and make no mistake, but when you are talking of home videos, you make use of expressions more, you have gadgets that enhance every other thing. So when I wanted to transition, I learnt the trade very well, I went to London and France to study, and I began as Ogunde’s production assistant to brush up what I’ve learnt. 

50 years an actor 

It’s been very interesting and challenging all the way. There’s no production you do in movies where you don’t come across various challenges. I once produced a movie where equipment got burnt on set. There are times when you get robbed on set, we once had a terrible car accident on set, and there are times when cast members disappoint you at the last minute. At times you get duped; I once recorded a movie and at the end of the shoot we got to the studio for post production and discovered there was no sound recorded, it was just pictures (laughs). So it’s been interesting and challenging. 

Challenges

I really don’t like talking about challenges, because a lot has happened, but all in all I think God has been very kind to me. He’s kept my family together despite everything. I’ve seen betrayal; there was a time when a lot of people that were supposed to be loyal to me who I depended on all walked out on me. It was so bad that my wife used to drop feeding money for me at home before she went out. At that point I remember locking myself up in the room several times, weeping and praying to God to help me, and in a short time God rose to help me. There’s hardly anyone in this industry that didn’t pass through me at one point in time. I touched a lot of lives, but the truth is never expect good from humans because you think you’ve helped them. At the end of the day, looking at where I stand today, I always give God the glory. 

My children In the industry

I feel very great to have my kids in the same profession as I am. What even makes me happier are the comments from people, because at first I wasn’t really happy about it, but people began to say positive things about them and even wished the same fate for themselves. And today, my children stand very united and do things together, which make me happy...