I wish I didn’t have a large family — Oga Bello

Veteran actor, Adebayo Salami, aka Oga Bello, speaks with TOFARATI IGE about his career and his happiness at seeing his children succeeding in the same field
What stirred your interest in the movie industry?
From a very young age, I had always been interested in anything that had to do with arts and culture. I grew up in Lagos Island and there were a lot of activities that went on there in those days.
Were there theatre practitioners you looked up to in those days?
Of course. There were people like Hubert Ogunde, Ojo Ladipo, aka Baba Mero, Oyin Adejobi, Ayinla Olumegbon, among others.
What were the steps you took before joining the theatre industry back then?
I used to watch a TV series, Village Doctor, produced by Hubert Ogunde, and that was what inspired me. I also used to watch Ayinla Olumegbon’s plays because where they used to have their rehearsals was not far from our house. Also, at the back of my school, I used to hear drumming and I was very curious as to where it was coming from. One day, I decided to go and watch them, and I later joined them. Their name was the Young Stars Concert Party. The criteria for joining them was that one had to pay a huge sum of money, which was one pound, one shilling. I had to source for the money, and when it was complete, I joined them

What was the reaction of your parents when you wanted to start acting?
There was no parent that supported their children going into theatre production in those days. Particularly in the town where I come from, religion was taken very seriously. I was also the first child, and people felt it wasn’t proper for me to become an actor. The profession was looked down on in those days, and they only respected people like doctors and lawyers. It was quite tough in those days. But I thank God that today, the story has changed.
When did your parents start accepting your choice of profession?
They only started accepting me when stardom came and there was one particular incident that changed their minds. One of my siblings was supposed to attend a school, but he wasn’t given a letter of admission, even though he had earlier been shortlisted. On one fateful day, my uncle asked me to drive them to the school, and when we got there, a crowd of people swarmed around me chanting my name. When we got to the office of the admission officer, the man also received us well and asked me what I wanted. We were immediately given the admission letter. That incident convinced my people that the path I was on was the right one for me.
Did you have any other ambition apart from being an actor?
I had the ambition to become a lawyer but I didn’t have the opportunity to pursue it because there was no money at that time.
Was it because of your ambition to become a lawyer that you encouraged your son, Femi, to study law?
I never discussed that with him. It was entirely his decision to study law and I supported him. As a matter of fact, my godfather, Alhaji Femi Okunnu, is a lawyer, and I named Femi after him. I worked with him as his personal assistant when he was the Federal Commissioner for Works.