Entertainment
Why I Chose Acting Over Sports, Dele Odule Reveals
Veteran Nollywood actor, Dele Odule, in this interview with EBENEZER BAJELA talks about his passion for table tennis, his love for the Super Eagles and more
How do you relax when you are not on set acting?
I am a table tennis player and I play a little bit of it even though I am not a professional player but I know the game and when people see me play they know that I am good at it. I am not a football fan at all but that is not to say that I do not know what football is all about because I went to a teacher’s college and before graduating, Physical and Health Education was a compulsory subject, so I have a knowledge of football and other sports but the one I play effectively is table tennis.
Apart from table tennis, what other sport do you love?
I played volleyball for Ogun State. Volleyball was a game I played when I was in the teacher’s college and I played till the state level and I represented Ogun State in the early 80s. That is the only sport I will say I effectively took part in when I was much younger but occasionally I still play table tennis.
A lot of our readers will recall seeing you in the movie ‘Ti Oluwa N’ile’ where you displayed your table tennis skills as a king. Why didn’t you make a career out of it?
I couldn’t do the two at the same time. I have chosen theatre and I think I am comfortable with that. I started acting even before I went to the teacher’s training college. Immediately after my modern school I started acting and it was because I love to be well-read that I went to the teacher’s training college as an alternative to the secondary school that I should have gone to, It was when I got to the college that I developed all the likeness for sports because it was compulsory that you get yourself involved in PHE.
Did you ever put in for any competition and won medal?
I never put in for any competition because it was all just for fun for me.
Who will you rate as the best table tennis player this country has ever produced?
For me, I think I will say Waheed Ekun, he is very old now and there is also another player with the name Musa from Benue but I can’t remember his other name. For the female, I will go for Kehinde Okenla from Ogun State. Aruna Quadri is another great player who has been making the country proud. I may not know much about the young generation but I know a lot about Aruna Quadri and it is my love for table tennis that made me still know about him.
How did your love for table tennis start?
You know as a child we put benches together to play table tennis and because it was more fun, that was how I developed an interest, I later had the opportunity to play on a better surface and that was how I got better at that game. It is until recently that I don’t have table tennis kits at home anymore. I have always had the table and the kits but it looks like theatre has taken the better part of my time and I don’t have time for it but when I visit friends or go to places where I see table tennis I still joined to play.
You said you are not a big fan of football, does that means you don’t watch the Super Eagles when they play?
It is like asking me if I am interested when Yoruba culture is on display, I do watch the Super Eagles whenever they play because I am always interested in them even though I may not be able to stay abreast of their activities but the moment I learned they are playing I try to watch them. I am passionately in love with my country, passionately in love with my state and my town. I love Nigeria more than any other country and that is why I will not leave Nigeria for any other country. I pray that I don’t have any reason to relocate to another country and I will never do that.
The Eagles were once rated among the best football nation in the world but the last FIFA rankings saw us drop to 40th. How does this make you feel?
I think the problem with this is that we rely too much on overseas-based players and the bitter truth is that they will not put in their best. I am confident that the home-based players will put in more effort because they want to protect their country. During the era of Mudashiru Lawal, Segun Odegbami, they were in Nigeria and not overseas-based players and the passion was there because they wanted to make their country proud. When you travel abroad to go and beg a player to play for the country, there is a limit to what he will deliver unlike those born and raised here.
I can use myself as a case study when we wanted to shoot ‘Ti Oluwa N’ile’ some 30 years ago, they said they needed a young king that will deliver effective and I told them I was the right man for the job because they also wanted to bring someone in for the same role. If we can reduce the over-reliant on oversea-based players and get a good technical person I believe we will get our football back on track.
Nigeria seems to still be relying on the old hands in major tournaments, what do you think should be done to nurture talents?
My candid opinion is that sports should be put in the school curriculum and it has to be enforced. I equally laugh at some people when they say we are depending on old people to get things done but we shouldn’t forget that the old ones started when they were young. This new generation is an era where babies are parenting babies and a generation when the younger ones are not ready to do anything. Muammadu Buhari was 22 years when he became a platoon commander and to date, he is still there because those that should take over are not ready and doing fraud. That is the same problem with our sports and that is why it has to be introduced into the school curriculum and should be enforced. That is the only way we can discover talent.
When I was in a teacher’s training college, there was something we called intercollegiate and it was a yearly event in the country and that was how some top athletes were discovered but today I doubt if there are any competitions within the secondary schools. All these activities need to be reintroduced and students must take part in one sport to enable them to collect their certificate.
Your friend and colleague Jide Kosoko said he once played street football with Haruna Ilerika but no longer goes near the football and you are saying you hardly play table tennis…
(cuts in) Old age has a way of depriving you of doing sports and that is why it is almost impossible when you get to a certain stage in life. Even our own profession is an exercise on its own. Right now I am driving to a location and changing of costumes can be demanding because you keep bending down and standing up. Sports and acting have a lot in common.
Veteran Nollywood actor Yinka Quadri has revealed that his wife was aware of his romantic relationships with some actresses in the industry and treated them cordially.
The actor made the disclosure in an interview on the Africanalist Podcast, where he spoke about his personal life and marriage.
Quadri said some of the actresses he dated eventually became friends with his wife, Sadiat Adenike Quadri. According to him, the women would sometimes approach her and share gossip about his relationships with other female colleagues, even though they themselves were involved with him.
“It got to a stage, I won’t mention the ladies’ names in the industry. They would become friends with my wife and start giving gossip to my wife that I am dating so so so in the industry,” he said.
He added that jealousy sometimes arose among the women. Some of those he was dating reportedly went to his home out of jealousy, only to find that his wife already knew about the relationships.
“And there were some of them that we were dating who went home out of jealousy. Meanwhile, my wife would say she was aware already and she doesn’t fight them because of that,” Quadri said.
The actor further disclosed that some actresses occasionally spent the night at his house when movie productions ended late. He said his wife knew about the relationships and still provided food and care for them.
“Sometimes when production ends late, they would sleep in my house. And my wife is aware I am dating them, she would still feed them and everything,” he stated.
Quadri has been married to Sadiat since 1989. The couple have children and grandchildren.
Actress and filmmaker Fisayomi Amodemaja, popularly known as Fisayo Abebi, has urged young actors to build strong personal brands and rely on their talent rather than fame or social media visibility for a sustainable career in Nollywood.
Speaking in an interview with Sunday Scoop, Abebi, who began acting as a child before moving into filmmaking and production, said having a distinct identity was essential for anyone seeking longevity in the industry.
“As an actor, you should have a brand. You should have something that makes you different. Your talent should be able to speak for you wherever your name cannot speak for you,” she said.
She also stressed the need for dedication and readiness to handle the demands of the profession.
“Any young actor coming into the industry has to know that it is time-consuming, and you have to be fully ready to be diligent and ready for the stress,” Abebi added.
The actress reflected on her own experiences, noting that growing up in the spotlight came with pressure, particularly from being recognised for a character she played as a child.
She credited her family and friends with helping her navigate the attention and remain grounded. Her mother, she said, played a key role by helping her understand that she was separate from the character audiences associated her with.
Abebi also spoke about the challenges of combining her acting career with university education, describing it as stressful at times.
“Sometimes I might have to refund or sometimes I might have to go to the set after finishing my exam. So, that can be very stressful,” she said.
She noted that her journey in the industry had taught her to take risks and build confidence in herself.
Nollywood actress Regina Daniels has revealed that she spent several months struggling with severe pain and mobility challenges that left her dependent on a wheelchair.
The actress shared the details in a video posted on her Instagram page on Saturday as she marked her 25th birthday, which she described as her “Silver Jubilee.”
Appearing in a wheelchair, Daniels explained that her prolonged absence from social media was due to the health difficulties.
“I know many of you may be surprised seeing me in a wheelchair. Well, welcome to another chapter of my life,” she said.
She stated that the problem began as a minor issue but gradually became more serious, eventually limiting her freedom to move around as she pleased.
“For several months now, I lost my freedom to move around as I please. It started as something minor, very minor, but eventually led to this,” Daniels said.
According to her, the condition took a major turn after the last public gathering she hosted, a Children’s Day carnival. She said she underwent repeated medical tests during the period and joked that she had started calling herself a “lab rat.”
“The pain became excruciating. Sometimes I find myself walking well, and sometimes I just can’t move. I cried,” she added.
Despite the challenges, the actress said there had been significant developments in her recovery, which encouraged her to share the update publicly.
“Well, me sitting here today, in front of this camera, sharing this with y’all, it’s because there’s been some really significant developments in my recovery. And I say, thank you, Lord,” she said.
Daniels did not disclose a specific diagnosis or the nature of the treatment she is receiving. She expressed gratitude to God and prayed for calm as she entered a new phase of her life.
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