…Says, “My man must be capable above and below”

By ADETUTU ADESOJI

Bubbly and beautiful actress, Bimbo Oni, who is also a producer and TV presenter has hit ten years in the industry, featuring in both Yoruba-speaking and English-speaking films. Some of her films are Omo Oshodi, Aworawo, Boomerang, Shades of Peace, among many others.

Bimbo is currently on a spin and ready to up her profile as a producer with her new film ‘1983’, a film, she describes as unusual Yoruba film.

In this interview, the single-but-not- searching, out-of-a-relationship, mother of one tells us about her new movie and things women go through in a man’s world. Have a read.

How did it start, who got you into the industry?

Acting started for me way back; I wouldn’t say it started right from by mother’s womb like most people will say but I started acting right from my primary school days. During our Christmas party, our school proprietress would call NTA to cover the event, then we had a drama group and I was part of the group. The play was aired on TV, so, that was my first, that was what dragged me into entertainment.

Bimbo Oni

Also while I was in secondary school I was the social prefect and I was into entertainment a whole lot. After my secondary education I didn’t get into the university immediately and instead of just sitting at home, I decided to join PEFTI owned by Wale Adenuga Productions. Shortly after I joined PEFTI I started going for auditions. Then I heard of an audition for ‘Teacher Oko’, they had a problem with their lead character and wanted someone else to play the role, I was fortunate to get the role which made it my first professional role.

You started as an actress, why did you decide to go into movie production and not stick to your trade as an actress?

I became a producer because I was not given the opportunity to carry out my craft the way I wanted to. I wasn’t getting challenging roles so I felt I needed to up my game because nobody believes in you and like they say, if you don’t blow your trumpet yourself no one will. In the Yoruba sector where I belong to, although I act in English movies too, there are some many producers who produce films for different reasons, but my reason for producing is just to express my craft more.

You just released your movie 1983, what inspired the title?

I have been getting a lot of comments like ‘were you born in 1983’ and all, the title actually goes with the story but I chose it because I needed something catchy. It is a Yoruba movie and that title is not common with Yoruba movies. One would not know the movie is a Yoruba film until they have seen it.

What is the movie about?

The movie is about journalism. It tells the story of a military man turned politician; in 1983 he killed some people and thought nobody knew about it. Meanwhile there was a photo journalist who had taken pictures of the event and also an artist who drew out the sketch. Years later the man was contesting for a position, and his past seems to be catching up with him fast. However, things got tricky as his PR lady is the daughter of one of the people he killed back in 1983. There was also a particular journalist who felt something was not right about the man and was bent on finding out what but the PR lady was always defending her client and pushing good stories about him until the truth was revealed.

What factors do you think are responsible for low quality movies that abound in the market?

It all boils down to finance; if a producer does not have the right finance, he or she would not get the right equipment. So, because of the urge to produce a movie they just pick up wishy-washy equipments and just shoot and produce a movie.

How do you see the apprenticeship system in the Yoruba industry?

It is crazy, I went through it too. Whenever you go on location as an apprentice, you pay your hotel and feeding bills by yourself and if you are unlucky you wouldn’t even appear in the movie, it is that bad. I think they should work on that, we are all human; so many upcoming actors want to be known and have the passion for the job but situations like this kill their morale. I have a lot of friends that we started acting together but they could not cope because it could be hard and degrading at times. If one has no passion for the job, one will definitely run away.

While undergoing training under someone do you get paid?

No, you don’t get paid a dim because they feel you are still training, so why should they pay you. Most of them see it as though they are helping you; they only pay the so called A-list while any other person doesn’t get paid.

With such situation, do the trainees get sexually harassed by the ‘masters’?

Well, I can’t speak for anybody; nobody is being forced to do anything. This has to do with freewill, it is not new for a man to see a lady and show interest in her, it is now left for such lady to accept or turn the man down.

Are you married?

No, I am not.

But you have a kid?

Yes, I have a son but I have never been married.

Who is your ideal man?

I am not looking for Mr. Perfect, I just want a supportive, caring, good looking and capable man.

You once said your man must be strong in bed, what do you mean by that?

Nobody wants a weakling for a husband. My man must be able to handle me well and give me what I want both above and below. I don’t just want sex in bed; I want to make love because they are two different things. Love making goes a long way you know? With kissing, foreplay, necking and all.

Do you subscribe to sex before marriage?

Biblically it is wrong, but for me I must know the capability of the man I want to marry. If I subscribe to no sex before marriage and I get married and eventually find out that my husband cannot satisfy me there will be a problem. I subscribe to sex before marriage.

What if after sometime your man develops a problem and can no longer satisfy you, what will you do?

That is where love comes in; relationships are not just about sex. Once upon a time he used to be good in bed but then something happened, the love I have for him would come in and we would find a solution to the problem. If there is no solution, we would both sit and talk about it, instead of me going out to find pleasure I would ask for a divorce because I would not want to hurt him or hurt myself.