I am Renee Mobola Badejo. I am an actress. I am actually half Deltan, and half Lagosian. My dad is from Lagos while my mum is from Delta State. I speak Yoruba, Igbo, and Kalabari because I have a Kalabari sister in-law. I started my education at Great Children’s School, Gbagada, Lagos, and then crossed over to Mayflower School, Ikenne, Ogun State. I was briefly at University of Port Harcourt, then left for Ambrose Alli University where I studied Banking and Finance. I did my youth service in Lagos and then decided to go into full-time acting. No, I didn’t stumble into Hollywood like some other actors will say. I decided to be an actress by going for auditions. I’ve always loved acting right from childhood. It was a passion that I built right from time, and I have nurtured it till date.
From school stage to big screen
While in school, I was acting with other students. I joined the Actors’ Guild in 2003 before I graduated in 2004. I usually came home during the holidays and would go for auditions. I got picked like every other person. Sometimes, I didn’t get picked.
Now, I have done a couple of movies like The One I Trust, which was my first movie. I did My Virginity with Jackie Apia, Cry of a Virgin, Fine Goat and Living under the Law, among others. There are others that are yet to be released.
Ups and downs
Life as an actor is quite challenging and very interesting. It is just like every other profession. There are ups and downs. Let me start with the down first. The down is when I was a little overweight. There are roles you need to shed some weight before you play. If you are a little overweight and you have a young face and you want to play the role of a mother, where will they fix you? That is the dilemma. Sometimes, make-up is applied only on your face and a little on the body but the thing is that when you are big, no matter how much make-up you apply, it shows. Well, the up is quite interesting, it got me some favours and sometimes, when you walk the streets, people call you by the name of the character you acted. There was this soap in which I played Alero, a village gossip. Oh my God, almost everywhere I went, I got called by that name. You get acknowledged when you go out to buy things. When jogging, people call out and commend my acting skills. But I have stopped jogging four years ago.
Why I stopped jogging
Before a friend of mine moved back to the United States, she used to jog with me every morning in my area. When she wakes up around 4.30a.m, she would come to my house, stay for about 20 minutes and then we hit the streets jogging. Then one day, she came with her brothers and we all went jogging. While we were jogging, at a point, a kombi bus zoomed pass us twice as if it was chasing after something. We stopped and looked back but we didn’t see my friend. We started searching for her and after one hour we eventually found her hiding under the bridge. We asked her what happened and she said that the guys in the bus wanted to kidnap her. That was about 5a.m, if they could do that by that time of the morning, then there was no point jogging again. So, that was why we stopped.
At the gym
Now, I go to the gym but I have also stopped two months ago because I had an accident. But right now I’m back and of course, it made me add more calories.
Why I dabbled into AGN politics
I have been an outgoing type. I actually accepted audition but I felt that I needed to save my guild, to put something back to the guild. So, for me, it was a call to service and being the national treasurer, I feel it is an input, coming from the banking background. Having majored in Banking and Finance, I needed to apply what I learned to help the guild, and at the same time render service as well. No, I actually did not practice banking. I never worked in a bank. But don’t forget that I actually served in a bank. Of course, being the AGN treasurer is tedious I wouldn’t lie, when it comes to keeping money, keeping account of money that is not yours, it is quite tasking, it’s a tedious task. I had to be awake all the time. My job is basically in the office to see to the financial aspect of the guild and make sure their money is intact.
Return to acting
Once I am done with AGN, I will return fully to acting. That will be in the next two years. Nollywood is growing but a lot of changes need to be made. As I said, it’s still going from stage one to stage two but it has really improved. And if you look at it right now, it is an open field where everyone wants to come and play. But as it is, many are called but few are selected; meaning few are selected for auditions. If you meet up with their expectations, you get selected and if you don’t, all you need is just keep going. Yes, it can be so discouraging. I was once in that shoe. Like I said, you keep improving; it’s a free place where everyone comes out to play. I am also into modeling and I do acting too. And of course, my business is on hold right now that I am serving as AGN treasurer.
My first movie role
I was a bit nervous my first time on set. I was quite nervous, but then you know how it is now, no matter how many roles you’ve played, you will still be nervous. My first salary was N25, 000. Yes. That was my first salary. Better come and join us, AGN is for you and I.
On marriage
No! I am not married. Do you want to marry me? Well, my love life is something I will like to put close to my chest. Like I said, I will rather keep my love life close to my chest.
Okay, I am very single. Am I searching? I am still single, I am not married. That explains everything. What I want in a man? Well, my man has to be God-fearing, I mean God respecting not God fearing. I mean someone who loves and respects God. When you said you fear, you are afraid; you will be so afraid in doing things you have to do to seek His favour, seek His face. But when you seek His face, you respect His ways.
What I hate in men
I hate men who lie. I don’t like men who cheat, and it’s like everybody cheats. To start with, I don’t like a guy who tells tales, stories that are bundles of lies. Of course, if you lie, you must tell stories. A guy who tells tales is not my kind of person. When a guy sits with you, you will know if he tells tales or not. A guy, who pretends, and one who tells tales are from the same shield, the same umbrella. But like every other person I do cope with men, I cope, I cope, I cope. I don’t go beyond my boundaries, I just cope. I am quite trusting. I am open-hearted; I will take you for what you are. Can I date a married man? Why would I want to date a married man? Well, a married man is a married man; a single girl is a single girl. I can’t date a married man. No, I will never date a married man for obvious reasons
