Foluke Daramola is one of the most sought after and talented actresses in Nigerian film industry globally called Nollywood. This petite beautiful and sexy actress is one of the few cross-over artistes in Nollywood.

She shot into limelight in the late 90s in her appearance in Palace, a soap Opera that ran in some selected television stations in Nigeria. And what a baptism of fire it turned out to be as the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State student, never looked back ever since, dishing out a scintillating performance to the admiration of viewers. Now a single mother, she never let that to change her philosophy of life, as she moves on with her life along with her kids. She speaks on these and other issues in this exclusive interview with AJIBADE ALABI. Excerpts.

Many people believed Foluke Daramola joined the profession of make-believe not quite long ago. So, can you tell us when you joined the industry?

I don’t know of anyone that can say that I joined the movie industry not quite long. Thank God, you yourself know how it all began. I can recall we have met on locations several times, even outside Lagos. Specifically, we met in Oshogbo, Osun State in year 2000. That is more than 11 years ago, and before then, I have been in the industry. I started in the 90s before I got admitted into the university. I started with talk shows on DBN and AIT and eventually, I got a role in Palace and while I was acting, I was studying simultaneously.

What is your educational background?

I went to Maryland Covenant, Anthony Model Primary Schools. I was at Ikeja High School, Ifako International School and LAFROGRAMS. I studied International Relations at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife and for my Masters degree; I studied international Law and Diplomacy at the University of Lagos. Also I do some professional courses once in a while. I did some directing and I did a leadership course at Daystar Church.

Since you started acting before gaining admission into the university, why didn’t you study Theatre Arts instead of International Relations?

My first love has always been to be a diplomat. I discovered acting along the line. I don’t have to go to the school of arts before acting well. I actually got admitted into OAU to study Accounting, but I just wanted to be a diplomat so I changed my course to International Relations. I have already had acting as a talent, so I don’t need to study Theatre Arts.

Who are your mentors in the movie industry?

They are Olu and Joke Jacobs, Richard Mofe Damijo (RMD). In directing, my mentors are Amaka Igwe, Lola Fani-Kayode, Tade Ogidan and Tunde Kelani.

What is your relationship with your colleagues in the movie industry?

It is cordial, but I am a private person. I don’t keep friends apart from the younger ones that I have. It doesn’t mean that I have people as my enemies. I still maintain a very cordial relationship with my colleagues when we are off set and I know I can get in touch with them when we have one or two things to do together. I love privacy, so I like to keep to myself

The first time you were on set, how did you feel?

I was excited but scared. I was excited because I was acting with big names, like Liz Benson, Yomi Obileye and a whole lot of them, but I was really scared of them. At a stage, I had to get a slap, because my director, Uncle Tunji Bamishigbin was furious when he asked: “What’s wrong with you?” Because, I was not just getting my line, so I had to be slapped to get back on my feet and since then, I‘ve been wonderful. It is like a part of me now.

Where you ever embarrassed by your fans?

Yes, several times. A lot of times people would ask this or that about your personal life. But if you are the person you know you have to relate with your fans, no matter what, you will diplomatically know how to handle them. I have been in the industry for many years and I have made up my mind that I would never take away the real Foluke Daramola, the showbiz person. I relate with people the way I am relating with you. If I am in a hurry to do something, I can go to the bus stop and pick a bike and go, not that I don’t see myself as a celebrity.

Being a celebrity does not make me different from the next person, so I should be able to relate with everybody on the platform that you will be able to know that this person is an original person. I am an original person and that is what I have trained my children to be. No matter what situation you find yourself in, you should be able to adapt to it. I tell people that there is hardly any situation that I cannot adapt to and I have inculcated that into my kids. I see myself as Foluke Daramola and I see you as Ajibade, whether you are a journalist or not. If a pepper seller wants to talk to me, I would relate with her on that level and if a meat seller wants to talk with me, I would relate with him on that level. I don’t want any air of discrimination around me.

But there is this general belief that you are arrogant?

There is this Yoruba proverb that says, “oori o ki n ri are e” (meaning: the mirror cannot behold itself). I see you like my brother doing your job and I am doing mine, if you don’t interview me, there are one thousand and one people you can interview. And when it comes to pride, I am not a fanatic but I am very close to God, I pray, I talk to God, and I believe I am a sinner and God will forgive me. But the Bible says he that brings himself down, God will raise him up and that he that raises himself up God will bring him down. Pride is something that I don’t believe in. I know lots of people but if I see an element of pride in you I will never associate with you. As I said, I am a very original person and I can relate with both down trodden and influential people.

That is what is called true celebrity, being able to adapt to any situation but being proud is not in my dictionary. Sometimes when you are in an environment and you are not comfortable in that environment, you can tend to look and “bone” your face but if you greet me, I would never bring you down. My godfather, Yomi Obileye, once told me that as a true celebrity, in your worst of moods, when your fans greet you, always force a smile. When he said that, I thought it was something easy for me to do, but overtime, I realised it is the most difficult thing to do, because I might have a misunderstanding with my partner in the car and someone will just shout: “Foluke Daramola!” Of course it would not be easy for me to force a smile but then I discover ed that if you can do it, it’ll goes a long way. I always try to give a good impression to people, no matter what.

Are you separated or divorced?

I’m divorced because it has been over four years since I left him. But the paper work is not yet done. I don’t want any complications. Really, complications in the sense that I don’t want my children involved in that mess and moreover, I’m not getting married tomorrow or any time soon.

Are you in a relationship?

Of course I am in a relationship

Don’t your children miss their father?

Whenever they are talking about their father, I always tell them that when they are old enough to use a phone, I will buy it for them and they can communicate with him but when he says he wants to communicate with them, I allow him to do so. I never stopped him from doing so.

Is it true you love wearing revealing clothes?

I used to wear them but the Bible says when I was a child I acted like a child, when I became a man I stopped being childish. When I was younger I used to wear revealing clothes. When I was in OAU, I was a go-go gal, I clubbed, I partied, I had fun, I had relationship and I had heartbreaks. Now I am much older, I no longer believe in wearing revealing clothes because I am more matured and I see things differently. Even sometimes when I see people wear it, I say with time they would stop it too. It is not things you can tell people to do or not to do. Then I used to believe that if you don’t wear anything skimpy or revealing, you are not in vogue but now if you tell me to wear it, I would just look at it and say no.

What advice do you have for upcoming actresses?

First, they should be educated because to me, education is very important. Also, they have to put God first. They should be hardworking, focused and enduring. True success does not come from being lazy or cutting corners.

How fulfilled are you?

I am content but it is not that I am not working hard. I work hard and I have kids to take care of and I want to live a good life. I am still working towards getting a good picture of my life. But so far, I am okay.

Any words to your fans?

To my fans I would say thank you. Without them there won’t be me. But sometimes when we make mistakes, celebrities generally, it is not that we want to make mistakes. That is just what makes us human and nobody is perfect.