By Damilola Fatunmise
Tall, black and beautiful actress, Abiola Adekunle popularly known as Asake Oni Bread in the movie industry, has been acting for over a decade under the umbrella of iconic thespian, Odunlade Adekola.
In this chat, Biola, who has acted more than 50 movies, opens up on her sojourn in Nollywood. Excerpts:
Tell us about yourself and how you came into acting.
My name is Abiola Adekunle Balogun popularly known as Asake Oni Bread or Sade Pepper’. I am a wife and mother of two kids. I had my OND in Banking and Finance from the Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro. I got my HND in Accounting at Moshood Abiola Polytechnic. I came into acting in 2008 under the tutelage of Odunlade Adekola of Ibi Aloye caucus, Abeokuta.
What were the challenges you faced at the initial stage of your career?
Initially, there were some challenges, but you have to be very calm and try to endure and encourage yourself because you might not be getting good roles and you might be discouraged by your colleagues, but don’t ever give up. Be focused.
Is movie making paying your bills or you have other hustles?
Definitely, movie making is paying my bills because I passed through some challenges while training, but since I’m getting good jobs and good roles with good fees, definitely it’s paying my bills. But then, I have other businesses aside acting.
What type of business is that?
It’s buying and selling.
Most of your contemporaries in the Yoruba movie sector are light-skinned, how have you been able to overcome the temptation of bleaching?
We all have different tastes and how we see ourselves also matters a lot. I’m chocolate and I’m proud of my skin colour. As we all know, black don’t crack. Only if you are insecure and you don’t see the uniqueness of God’s art in your body, that’s when you feel inferior about yourself. I can never be tempted to bleach my skin simply because others are light complexioned. I’m very much fine and sweet with how God has designed me. My chocolate skin is the sweetest colour God gave me.
Two years ago, you broke the Internet with the arrival of your first child, would you like to share the waiting moments with us?
It’s an amazing grace and experience to witness God’s promise and fulfillment in one’s life. It was a tough journey waiting on the Lord for the fruit of the womb after five years of marriage, but God came through and the rest is history. All I can say is that it’s grace and mercy of God because man can only try, but God did it.
What do you have to say to people looking up to you?
My only advice to them is to be real, focused and hopeful. Life will definitely test your faith, but never give up on your dreams. Whatever you wish to do in life, go for it; never be discouraged, there’s light at the end of the tunnel.
How are you coping with marriage and acting?
Marriage is sweet when you marry your best friend and someone that understands you. There’s no problem between my home and my career, my husband has been supporting my career even before we got married. It’s not new to him, so everything is fine.
Can responsibilities of marriage take you away from acting?
Marriage and my career are two different things. My career is like my job and I’m married to someone who takes my career so serious than myself. Sometimes when I’m having issues in my career, he’ll always cheer me up and give me strength to move on. My marriage has contributed to my career a lot.
You remain ever beautiful, what’s your beauty routine?
There’s nothing serious about my beauty routine; I’m just me. I don’t expose my body to anything that’s different from natural products. I’m not that extravagant. I am just natural and simple.
What part of your body do you cherish the most?
I cherish every part of my body and there’s no part of my body that I don’t like. God made everything beautiful and I’m grateful.
What’s the biggest amount you’ve ever been paid for a movie?
That’s personal. I’m sorry because it’s not a stable thing. It all depends on the role I’m playing.
What’s your most embarrassing moment as an actress?
I can’t really remember, but sometimes actors are meant to experience embarrassing moments, it’s normal. Sometimes we’ll be called for a show and the organisers may not get us a convenient place or good hospitality, then we get stuck. Sometimes when people meet you on the road, they start shouting your name. Some will even pull your shirt. I have experienced lots of embarrassing moments, but it’s something we just have to overlook because most people don’t understand that we are humans too.