BY CHRISTIAN AGADIBE
Talk about putting your money where your mouth is and you talk about Iyabo Ojo. For as far back as we can remember, she has talked extensively about her passion for the less privileged. And now to prove that she means business, she has just wrapped up the shooting of her latest movie entitled, Beyond
Disability.
The actress cum movie producer shared her story with Entertainer during an event dedicated to the visually impaired recently.
Why are you here today?
I run an NGO and I support a lot of people with disabilities. Whenever I get a call to come and support one, I am always there because I have a lot of passion for them. I have always been giving back and I am going to keep doing it.
What are you currently working on and what inspired that movie?
I just finished one of my movies called Beyond Disabilities.
It is about promoting my special friends; that is what I call them. I have been to different (charity) homes and I discovered that a lot of parents abandon their children, so I decided to shoot the movie to highlight
the dangers of abandoning babies. I have one of them on my scholarship scheme and I interact with him. Sometimes their parents come around, and some have stopped coming.
But you need to play an active role in your child’s life, whether your child is having a disability or not; they have their own special gift and blessings. I believe that when you take care of them, God in return will shower you with blessings.
What do you like about the character you played in the movie?
I played the role of a woman who was so lucky to have a boyfriend who had a heart of gold, but ends up abandoning her daughter. I decided to play that role because I have been with these kids and interacted with them extensively, so it was easy for me to play the role.
You are a mother, producer and actor, how do you combine all these?
I have been doing this over the years, and the longer you stay in my industry, the more flexible it becomes. My kids are grown now; they are teenagers so it is even easier for me now unlike when they were much younger. However, when they were much younger, I often took them along with me.
Are you dreaming of any of your children taking after you?
Yes, my daughter is an actress. And Drama is what she will possibly study.
What is the craziest thing a fan has done to you?
It happened a very long time ago. I was at Silverbird Galleria with my daughter when someone screamed out my name. I was surprised; I would say that was my most embarrassing moment.