Since his emergence in the entertainment scene a couple of years ago, Nollywood actor, director and producer Odunlade Adekola has remained consistent, churning out several hit movies to the delight of his fans.
The Ogun State, Nigeria in an interview a few years back spoke on his career making it clear his success is not sudden as many assume. According to the actor, he worked hard to become the household name he is today.
“Let me correct this impression that I came into the industry when everywhere was ‘loaded’. I joined the industry in 1996 that’s about 22 years ago. The movie industry wasn’t as big as this at the time.
So, I didn’t run into the theatre, I’ve been there for quite a while but I still give glory to Almighty God and you can’t achieve anything without the power of God.”
With that been said, here are 7 things you probably didn’t know about Nigerian actor, Odunlade Adekola:
1. The versatile actor hails from Otun, Ekiti but was born in Ogun state on 31 December 1978.
2. Odunlade Adekola attended St John’s Primary School and St Peter’s College in Abeokuta respectively for his primary and secondary education.
3. After sitting for his West African School Certificate Examination, the actor proceeded to Moshood Abiola Polytechnic where he bagged a diploma certificate.
4. He joined the movie-making world in 1996, the same year he became a member of the Association of Nigeria Theatre Arts practitioners. Since joining Nollywood, the very talented actor has acted in more than 200 movies.
5. Odunlade was under the tutelage of the late Nollywood actor and producer, Isola Durojaiye aka Alaasari.
6. Since joining the movie world, he has snagged several awards to include an Africa Movie Academy Award for best actor of the year. This was in 2014.
7. The actor returned to school and bagged a degree in Business Administration from the University of Lagos. On why he returned to bag a degree despite already becoming a success in the movie world, Odunlade said;
I am a firm believer in knowledge acquisition so I always tell young actors, who want to enter our industry to get an education first. In fact, if you tell me you are interested in acting, I will ask you what you are doing presently. If you say you are currently in school, I will advise you to finish before you join the movie industry.
Even if you are learning a trade, make sure you are certified before you join the movie industry. If you are seeking to gain admission into the university, ensure you complete your studies first before you come into the movie industry.
If you fail to do so, once you become a famous actor, it will be difficult for you to go back to school. Education is very important in anything you do in life.
