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Star actress, Aisha Abimbola denies dating Epsalum boss, Kazeem Afolayan ‘He is just my mentor’

TOP Yoruba actress, Aisha Abimbola, otherwise known as Omoge Campus, has actually taken the bull of her career by the horn since she relocated to Nigeria in 2011.  But since then, rumour mill has been agog that all is not well with her marriage which she denied the last time she granted ENCOMIUM Weekly an interview.  However, tale bearers are still insisting that the Lagos State born entertainer cum model is only being economical with the truth.

On Wednesday, August 22, 2012, we had another encounter with the fair role interpreter, she spoke exclusively on issues concerning her life and career, including her relationship with top movie marketer, Kazeem Afolayan of Epsalum fame.

 

Since you relocated to Nigeria to hold the bull of your career by the horn, what has been the progress so far?

Concerning my career, I give glory to God.  For the past one year that I have been around, I have featured in a lot of big movies including Omo Shubi, Omo Aye, Igboya.  I also featured in Kani, that’s Bukky Wright’s movie.  Also,I did two movies with Antar Laniyan.  I am also in Mercy Aigbe’s movie, Gucci Girls and Fathia Balogun’s Street Girls.  I also worked recently with Dayo Amusa, I was also in Ibadan recently to work with Toyin Adegbola and others. So, there has been a tremendous progress in my career since I came back.

It’s like you’re comfortable with bad girl roles, why?

It’s not as if I am comfortable with a particular role, it all depends on the script.  And as an actor, you don’t fix yourself permanently to a role. In Igboya, for instance, my role wasn’t like that, my role in Antar Laniyan’s movie is also not like that. I play other roles.  I won’t say I don’t like playing the role of a bad girl.  I like it, people should just let me be. After all, I don’t have the voice that can make me play a good girl role.  It’s the producer who determines who plays what in any movie. I am an actress, it’s my job to interpret any role given to me by the producer.

You haven’t produced any movie of your own since you started your career, when are you planning to come out with one?

It’s true I haven’t produced my own movie but it’s in the pipeline.  Everything is ready except for one or two things.  By God’s grace, before this year runs out, I will do it.

What would you say you have missed since you’re out of the shores of this country?

Being away for quite sometime, I missed a lot of things. It’s like a fish taken out of water.  But I thank God that staying away was not also a wasted effort.

Then, was it easy relaunching yourself?

It was a divine arrangement. Thank God for people like Kazeem Afolayan, Epsalum boss, I will continue to thank him for what God used him to do in my career, especially since I came back to the country.  Although, people will think otherwise when you’re close to a man, I mean, when two opposite sex are close, nothing other than business between the two of us. Kazeem Afolayan has been a very good friend of mine and he has played a very active role in my coming back. I will forever say thank you to him.

But when a marketer is very close to an actress, the public impression is that they are sleeping with each other, what…

Let’s stop this trouble of sleeping with each other or not. That should not be an issue.  People sleep with each other every day and everywhere.  Then, why are people trying to make it an issue in our own industry?  Whoever decides to sleep with any person it’s his or her business. But for whoever cares to listen, I am bold enough to say I am a decent lady.  I don’t believe in such.

So, nothing between you and Kazeem Afolayan, apart from the business aspect?

Yes, I can beat my chest on that. Kazeem Afolayan is a big brother, a friend and a motivator.  He stood by me all those trying years.  He was very effective, efficient and active in my coming back into the industry. He was there for me, I will say it loud and clear that my coming back to the industry was made possible by God and people like Kazeem Afolayan, Antar Laniyan and the rest.

The other time you granted us an interview, you told us that everything concerning your marriage was intact?

Yes.

But now, we learnt…

For now, anything about my marriage is my business.  I don’t want to talk to the media about it.  And I think as a citizen of this country, I still have my right to say I don’t want to talk to anybody on any issue that concerns my interest.

But there was a time they said you posted the picture of another man as your husband on your Facebook status?

God forbid that.  Who is that man?  People should please tell me who the man is.

They said the man in question is a media practitioner.

That’s not true.  I only branded the magazine.  I got a brand face. I can as well brand any product if I am paid good money.  I have never even met the publisher of the magazine one on one.  It was just an advert.  People should just let me be.

But sincerely is your home intact?

No comment, sir.

Okay, what’s the next level now career wise?

I had waited for long and definitely, I must not settle for less. I should aim very high.  I will surely come out with a blockbuster.  Not by my power but by the power of my Creator.  Just like I said, it’s on the way.

What’s your own assessment of the industry because people believe movies are no longer doing well and most of the actors only live from hand to mouth?

Let God just bless our work. No matter how rich a man is, he will still look for more money.  It’s never enough that’s why we work harder.  Even Dangote is yet to be satisfied with all his wealth. I believe things are improving.

But pirates are killing the business for you guys?

You’re right but God is there watching, I believe He will deal with them one day.  Many days for the thieves, it’s just one day for the owners.

  • This story was first published in ENCOMIUM Weekly on Tuesday, August 28, 2012
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