Before Stardom With… Olubunmi Onipede

Could you tell us about your educational background?

My educational background was a bit clumsy because I was moving from one place to another. I attended three primary schools – two in Lagos State and one in Ekiti State. I had my secondary education at Army Children’s High School, Bolade Cantonment in Oshodi, Lagos.

I attended the Federal Polytechnic, Ado Ekiti, where I studied Accountancy and also did some professional courses in ICAN before I dropped the accounting profession for the School of Journalism in Ogba, where I did a certificate course in Media and Broadcasting. From there, I proceeded to the University of Ado Ekiti (now Ekiti State University) where I studied Psychology. I also did some professional courses in Sexology and Human Management.

How did you become an actor?

I started acting at the age of five in the church and at school. As a child, I was very outspoken and I was always at the lead of every event. But, professionally, I started acting at age 15 on stage. Immediately after I left secondary school, I joined the late Alade Aromire’s Theatre Group where I trained as an actor. Those days, what we had were usually stage performances/dramas, before the inception of home videos.

My uncle took me to this theatre group at Ojuelegba and the late Alade Aromire took me. But I left the industry due to certain personal reasons for a long time, even though I was behind the scenes as a scriptwriter for many years.

When did you venture into TV and radio presentation?

I ventured into becoming a TV and radio presenter almost the same time that I became an actor. The only thing was that there had been no time that I ever took the media as my main job. When my boss established his station, Yotomi TV, he wanted me to come back to Lagos and be present there, but I was not interested in living in Lagos. Although anytime I was in Lagos before his demise, he would put me through some things.

My late boss, Aromire, taught us more than acting because he was into the media too. He told me one day that he wanted me to become a newscaster, and it was also through him that I learnt how to put magazine articles together and that has helped me now that I write and publish my magazines. I conveniently write my articles. Till today, I am still an independent presenter.

Aside from being an actor and a media entrepreneur, what other things do you do?

I am also a professional psychologist. I run therapy sessions for some clients. Some hospitals invite me and I also work with some NGOs and charity organisations. I self-publish magazines and do the same for others too. I run a foundation called Association for Family Peace and Survival, where we cater for widows, orphans and vulnerable children.

We have a project called ‘Uniform Mission’ which involves giving free uniforms and back-to-school items to vulnerable children, and in eight years, we have donated over 7,000 pairs of uniforms to various schools across Nigeria and Ghana.

What were the challenges you had when you first started in the industry?

One major challenge I had was coping with being treated as a novice under those who were still in primary school when I joined the industry. During our time, joining the industry was mainly out of passion. It was later after I left it that the industry started booming.

Now that I’m back, it’s more of you going back to join the queue, I had to start building my name and face from scratch. A producer could see your work and know you are good for a role, but he or she is also doing business, so they will tell you, “I’m sorry, I would have loved to use you. You’ll kill the role but your face won’t sell the market.” So, without hesitation, they have to go for people – sometimes those who joined the industry 10 or 20 years after you.

Would you say stardom has changed the way you live?

Not really. I have been a public figure before my mid-20s. I became the CEO of my own companies including more than three schools from age 25 to 27. I have always learnt to be myself because I’m always at the forefront of the world wherever I find myself. So, I want to believe that nothing has changed. Except that, now that I’m more on the screen, I try to be more careful, especially in public. But I am still my humble self.

Which of your documentaries or media presentations has been most controversial?

My “Sex Talk Show.” Whenever I am educating married people about sex and romance, it’s usually very controversial. Many people find it difficult to differentiate between my personality and my sex analysis and it’s quite funny, but I know it is normal.