Ibrahim Yekini popularly known as Itele is one of the wave-making actors rocking Yoruba movie industry. He was recently our guest on City People TV Instagram Live Chat with the Publisher, SEYE KEHINDE and he revealed his humble beginning, how he started and many challenges he has been through. He also revealed what it takes to be a good actor.
How have you been coping in the last 2 months?
Seriously it has not been easy. Though, we’ve been using the opportunity to get close to God more, praying. But seriously I’m not used to this type of lifestyle. I love to be at the location, to be on set directing or acting. Being at home for more than 2 months is another world for me.
Are there any projects you are working on post-covid-19?
Yes, even before the pandemic started I had like 3 projects I was working on, one tragedy and one love story. The 3rd one is for a friend, but we just had to put things on hold when the lockdown started. We must obey the law and follow the normal protocol, but by God’s grace we would kick-start immediately after the pandemic.
How has this pandemic affected the industry?
I can only speak for myself but it is very obvious that it has really affected us. Most of the movies people are watching now is on Youtube. We are not on location to produce new films, and with the nature of our job, we get ideas everyday.
So, being unable to go to the location, produce new films has really affected the industry. But the fact is many of us who are celebrities do hide some facts in order to motivate and encourage people. That is why you can not see us complaining as well. Glory be to God we are staying strong and we believe everything will be fine.
What is your assessment of your industry today?
Before the Covid-19 issue, the industry was moving fast unlike how we were doing it in the past. There has been a lot of development and improvement. There are lots of changes even in the shooting of some of our movies. We were really getting there.
Let’s talk about your last 2 movies, what was the acceptance like?
The last 2 movies I did Lucifer and Ololufe. After Kesari that broke the record with 1 million views and 2 million views again, when I did Lucifer people were really complaining that I should have waited for a while, but my plan is quite different. I released Lucifer because I wanted people to know that everything we enjoy in this life is by the grace of God. Your hard work can only prepare you for Goodluck. I am a kind of person that has been putting my best into my art right from the outset, it’s the grace of God we are asking for and when it gets to the stage where God says it’s your time for people to know you, it will definitely happen. Like I said, lots of people discouraged me when I wanted to release Lucifer but I thank God for not putting me to shame and I am so happy Lucifer also hit 1 million views on Youtube as well. After that, I came out with a very soft movie which is “Ololufe”, a love story. I even made a soundtrack from it, and it’s also doing well on Youtube.
Do you think releasing another one will also help or you will hold on a bit?
Normally, if I produce any movie now, I plan to relax at least for some months before I drop it even if I shoot it now. Meanwhile, another challenge is the fact that your followers will always want more, they don’t care whether you need to calm down or not, they want to see your movies out there always but I plan to give myself a little rest before I release another blockbuster movie.
What really inspired Kesari?
I just thought of bringing out a crime story. There is this film I watched “Black Panther”, another one “John Wick” these are the two movies that inspired me, that made me sit down and thought of what I can do in that direction, something that will stand out. And why I chose to act as Kesari is to hide under charms because we don’t have the necessary technology gadget to really portray the movie but I had to hide under charms by making people to see that Kesari has powers and he is spiritual. Our own traditional practice here is the same thing with the whites technically. Since I don’t have that money to give a foreign editor, then let us promote our culture, and many people agreed with me that we actually have people who are that powerful.
People said you love to read Bible and Quran, why?
(Laughs) I do believe in God. I grew up in Kano, so I am used to it. I always talk about God and that’s where my faith lies and that is my belief, that God is the greatest. I am a practicing Muslim yet I read the Bible because I believe we serve one God.
Let me take you back to how acting started for you and your background?
I was born in Bariga, Lagos I grew up in Kano State and I also schooled there. I am the last born of my family. My growing up was very challenging because I came from a poor home, it was very tough. My mum is a trader, so I always followed her to Kano and different places.
Later, I came to leave with one of my Uncles at Agege, who later moved to Agbado Crossing. That was where I met one of my bosses, Folorunsho Adejobi. I met him in 1997. I learnt theatre practice from him for 3 years. So I would say I started my career in year 2000. I acted in a movie titled “Dapo to ri tie”. I gained a lot of things. The man I learnt theatre from didn’t have rehearsal ground so he used to take me to Baba Oluropo in Agege, he was Fali Werepe’s husband then. That man is still in Agege till now. I started with stage acting, then I did my freedom in 2000. That was how I started, produced my first movie “Itele” my 2nd film “Ekun Meta” my 3rd film “Eleda Enikan”, and the 4th one “Koseemu”.
What were the challenges you faced at the beginning?
Many challenges. Our industry is another world entirely. I had no one to assist me when I was coming up, no one to mentor me properly. I will just go to the location myself, invited or not. I have been chased out of location many times. I remember late Arakangudu’s movie, “Ogbologbo”.
I was at that location to gain knowledge but they always chased me away. When I shot my own movie “Itele”, I ran into another challenge. After the shooting on a particular day, our light man and the crew guys packed the light but failed to arrange it in the bus, and location bus broke all the lights when he was trying to reverse. Don Richard was the director then, he came to me to tell me, the owner of the camera insisted on collecting all the tapes until we pay him.
It was so sad. I almost lost hope but later I regained myself and encouraged myself to keep moving and never give up. I started hustling here and there. I did many menials jobs like bricklaying to manage myself. I have one grace; any area or community I stay people always recognise me, so I have to always cover my face when I am doing bricklaying jobs in 2003. So I was to raise some money and finish the job. Thank God I met a marketer at LTV 8 who appreciated me and encouraged me to keep it up.
So, at what stage did you now start seeing changes?
That was when I produced my 3rd movie “Ekun Meta”.
The movie brought me to the limelight a bit, though after that movie I faced another challenge that made me start all over again.
What happened?
After Ekun Meta, I was able to gather some money, I got a car but I had to sell the car again because the money I was expecting from the marketers did not come on time. I sold the car to produce “Eleda Enikan” and in the end, I didn’t realise money as expected. Meanwhile, my plan was to shoot and buy another car but it didn’t happen. I later realised that having a car was so helpful and all of a sudden most of the people that we normally moved together left me because I didn’t have a car again. Then because I had a car, we will go to different locations and people were seeing me then, being the producer of “Itele” but all that stopped when I didn’t have a car again.
It was as if I was not existing again. Later I produced “Kosemu”, “Sababi Ire” and “Eleda Enikan”.
So how many movies do you have to your credit now?
They are many. I have produced up to 20 movies.
How do you always feel when you look at all these challenges?
I always give thanks to God.
If I have to look at many challenges I have faced, I will not be in the business. But I just give thanks to God. There are times people were calling me all sorts of names. They said I am Jack of all trade and that I always work and in the end, there’s nothing to show for it. If you give me money then I will still add my money to it just because I want a good production. I was just producing movies, but I give God the glory, everything is getting better now. There have been many times people called me a star, a celebrity yet I didn’t have money to eat. If you greet me outside I can’t boldly give you N2,000 I have really suffered but I thank God today.
What is your advice to those that are coming behind you?
The only advice I give them is to be loyal. No matter the situation you have to humble yourself if you want to grow. You need to change your ways and who you relate with. Though everything is easy now, back then before you could stand in front of the camera, it will take time.
The only magic you need is to humble yourself before those who are there already.
What does it take to be a good actor?
You need to join a good acting school, where they rehearse time to time. You also need to do personal rehearsals when you are alone. After that, It’s a must for you to understand your lines. This has been a great issue for many directors. Many actors are fund of pressing their phones during script conference and when they call action they are lost. First thing you need to do is to understand your lines. Once you understand your lines, you are good to go.
Also, try and be in sync with your lines. That’s just the way to be a good actor from my own point of view.
