•What He Told City People
Oladapo Ibimidun popularly called Temidayo is a known name in the business of event photography and film production. He is a UK based professional guru and the CEO of Temidayo Production, UK. His brand of photography and quality of job delivered stands him out. No wonder he is highly sought after by many Nigerian Celebrities and socialites home and abroad, most especially those in the UK and US. They fly him around the world to cover events for them.
There’s hardly any top show or event in town today either in Nigeria, UK or the US that the services of Temidayo Media Production are not sought for. In fact, he is fast becoming the toast of many socialites.
Temidayo has been in town for a couple of weeks covering a number of parties on the Nigerian social scene. In an exclusive chat with the Publisher of City People Magazine, Dr. SEYE KEHINDE and his team made up of JAMIU ABUBAKAR and NURUDEEN SALISU, the ace photographer revealed how he has built his brand over the years and how Nigerian celebrities now fly him around the world to cover their events.
How did you get into Photography and Video Production business?
I got into media production about twenty-five years ago and basically, I have been more into video production. In 2006, I dabbled into photography and since 2006 I have been doing photography and video full time.
I started with church. I used to do it with KICC in the ’90s and I was in the video department at KICC. Then from KICC, I joined the Prison Service as a Prison Officer. In 2006, I decided to go fully into film production and photography.
How did you build your brand to the point that you are everywhere?
I will say social media helped me to be honest. And I think I started with Facebook. Facebook was quite new and popular then at about 2002/2003. And so with social media, I was able to build my name in the UK. From there I was getting jobs all over the world. That’s how it all started.
How did you also cope with the demand considering the very tiring nature of the job?
I think the most important aspect of this is having a passion for what you do. I do have a passion for what I do and that obviously gives me the energy. People keep wondering; at your age you keep carrying the camera and stuff. It’s because I have a passion for it. I have people who work with me but I can’t stand watching them without doing anything. That’s why I love to have my camera and at the same time joining my guys to work alongside.
Working with celebrities in the UK and Nigeria over the years, how would you compare both in terms of their passion for events and your experience working with them?
I think with the Nigerian set-up here, you seem to have recognized them more as per those in the UK. So obviously when you come to Nigeria you tend to acknowledge celebrities more as per when you are in the UK.
Since there was lockdown last year, how did it affect your business?
The funny thing is that since the lockdown, I have been in Nigeria because obviously there’s nothing happening. I think in London, they only opened up about July. But I have been in Nigeria most of the lockdown period. I was in Nigeria from about November till March and I have been back in Nigeria again twice after March.
Where in Nigeria are you from?
My dad is from Kogi State and my mom is from Sierra Leone but Lagosian.
Did you keep tabs with development at home?
I have family back home, I have family in Nigeria. My mom lives in the UK. My dad is late but I still have one or two siblings; a half brother, half-sister in Nigeria. So I tend to come around most of the time anyway.
If you are to address young people who want to be like you, what are the things you would say to them?
Well, to be honest, this job I’m doing, the media production is a good thing and there’s money in it so long as you have a passion for it, you love what you are doing and you are dedicated to committing a lot of time into it. It is something you can earn a living from. This is what I have full time. I don’t have any other job and it is paying the bills.
Do you remember any event that gave you the breakthrough in Photography?
I took up a job in the US; I think that was in Maryland. It was for one Otunba Jaiyeola and that was the first job I did abroad. And I think that pushed me into the limelight. That was in 2008. Surprisingly, the same Otunba Jaiyeola brought me back to Nigeria last year I think in November as well to cover for him. I remember there’s another one we did, a very big one; that is Nikky Shittu in Chicago. I covered Nikki Shittu’s 50th birthday and that was about 5 years ago. So that was another big one.
Which will you call the most challenging event you have covered till date?
Let me be honest with you, the recent job we did was Sai at 50; Omoge Saida. That was a very big one that was a very challenging one. I think that is the biggest event we have covered.
What was the challenging part of it?
The crowd was great, the atmosphere was great, her entrance was great; I mean it was well packaged. I couldn’t miss that event for anything.
Like how many events do you cover in a year?
Well, I have been in Nigeria for two-three weeks now, I think this is the third week and I have covered about 9 events and I have about three more to go before I travel back on the 23rd. So let’s say in the space of about a month I have covered about 12 events in Nigeria.
Do you have any future plans to stay back in Nigeria?
I’m very much needed abroad and I’m very much needed in the UK. And I think I’m going to be shuttling both.
