I fled from Kebbi to Lagos in truck carrying cows in search of fame – Muyideen Oladapo

Actor Muyideen Oladapo better known by his stage name Lala has talked candidly about the difficulties he encountered before to making a name for himself in the movie business.

In an interview with the Talk2B podcast that his parents were only able to pay for his education up to primary school, so they urged him to study a trade.

Oladapo claimed that rather of vulcanising, he chose to follow his love of entertainment, which eventually led him to pick up the drums.

The actor claimed that his parents disapproved of his desire to study drumming and sent him to live with his uncle in Kebbi state.

He claimed that he learnt how to bake bread from his cousin Lukman Raji while he was living in the north.

Lala said after six years in Kebbi, he decided to take a bold step and flee to Lagos to pursue his dreams.

The actor said he hitched a ride on a truck transporting cows to Lagos where he eventually established his own bakery business.

“At a point, I wanted to travel to Lagos. I had packed my bag and as I stepped outside I met with my uncle who told me I was following him to Kebbi state,” he said.

“He claimed he was told I moved with smokers. He then took me to some market women traveling to the north. It got to a point during the trip that I started vomiting.

“Lukman Raji and I are cousins. Lukman’s dad is my mother’s brother. Lukman and his family had lived in the north. Lukman was my set and we quickly bonded because he often travels to Osun during the festive period.

“It was there I was assisting my uncle who had a bakery. I lived there for six years. It was from Kebbi that I ran to Lagos. I used to come to Lagos with Lukman. I used to tell Lukman that Lagos was good.

“The day we were to run to Lagos, we noticed my uncle had left the house to buy flour at a location, we boarded the truck used to transport cows to Lagos.”

Oladapo said he returned to Kebbi state three times due to the struggles in Lagos. He said he however persevered and eventually made a name for himself in the entertainment industry.

“We ran back to the north about three times because of the struggles to survive in Lagos,” he added.

Oladapo is a household name in the Yoruba movie industry, with notable roles in films like ‘Awure Eni’, ‘Omo University’, and ‘The Ghost and The Tout’. He has also directed several movie projects.

He holds a degree in Dramatic Arts from Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), which he obtained in 2015. He also bagged a Master’s degree from the University of Lagos (UNILAG).