Nollywood actor Lateef Adedimeji has discussed some of the difficulties he had while pursuing a profession in acting.
In a recent interview with the “King of Talk” podcast, Adedimeji revealed that he was advised to “join a caucus if I wanted to be successful in the Yoruba industry.”
The celebrated actor explained that it was predicated on the idea that he became a member of a filmmaking collective.
Adedimeji claimed that after being given the task of helping cameramen on film sets, he began to consider quitting acting.
“I heard that to be successful in the Yoruba industry, they said you must belong to a caucus in those days so I have to join. So I joined the Afeez Eniola, Bayo Tijani, Muyiwa Ademola… All of the students under them are joined together,” he said.
“My first day on location I started with carrying cameras. I would carry lenses to follow the cameraman. I would be sent errands to select camera lenses. After that set, I said I did not think I wanted to do this one. This is not what I want to do and I left.
“When I left, I realised I could not work in an office. At one point, I was working with my uncle who does office work. If they call me, I will leave the office work and go.
“…I stuck to the rules of theatre and I keep struggling. There was a lead role I did in Ilorin and I was paid N1000 in 2010. I spent 10 days on that set. I was not even given feeding money until day six. It was the production manager who spoke with the producer to give me N300 to feed each of the remaining days.
“At some point in my mind, I decided that the certificate I said I would not go and dust and not go and look for office work, I think at that stage, I have to.”
