Up and coming actor, Tomiwa Sage, who was also the first
runner up in Next Movie Star reality show in 2011, tells
Saturday Beats how he joined Nollywood
You are an actor and a comedian, which of the two
professions do you love more?
I am known for both but I think movies tend to go far and
wide more than events and shows. I think the movie aspect
is what people know me for mainly. I love both of them
anyway.
How often do you feature in Yoruba movies?
I feature mainly in English speaking movies. I have done a
couple of Yoruba movies but I have not really been able to
cut my teeth in that circle. I think I have done about four or
five of Yoruba movies.
How did you become an actor?
I studied Theatre Arts at the University of Ibadan. We had
stage performances where we network and met some
professionals. A lot of people in the industry finished from
my department in the university. I wouldn’t say it was easy
because of that but I was able to make some connection and
some people gave me the opportunity to play one or two
parts and from there, I have been able to get something
substantial.
As an up and coming actor, are you not worried that your more
established colleagues are still very much around and would
likely not give you guys any space to shine?
The sky is big enough for everybody. I would even say that
we don’t have more known and celebrated actors in Nigeria
as we have in Hollywood. They are so many over there that
may not even need to work for four years or more. People
will always come into the field every day. Just recently, I
was on the same set with Kunle Bamtefa. This is somebody
that graduated from my department in the 70s and he has
been acting since that time. This is to show you how large
the sky is for everybody. The likes of Olu Jacobs and Ajayi
Lycett are still there. The likes of Ramsey Noah and the rest
are still there. But in all, I am not worried at all.
Who introduced you to Nollywood?
My first stint with Nollywood was through a good friend of
mine, Soji Cole. He is a writer. There was an adaptation of
Elechi Amadi’s Woman of Calabar and it was supposed to be
in a series. This was in 2009. He had directed some of the
stage plays we did in school and I think he was then the
production manager of the new series. He just called me and
said he felt I had a role that would suit me, so I came to
Lagos and I got a role. That was my first introduction into
Nollywood.
From 2009 to 2015, is it not high time we started seeing you
play lead roles in movies?
I was still in school in 2009 when I got that role. I graduated
in 2010. In 2011, I went for the Next Movie Star reality show
where I emerged as the first runner-up. More roles came up
after that. But then, I have played some lead roles in some
movies. I am not a producer or marketer. They are the ones
that would determine when the movies would come out. But
then again, I have played good parts in some soap operas. I
played a lead role in an edition of Super Story and This Life.
Would you say NMS platform has helped to boost your career?
Every platform is a platform. Even if you are performing for
just 50 people, as long as you can use that platform to
maximise yourself. I don’t need to be singing it as a song
that I was a first runner-up at NMS. But did it teach me and
also make other directors get to know about me? I would say
yes. It actually gave me a good platform and visibility. Some
directors invited me to their set because they followed me in
the NMS.
Don’t you think being the winner could have given you more
leverage and perhaps, skyrocket your career?
I don’t think so. I and the winner during my season work
hand in hand. We have done a lot of projects together after
NMS. I don’t see this as a ‘position’ thing. I know people that
didn’t come out tops at NMS or even any other reality show
that have been doing so well in the industry. I know some
winners of these reality shows that have even left the movie
industry and have gone ahead to do some other things. I
learnt what I had to learn from NMS and I have moved on.
Did you add comedy to your acting career in order to make
ends meet and get more financial benefits?
My love for comedy made me to study Theatre Arts in
school. I used to do comedy when I was in secondary school.
I represented my school as either a comedian or as an MC at
events. I even won medals for it. I wanted to be in the arts
world and do it as a profession. While in school, I used to
organise comedy concerts and I would bring professional
comedians including OMG, Ali Baba and Lepacious Bose.
Laff Up is an actor and a comedian as well. Julius Agwu is a
comedian and an actor. I am passionate about this; it is not
about the money. I am restless anytime I am not making
people laugh or when I am not hosting a show.
Didn’t you disappoint your parents when you chose to study
Theatre Arts?
My father had actually wanted me to study Law. In fact,
when I was in secondary school, the school had
recommended to my father that I should study sciences and
my father spoke to me about it. But he was fighting the war
in Liberia then. I told him I wasn’t going to study law. I even
wanted to be a rap artiste. All the poems I read back then
influenced me. More so, we would represent my school at
events and I would come back with medals and other prizes
and trophies. I was on the same pedestal with the people
who were winning prizes for the school in quiz and other
science competitions. I realised I could be successful with
this.
So what happened when your father came back from Liberia?
My father would always give you the chance to have your
way. When the trophies started coming from my school for
acting and drama, he realised I might not be off the track.
The first time I had a comedy show in school, he came to
visit me unannounced and he was directed to my department
and saw me performing and saw people laughing. He has
been supportive since then.
How do you handle ladies now that you are a celeb?
I don’t see myself as a star and it aids my relationship with
ladies. I relate with everybody as human beings. I grew up
around women. I get along with them a lot. I respect them
and I keep business and friendship the way it is.
You must have a girlfriend…
I am in a relationship that is very private to me. I don’t want
to mention names but I am not in the market any more. If
this doesn’t work, we may go to another relationship without
anybody knowing.
Post a Comment