Entertainment
Why I quit Nollywood for 15 years, took up cleaning job in UK — Sola Sobowale
Multi-awards winning Nollywood actress, Sola Sobowale, has made a shocking disclosure about her decision to relocate to the UK temporarily 11 years ago.
The 56-year-old actress broke her 15-year acting hiatus in 2016.
Fortunately for her, she landed a role in the record-breaking movie ‘The Wedding Party’ upon her return.
The actress opened up about the circumstances that led to her quitting acting for the first time on a recent episode of #WithChude, with the Co-founder of Joy, Inc., Chude Jideonwo.
‘WithChude’ is a unique series of targeted multimedia conversations and investigations focused on narratives that enable and strengthen the mind, heart, and spirit.
The mother-of-five, whose parents were in academia, recalled how, desiring to give her kids the best education, she took them to the UK and left them alone.
During the interview, she said that every parent must cater for their kids.
She said: “Children did not ask to be born. When you decide to have children, you must be ready to take full responsibility for those children.
“They are beautiful creatures. You don’t bring them to this world to suffer. You don’t bring them to this world for anybody to take care of them. You brought them. Then stay with them and do the work.”
Leaving Nigeria
During her next visit a month later, she recounts, she noticed that things were different with them.
“They weren’t the kids that I took. That motherly touch was not there. So I said ‘to your tent o Israel’. I’m here with my children. So I left stardom.
“The reason I left Nigeria was to guide my children, to make them somebody in life, to give them the legacy I could give and to nurture and take care of them.
“So that was why I left. And to God be the glory, they are successful now,” she said
Dignity in labour
Giving context to the sacrifice she made, the actress said that before leaving Nigeria, she starred in many movies and made good money.
Going down memory lane, she recalls that she shot a movie, ‘Christ in Me’ in Enugu, which opened doors for many other projects.
“I was earning (N)800,000 back in the year 2000. So when I came back to Lagos, I came back with about N5 million. And I left that for 7.50 pounds per hour job in England.
“And I’m proud. And there is nothing this woman cannot do because I know what is called dignity in labour.
“I will sweep from here to Kenya or Ghana as long as it puts food on my table and put clothes on my children and shelter on my head,” she said.
She recalls how she did menial jobs like cooking, sweeping and cleaning offices in London.
“My life is colourful. On the train or the bus, I wear my uniform with the company’s name.
“Then I hear Nigerians talking, asking if I’m the one. When I say yes, they ask what I’m doing here. I then ask them, you, what are you doing here? I’m glad. I’m happy. Now it’s history,” she added.
Background
As an actress, Ms Sobowale’s acting career spans over four decades.
She opted out of a College of Education to follow her dream by going to Ibadan, then the hub of entertainment in Nigeria. She initially enrolled as a secretary in training at Sight & Sound, Ibadan.
However, Tunji Oyelana (Sura De Tailor), who married her older sister, Kikelomo, enrolled her in the University of Ibadan’s Department of Music. But she would later switch to Theatre Arts.
Before the limelight, Ms Sobowale had roles in classic series like ‘The Village Headmaster’ and ‘Mirror in the Sun’ and a couple of stage productions, including Femi Osofisan’s ‘Our Husband Has Gone Mad Again’.
“I was lucky to work with Adebayo Salami, and we shot ‘Asewo To Re Mecca’,” she said.
Her first shot at stardom was from playing the now iconic role of Toyin Tomato in Wale Adenuga’s ‘Super Story’ series titled ‘Oh Father! Oh, Daughter’.
Upon her return to the industry in 2016, she starred in Nollywood’s box office hit, ‘The Wedding Party’ and its sequel.
She also played the lead role in the acclaimed movie ‘King of Boys’ and its follow-up series, ‘The Return of the King’.
In July 2022 she landed her first Bollywood role in director Hamisha Daryani Ahuja’s forthcoming film.
Before the approval of the then Inspector General Of Police, through a signal in April 1998, Alhaji Ishola Adeyinka aka “Askarifuji ” a batch of PMF 20, Ikeja, had been playing Fuji music side by side with Police job on a low key.
But as soon as he was granted an official approval Askarifuji came out with full force and debuted with an album titled “Loyalty” in 1998. And within a short period the album and its video became popular within and outside Nigeria .
After the release of the masterpiece, the brave and dynamic Askarifuji started using his music to campaign against crime and other societal vices. He was also using his music as a bridge between the Police and the general public ;Projecting the image of the police through his music.
Despite his busy schedule musically he was able to combine his official duty (Police) with music. To this end, he has served in so many departments of the police, such as Special Fraud Unit Milverton, ikoyi, Kano State CID, and State CID Panti Lagos among others.
Apart from being an household name musically, he has also risen from the rank of a constable to Deputy Superintendent of Police. His efforts was also rewarded in his hometown, Ibadan, when he was installed as Mogaji Alare Agbejonku of the Agbejonku Royal Dynasty Ibadan, Oyo State on 3 October ,2023 by the late Oba Mohud Ishola Balogun. With the title of a Mogaji, Askarifuji could be an Olubadan in nearest future.
Askarifuji is a man of three parts, Crime Fighter, Musician and Cultural icon. He has released about 12 albums namely:Loyalty, Internet Fuji,Wetin You Carry, Live Wire, Authority, London Swagger Unmissable,Fuji Parade, Explosion, Innovation,Ibadan and Alaseju
As a talented musician, all his musical works contain one or two message which are either crime fighting or campaigning against social vices or some words of advice to both the young and the old.
After his installation as “Mogaji”, Askarifuji did a thorough research on Ibadan and came out with an album titled “Ibadan”. The album, with a musical video, did not only promote the town but came out to correct a lot of misconceptions about the town called Ibadan.
The video, which has been showing constantly on African Magic, has been receiving accolades from viewers, both home and abroad. His latest single titled “Alaseju” is a campaign against disobedient children.
In recognition of the immense contribution of Askarifuji to Ibadan and the whole nation in general, the Central council of Ibadan Indegenes decorated him with an award ‘The Champion of Ibadan Culture “
With accolades coming from CCII and other groups, people believe that the Nigeria Police, the Olubadan in council and the Governor of Oyo State can do more by honouring a policeman per excellence, musician and cultural ambassador in order for him to do more.
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