For Femi Adebayo, life happens.
He was in love with law, went to study the discipline, his father was happy and by the time he started work, he dumped his first love and embraced acting
In an interview, he reveals why he dumped his career in law to pursuing acting full-time.
The 45-year-old, who holds a law degree from the University of Ilorin and a master’s degree in law from the University of Ibadan, said his decision was based on the earnings he received from both professions at the early stage of his career.
In an interview with Pulse, Femi said he was earning N20,000 as a lawyer when he got an acting offer that changed his mind.
“Honestly speaking, that was when I started working as a lawyer. My salary then was just N20,000 on a monthly basis,” he said.
“Then they invited me for acting roles, they were ready to pay me N50,000 for three days. And as a lawyer, I was getting N20,000 for one month. I said, Femi, this acting is your calling. That was when I decided that I would abandon law practice and face entertainment fully.”
The Jagun Jagun actor added that his decision was not just about passion but about what could sustain him financially at the time.
“I chose to pursue acting as a career when it paid more than my N20K lawyer job,” he said.
Femi, who is the son of veteran Yoruba actor Adebayo Salami aka Oga Bello, also credited his father for shaping his career path.
In a previous interview, the actor revealed how his father influenced his love for acting even while supporting his dream to study law.
“When I told him I wanted to become a lawyer, he was extremely happy. He once wanted to be a lawyer too. He worked closely with Alhaji Femi Okunnu back in the day, but his parents couldn’t afford it,” he said.
Femi said his interest in law was mostly inspired by the prestige that came with the profession.
“It was about the ‘May it please your Lordship,’ the gown, the courtroom swag – nothing more,” he added.
The actor, who started acting in 1985, said he unknowingly began building his skills by following his father to rehearsals during school breaks.
“During school breaks, I would follow my father to rehearsals and stage performances, where I unknowingly started building my acting skills,” he said.
“Whether I had a role or not, I had to be on set every day. He trained me without me knowing.”
Femi Adebayo has since gone on to become one of the most successful actors in the Nigerian film industry. His popular film credits include Owo Blow, Sonto Alapata, King of Thieves, Jagun Jagun and Seven Doors.
He won Best Actor in a Drama at the 2025 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) and is also a recipient of several other honours.
Femi currently serves as the Special Adviser to the Kwara State governor on Arts, Culture and Tourism.