He’s 71 and recently celebrated 60 years on stage. In this interview Nollywood actor, Adebayo Salami aka Oga Bello reveals his stance on sex for roles within the film industry.
For veteran actor cum filmmaker Adebayo Salami aka Oga Bello, his sense of discipline would not entertain any actress offering sex in exchange for movie roles.
The actor, in an interview with The Nation, said:
“I will not even leave the chance for you to come and meet me or talk to me about it, because I’m a disciplined director, I’m a disciplined producer, and I won’t do it.”
He also said,
“I will not give you the chance to come near me. I’ve never seen anyone like that. But I know it happens in this generation.”
Salami, who began acting at age 12 in 1964, reflected on the decline in discipline among the newer generation of filmmakers, pointing out that actors now give excuses for lateness that wouldn’t have been tolerated in his time.
“The discipline in our days is quite different from this… Some excuses are not tenable in this profession,” he said, disclosing that he still enforces double casting in his productions to encourage professionalism.
“Even if you are playing the lead, I would say leave my set.”
Speaking about his son, actor Femi Adebayo, the film legend recalled a scene where Femi had to slap him.
“I’m not seeing them as my child at all. I’m looking at them as a colleague… I told him, ‘God save you if you had not slapped me, I would have slapped you after the shooting.’”
Salami also shared details about his new film, Her Excellency, which addresses themes of jealousy, family support and the pressure powerful couples face in marriage.
Despite spending 60 years in the industry, he ruled out retirement, saying:
“You don’t retire; if you do, the talent will haunt you… If you are still agile, you still have the idea, you put out the idea.”