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JAIYE KUTI: My husband urges me to kiss properly in films

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By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Jaiye Kuti has appeared in so many films since she began her enviable career in 2002 after appearing in a television sitcom, ‘Laff Patterns.’ She’s one of the carefully selected crossover actresses who are spotted in films with both English and Yoruba as the language of communication. Recently, she joined the big league when she produced and featured in a cinema film entitled ‘Alagbede.’ THE NATION’s ASSISTANT ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR, GBENGA BADA, caught up with her and she opened up on a variety of issues and concerns ranging from her new film, marriage to her children, work, and life experiences as an actress.

I saw Alagbede and I know that it’s not a small production. What was the motivation to invest so much funds in it?

You know in life, after which you have done one thing, you know, many times, you just want to improve. And when you have this business mind, you, well, let me speak for me. I see a lot of things around me as business, including what I do, including the brands that I endorse their products. I look at them from business angles. So, in my line of production and producing many movies, I’ve known that one day, a time will come, when an opportunity will be open for a proper business for me because as a business person, you should be ready to take the risks. The risk is what makes you better than the other person because if you’re not ready to go as far as taking the risk, then it means that you’ll just be in one place, going round in circles and that’s it. And you cannot go past that level. I want to grow, I want to keep growing and I don’t want to stop. And that’s why I see Alagbede as a business for me.

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So, do you think the risk was worth it?

Yes, the risk is worth it in many ways. I had the vision during COVID-19 when I was telling different stories on my Instagram page, you know. I would just come up with some stories. That was when I came up with that idea. I heard of a guy who wanted to commit suicide, I think it was a radio programme or something. So from what they were deliberating, all, I got something from there and I thought to myself like, okay, I won’t tell people this as a story. I think I have to make this a proper film. I have to shoot this, a proper movie and take it to the cinema. And that was how I came up with The Blacksmith: Alagbede.

“So why cinema? I mean, I know you’ve done a couple of productions by yourself and didn’t make it to the cinema, why cinema this time? Why not YouTube?

“Yes, I looked at the amount of money that would go into it. And I know that it cannot be N5 million or N10 million. I knew that 45 million naira would not do it. If you have to use the proper actor, you have to use the proper setting, the community, the area, the costume, everything. If you want to tell the story exactly the way you have seen it, and you want people to feel it, the creation of your vision, you know, it just has to go to the cinema. So by doing so a lot of people will get to go and see it. I was ready for whatever it took to make the money back, you know, but I wasn’t going to look at whether the money was too much or probably not going to make it back. I want to tell a story and whatever it takes for me to tell the story, I want to. And I know that YouTube is not going to give me the money back. I’m talking about 1 year, 2 years, 3 years. It might be there, and it could give me the money later on, but it’s something that I want to do now because I have other projects that I want to do that I have at hand. So that was why I decided to take it to cinemas.

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Okay, we’ve heard some of your colleagues saying they had to sell off properties, cars, to get funds, and all that.

” For you and considering the current economic situation, how did you harness the funds?

I know, the situation could be quite difficult, but I don’t have to sell anything because I have been preparing for this for a while. I have been a brand ambassador to a lot of brands that gave me nothing less than N20 million, and N25 million, there were some projects, and documentaries, that I did that fetched me N30 million. I knew that I had some things to do in the future; I had a big movie ahead of me. By then, I had not even had a story, but I knew that there was going to be something. And I’m married to a man that I would call prudent, my husband is a very prudent person.

” So, he believes a lot in savings. And then we cultivated the idea from him to save money. You know, you take out what you need, not necessarily everything that you want, so I’ve been able to save. And it got to a point that I needed to build a house for my mom. So I had to dip my hands into the savings and I wanted to do something for her. I wanted to appreciate her because my mom is the reason why I’ve been able to do this. She’s been there for my children, from when I started to have children. So I built a house for her. So the money I was left with was like N55 million in that account and I knew that, okay, it’s time for me to do this movie. So I called my friend because I have two other partners and a friend, a sister, a younger sister, Motunrayo. I said, Motunrayo, how much do you have in your hand too? I want to produce this fine movie and I don’t think I have enough. She said okay, how much do you need? I said if I can get like N20 million from you, she said, okay, give me two weeks.

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” I said okay, that’s fine. So before then, she raised the money like two times, 10, 10. So we had 75 million. I said that’s very good. I got an endorsement deal, and at that time, Twins Faja Nigeria Limited signed me again. They paid me 10 million. So the money was growing. And I called my other partner, Mr. Adeleye Fabusoro, how much do you have in your bank account for a film? I asked for like N10 or N15 million to continue this project, to do what I wanted to do. He said, okay, I can only borrow you. Borrow, borrow, borrow. So he was saying the borrow like two, three, four times. I said, okay, don’t worry. So that was how I was able to put this money together. And so far, so good. Every one of them has been part of this great support to sell the movie. In three weeks of premiering in the cinema, we were able to gross N60 million, above 60 million. We’re not doing badly. People love the movie. The movie speaks for itself. And I’m glad, I’m so glad that it’s going the way I envisaged.

So I know you mentioned your husband earlier

Yes, please.

Not everybody gets to see your other half, but with the little you said, you spoke quite fondly of him. Tell us about your husband.

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Ah, Mr. Kuti. Mr. Kuti is an Ijebu man. We’ve been married since the year 2000.

” I had my first child, Mayowa, in 2001. And when I was going to come into the industry, I told my husband and I was like, well, I was done with the paid employment. I said I can’t do all this paid employment anymore. Maybe you set me up or something. Then he asked, okay, is there not something that you would like to do or love to do by yourself? And I said, I wanted to go into acting, but you would not want me because you would say I’m married. He said, hey, now you’re talking about your destiny.

So you should go and find a way, you know, to start doing it. So I went for an audition. I got a script. And then, of course, my baby was, my Mayowa was still little.

” So I needed somebody to take care of her for me. So my husband was supporting me in that area.

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“So, from that time, I’ve been getting that support. The only thing my husband would say is that, don’t spoil my name. So you have to be careful with what you do, where you go, how you deal with people. And he has never complained about me having to kiss anyone on set.

Sometimes he will advise that clearly, you people would just be kissing like local people. Can’t you people kiss in the way that we feel the love and all that, that you’d be kissing and be doing like this? When it comes to your point to, I mean, your part to kiss, please, can you just do it properly? I said, okay, no problem. Unfortunately for him, I’ve not really gotten a role like that.

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Oba of Benin to withdraw suit as Okpebholo restores rights

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The Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, and the Benin Traditional Council may withdraw the suits they filed against the state government as Governor Monday Okpebholo, on Sunday, restored the full statutory rights of the Oba and reversed the policies of the previous administration that impacted the Benin Traditional Council.

A statement on Sunday by Okepebholo’s Chief Press Secretary, Fred Itua, said the governor abolished the new traditional councils in Edo South created by the immediate-past governor, Godwin Obaseki.

Okpebholo also backed the Federal Government’s recognition of the Oba’s palace as the custodian of repatriated Benin artefacts looted during the 1897 British colonial expedition.

Providing an insight into the governor’s gesture, the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr Samson Osagie, said it signaled the resolution of the crisis between the Oba of Benin and the Edo State government leading to lawsuits duringt the Obaseki’s administration.

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Osagies said, “The cases in court are cases which the Oba of Benin himself and the Benin Traditional Council instituted against the state government, and they are all civil matters. And you know that in civil suit or in any suit, parties are encouraged to settle amicably.

“So, if the parties are already settling and one side is already meeting the condition of settlement, the next step you are going to hear is that the party who went to court, which is the Oba of Benin, and the Benin Traditional Council, will instruct their counsel to withdraw the cases from court and that will be the end of the matter.

“The two parties are now settling for harmony and peace to reign, so the government is doing its own side of it.

“This statement is a prelude to discontinuing all legal proceedings with respect to the twin issues of the concession of the Oba Akenzua Cultural Centre by government to the Benin Traditional Council for 30 years and the creation of additional councils.”

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The statement by Okepebholo’s Chief Press Secretary outlined the administration’s commitment to restoring the dignity and authority of the Benin monarch.

“This administration also hereby abolishes the new traditional councils in Edo South, created by the last administration,” the statement noted.

Additionally, Governor Okpebhol revoked the decision of the Obaseki’s administration to convert the Oba Akenzua II Cultural Centre into a motor park.

The government announced plans to restore the cultural centre to its original purpose.

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“This administration is restoring the Oba Akenzua Centre to a suitable condition for its original purpose,” the statement added.

The governor also reinstated the financial entitlements of the Benin Traditional Council, ordering that the status quo before the creation of the abolished councils be maintained.

According to the statement, Okpebholo affirmed support for the Federal Government’s official gazette, which recognizes the Oba of Benin as the rightful owner and custodian of the repatriated Benin artefacts.

He also distanced his administration from the Museum of West Africa Art, instead backing the Benin Royal Museum project to house the artefacts.

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“The Federal Government has also issued a gazette for the recognition of ownership and custody of the repatriated Benin artefacts to the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II,” the statement explained. “Governor Okpebholo respects the rights and privileges of the traditional ruler of Benin kingdom… and pledges the support of his administration to ensure the monarch plays his role as the custodian of the rich cultural heritage of the Benin people.”

Okpebholo reiterated his administration’s respect for traditional institutions and vowed to avoid interference in the internal affairs of the Benin Traditional Council. “The Oba of Benin, as the father of all Benin people, is the sole custodian of the customs and traditions of the Benin people, and my administration respects customs and traditions in the land,” he stated, emphasising the government’s efforts to uphold the cultural and historical integrity of the Benin Kingdom.

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Oyedepo’s jet can’t leave private airstrip without clearance – Keyamo

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The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, on Sunday said there was no way the private plane of privileged Nigerians, including the Founder and Presiding Bishop of Living Faith Bible Church Worldwide, Bishop David Oyedepo, can leave the country directly from their airstrips without first securing clearance from relevant authorities.

Keyamo made the clarification when he was featured as a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today.

His statement comes barely two months after members of the House of Representatives called for a revocation of airstrip licences issued to certain individuals and private organisations, citing security reasons.

The House also called for an immediate halt to new airstrip licences for individuals and organisations.

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But Keyamo insisted that there was no way a plane or drone, even if it belongs to the military, can leave or come into the country without first getting a nod from the agency.

When asked if the airstrip of Oyedepo also passed through the same due process, Keyamo nodded.

He said, “Oh yes, absolutely. That’s no problem. They were only concerned about the fact that they thought that somebody can take off from a private airstrip and fly out of Nigeria or fly into Nigeria. It is not possible.

“You must land in an international airport first. Then the Customs, immigration and NDLEA will process you before you take off from there to your private airstrip. If you are also flying out, you must land at an international airport. You will go through Customs, immigration and all the normal process before flying out.

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“So nobody uses an airstrip for any such purpose without seeking clearance. At every point in time, the authorities must approve.”

When quizzed on how many airstrips the country is operating at the moment, Keyamo said they are in the range of 40.

“We have a number of them, more than 40. For the federal airport, we have 23. The state airport has about eight or nine now.

“And then the airstrips are about 40 or thereabouts. I have been there myself,” he stated.

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Abia bans unauthorised free medical outreaches

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The Abia State Ministry of Health has reacted to the hospitalisation of some persons who attended a free medical outreach in Abiriba, Ohafia LGA, on Saturday, saying that the distribution of drugs to the public by uncertified persons was without the authorisation of the state government.

The Commissioner for Health, Professor Enoch Ogbonnaya Uche, who said this in a press release on Sunday, said that the organisers of the medical outreach did not obtain approval from the state government before embarking on the exercise.

He therefore announced that any medical outreach without authorisation from the Ministry of Health is illegal and can put the health of Abia people in jeopardy, warning that those who do so would be made to face the full wrath of the law.

DAILY POST recalls that many people were rushed to the hospital on Saturday at Abiriba after developing some medical emergencies on return from the medical outreach organised by a group.

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According to Processor Uche, preliminary reports indicated that medications distributed during the outreach may have caused adverse drug reactions among unsuspecting recipients, even as he said that the identified victims of these untoward medical events are currently receiving medical attention at designated public health facilities within the state.

“Our dedicated healthcare personnel are working assiduously to stabilise and treat affected people. The Abia State Ministry of Health is deeply concerned by the dire consequences and high risk posed by unauthorised healthcare activities. We wish to hereby warn the public to be cautious of individuals and groups organising unapproved healthcare events,” said the health commissioner.

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