I wandered into the popular 'mama-put', White House, at Sabo-Yaba today along with two of the fair ladies that work with me, Toyin Alli-Hakeem and Linda Okoro. As we sat eating, the actor, Bolaji Alonge came in accompanied by Kayode Peters- TV and Stage Director as well as Teju Babyface, one of Nigeria's foremost stand-up comedians.
So I grabbed Babyface and made him part of the Bold, Cool and Beautiful Series. Babyface is the first male featured as part of the BCB.
L: State of Origin?
BF: Oyo
L: Oriki (Traditional Praise name)?
BF: Ajao Ogun (means warrior or strong man)
L: Why did you choose Stand-Up comedy?
BF: At that time as a student, it paid the bills and gave me more than fellow students. Comedy is a platform. I'm really an enterpreneur.
L: Mentors?
BF: Basorge Tariah, Ali Baba
L: You like clothes. Any favourite designers?
BF: I'm disenchanted. I'll soon start making my own. It's all about the fit, though.
L: What would you take if you had 5 minutes to get out of the country?
BF: My Bible and "Our Daily Bread". (Our daily bread is a Christian motivational book)
L: Your concept of God?
BF: He's patient, He's faithful
L: What has he done for you lately?
BF: He has given me "My Word". I have received God's plans for me. (BF quotes the Bible-Isaiah 55 v.10-11)
Hearing so much of God, laspapi felt babyface had to be abstaining from...ahem...the pleasures of the world hence the next question.
L: Getting married soon?
BF: I really hope so
L: To whom?
BF: (smilingly) Wouldn't I love to know that?
L: You were in films once...
BF: Just one. Diamond Ring, starring Richard Mofe-Damijo and Liz Benson. It was exciting but the film industry was unwilling to accept me.
L: Why not?
BF: I had a pecuiar look that didn't fit into the "rituals" films being churned out at that time.
We played Words and Associations. I'd give a word and Babyface would say the first thing to enter his mind.
Nigeria....Confusion
Obasanjo...Misdirected
Love....Over-rated
Marriage...Brilliant (I asked Babyface, if love is over-rated, why is marriage brilliant? He replied- "the love in marriage is not the one with butterflies in your stomach"
Sex....After Marriage
Kayode Peters, standing by asked BF: "How about those things you've done before?"
BF: God has forgiven me. (Teju is abstaining from pre-marital sex.
The Comedy Industry...Limitless
I continued the interview-
L: Where will you be in 10 years?
BF: Doing God's work
L: Something for those who seek to be like you?
BF: Seek God
L: What would you want to be remembered by?
BF: That I helped people and they came to know God through me.
12 comments:
Laspipi, you should smile more often, it suits you. Is babyface a pastor? or studying to be one?
I dunno him oh
I like his answers cool.
hey, omg...it actually neva crossed my mind that it was him in Diamond Ring...oh that was a long time ago n dat was a Movie...i loved the interview, it was short n precise...
laspapi, na wa o... why una and teju come dey look like tegbon taburo like dis... teju looks so much like what laspapi must have looked like ten years ago...
Teju was BRILLIANT in Diamond Ring. Nollywood is stupid for losing him. Diamond Ring was one of the best movies EVER to come out of Nollywood. RMD was phenomenal!!!! I wonder why OGD hasnt used teju more ..?
But, ahem, there's a bit too much God in this interview seeing as it is Teju speaking, excuse my healthy cynicism - and oh he's an entrepreneur deep inside?! My evil twin is about to speak through my lips so I'll just sign out at this moment ...!lol
@ waffy- sounds like it, love
@ mona- where've you been? He's a 'big boy' in comedy
@ omohemi- yeah, he's like that
@ vixen- you've got a good memory, dami. Thanx for the nice words
@ boa- you and that mouth of yours...You think Teju's your mate? I have a prayer for you...
@ chude- all this praise, chude? It was a great movie, though. Teju's been abstaining for a while o. Dont play the devil's advocate. If he falls, you'll be responsible
Nice, i never really knew anything about Teju babyface. Nice to know he's an omo leyin Jesu. I'm loving all your fresh faces o. Hmm, i dont know this white house place, i stayed around Yaba fora while, i guess its new. I love Bank Olemo designer rice...
Hmmm - "the love in marriage is not the one with butterflies in your stomach"
Shouldn't it be though?
It's so funny that you should do a profile of him ...I had seen him in the All Stars Video for Tade Ogidan's films and sadly I have not seen Diamond Ring...but I did find myself wondering who he was...he just had this aura that exuded warmth and peace...I like his answers to your questions...he seems like a very principled person.
Thanks for sharing
@ omosewa- White House is on the small intersecting street between Aje St and Commercial Avenue.
As for Bank Olemoh rice, the stuff's just too expensive.
There's a place called 'Olaiya' on Akerele very close to B.O.R. and it seems to control the Surulere crowd now.
@ noni- I guess Teju believes butterflies have short life spans, noni. What holds the fabric cannot be gossammer.
@ jola- Spot-on analysis. Teju's always been kind of different from the crowd. He does have principles
Mr. Wols, very cool interview here. love this section of ur blog... and am glad the papers are already eyeing it. I neva knew Teju was so 'God-like', infact he was at my church on good friday and when he came up stage to share what easter meant to him ...he said he didn't know, and then covered it up with a generous dose of jokes.
A couple of folks and I, later laughed about it saying the guy wasn't a christian or rather 'believer' and used the jokes to wave off the question about easter. gosh! we were so certain of our conclusion.
there again, we shud neva judge a book by its cover.
great work laspapi, maybe you shud help us do more soul unveiling, its so easy to box-up public figures.
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