‘Why I took a marital leave from acting’ – MOSUN FILANI

Ekiti born Mrs. Mosun Filani-Oduoye
is known for her lead roles in Yoruba
movies. She is pretty, young and quite
brilliant. The light-skinned mother of
two is married to a legal practitioner
cum politician, Barrister Kayode
Emmanuel Oduoye.
Mosunmola had for two years now not
taken roles in movies because she took
what she termed a ‘marital leave’.
The good news is that the leading
actress is bouncing back in a big way.
Mosun had an interview with select
journalists few days back where she
spoke on her new project, why she
took a ‘marital leave’ and other issues.
Tade Asifat was there for ENCOMIUM
Weekly…
You are from Ekiti State. What do you
think is unique about the Ekiti
people?
When we were growing up it was then a
common saying that Ekiti is a land of
wisdom, knowledge and understanding.
I’m happy that the Ekiti speaking people
still retain the attributes synonymous
with them. People from Ekiti state are
naturally endowed with knowledge and
they are well learned.
Father’s Day was marked few days
back but you unfortunately lost your
dad early this year. What do you
really miss about him?
Without mincing words, I really miss
everything about him. The way he
talked, the pet name he gave me and
usually called me, what he used to do
for me and other things. He was indeed
a father in a million. I would forever be
grateful to my parents for their support,
starting from the time I was a baby.
How then did you feel about the
Father’s Day celebration?
Naturally, I felt very bad but I got
consoled with the fact and the reality
that we are all mortals and he already
left us to join the triumphant saints. Yes,
we love him but God loves him more.
May his soul continue to rest in peace.
Could you recall how you got inspired
and encouraged to venture into
acting?
I developed interest in acting in my
teens and principally it was neither for
stardom nor for fame.
I just loved acting, it was a natural
interest and it was indeed a burning
passion. So, when I finished from the
college of education, I ventured into it.
Though I started acting while in school it
was after school that I felt I should take
a step further by standing in front of a
camera as an actress and that was how it
all started.
Were you a member of the drama
group in school?
In my secondary school days, I was in
the group. When I was in the college of
education, I was also a member of the
school drama group and it was basically
stage dramas.
That means you are a good dancer?
Yes, of course.
Do you still dance?
Of course I do.
You are married to a politician and
you are an actress. How have you
been coping?
I have been coping very well, it is just a
matter of understanding and getting your
schedules well-planned. When I need to
get busy with his political career, I leave
acting. And when I notice he is less busy
with political activities, I easily pick up
my acting job. So, it is just a matter of
planning and getting programmes and
schedules properly organized.
Many assumed that your marriage to a
politician would naturally signal your
sent forth from the acting world?
Haba ! No, not at all.
Are you back?
Yes, of course. I never left, I just took
time off, a sort of a leave or better still a
‘marital leave’ because that is what most
of our actresses don’t understand. Once
you are married, you need to create time
for your family because that is the time
you get to know the family you are
married into. So you must create time
for them. I call it a ‘marital leave’. I
think it is also appropriate to mention
here that I am currently working on a
new film from the stable of the Beauty
and Brain Concept which is my outfit.
So, I never left the movie industry.
What specific lessons would be learnt
from the movie?
It is a movie about marital life, the lives
of married people and single ladies. It is
titled Different Strokes for Different
Folks.
One of the lessons to be learnt from the
movie is the reality that what goes down
well with you might not go down well
with me. Therefore, I can’t start
comparing my marriage with yours. It
doesn’t work that way.
It is different strokes for different folks.
Basically, the movie is all about marital
life.
People will learn a lot from the movie. It
will teach them how to manage
marriages at individual level and not
erroneously given the collective status as
one involving your friends or other
people outside the fold of the union.
It would also be wrong to start
comparing your marriage with that of a
friend, your brother or your neighbour.
You have to manage your home and
consider it an ‘individual’ thing. What is
applicable somewhere and considered
appropriate might be detrimental to the
couple in another home.
So, it all depends on the participating
individuals in different homes. There is
no basis for comparison or using one to
serve as parameter to judge the other.
Are you playing any role in the movie?
Of course, I am playing the role of a
very funny character, Eriifeoluwa. She is
always running after the marriage of
another friend of hers and she expects
her marriage to be like that of her friend
which was not possible because she
wasn’t married to that person’s husband
but another man entirely who comes
from a different background and has
different character. She was always
comparing her marriage to that of her
friend and it almost ruined her.
You were on ‘marital leave’ for more
than two years, and now that you are
back how easy do you think it will be
for the skills to flow?
It is as easy as drinking my coffee.
You will still get the rhythm?
Of course, it is an in-built quality, it is
an ability that is always there. All I need
is to tap it and naturally it would flow.
Let us talk about your husband,
Barrister Kayode Oduoye. What do you
appreciate in him?
Oh! My oga at the top (laughs). What I
appreciate in him is his humility and the
fact that he has the fear of God.
How supportive has he been?
He has always been there for me and the
naked truth is that you can only record
success in your endeavours when you
are blessed with a stable and peaceful
home front and there is no domestic
upheaval. So I give Glory to Almighty
God and thank Him for His Mercies.
Recently, he gave me a location bus,
which was branded in the name of my
outfit. He has been quite supportive.
Even while we were planning the movie
and writing the script, he was always
there making contributions. He is always
there for me.
Who is Mrs. Mosun Filani Oduoye?
Mrs. Mosun Filani Oduoye is a very
funny person. Basically, I am an in-door
person. If I do not have anything doing
outside, I don’t like going out.
You have a look-alike daughter who is
very smart. Would you mind if she
ventures into acting?
That depends on her because we are
now in a century and an era where the
shouts of ‘freedom’ reigns supreme. We
can’t decide for our children as parents.
If they make up their mind and choose a
career, all you have to do is to support
them.
What you can do is to offer advice and
provide guidance. She is outspoken and
also very intelligent. She is just two and
half years old. I can’t really say she
might want to act or not but if she
becomes an adult and decides to act, I
will support her like my mother did to
me. She supported me and gave me basic
moral lessons; my mother told me when
I wanted to go into acting that there is
no problem becoming an actress but that
as ‘Omoluabi’, she would not want me to
do things that she won’t like.
What was the movie that shot you into
limelight?
Oh! Good memories. I think I got shot
into limelight via the role I played in a
film and the title was Ami Ayo.
If you hadn’t been an actress what
would you have been?
I would have been a professional dancer;
you could see it is still not out of the
precinct of the entertainment world.
So, I am naturally an entertainer
(laughs)
Your spoken English is okay, why
have you then not featured in English
movies?
I have not been invited for a role in
English movies. If they do I would
definitely play any role assigned to me.
The movie I am currently working on is
more of English than Yoruba, that is why
the title is Different Strokes for Different
folks.
Do we then expect seeing faces of
people from the English section in the
movie?
No, not at all. I am using my people who
can also speak good English. Most of us
are graduates so we can speak good
English. I don’t have to invite people
from the English section.
Could you tell us some of the faces
that we expect to see in the movie?
I have Femi Adebayo, Ibrahim Chatta,
Ronke Odusanya, Ninalowo Bolanle,
Mercy Ebosere, Allwell Ademola, Mosun
Filani-Oduoye and others on set.
When would the movie hit the
market?
I am very sure by middle of July you will
start seeing the clips.