One thing that has distinguished Aremu Afolayan, one of the scions of the Ade Love film dynasty, is his reported romance with older women. One cannot quickly forget his well publicised romance with London-based journalist, Yetunde Bustline, some years ago. Just recently, it was rumoured that the handsome actor cum movie producer was in a sizzling romance with Sikiratu Sindodo, who once dated a top notch of the National Union of Road Transport Workers in the Oshodi Zone of Lagos State, MC Oluomo, and also an actor, Kunle Afod. Speaking with The Eagle Online, Afolayan opened up on his relationship with the sexy Yoruba actress. Excerpts:
What motivated your last movie, The Score?
Good thinking. I see other Nollywood action movies and they are not up to standard. So, I felt I had to do something very catchy and it brought about The Score. I had to change the face of Nollywood with the film.
Are you expecting to surpass the standard raised by your elder brother, Kunle Afolayan?
There is no competition between us because we are doing our things differently. He is into drama while I am into action films. So, there is no competition between us.
Do you think he has more power to do better movies than you?
Yes, my brother sees more capital than me. He’s been there and knows people. Though I know people too but the people he knows give him more money than those I know. I use my money to shoot movies. This was my first film while he has three already, which have brought in more sponsors to him. The more I do movies, the more I upgrade.
Did you get into filmmaking leveraging on your late dad’s name or legacy?
No. I am into filmmaking because I love filming and acting. I can’t do any other thing asides that. It is my life.
What is your message to the people out there as you introduce yourself as a filmmaker?
My message to the government is to try and help us. We need the government. The government should get us film villages. In a film village, we would have access to guns. We need guns and other props to shoot movies. We go to peoples’ houses to inconvenient them. Is it supposed to be so? No. To the audience, they should try and encourage us and not tell us we do craps. They are the consumers, we have no right to talk when they are talking but they don’t need to criticize my movie to make me cry. They need to constructively criticize me. They should think about where and how I get the fund to shoot my movie. I didn’t steal or do shady business because I want to do a movie. I sold my four cars to shoot this movie.
Really?
Yes. Four cars that cost about N17 million and I generated like N8 million on it. It was a great loss but I don’t care because I needed to do a very good movie that would shock Nigerians. But I did the little I could do.
Do you mean the people can correct any anomaly they see in Nollywood movies?
Thank you. You can say the truth but they just generally tell us that everything we do is crap when they don’t know the real meaning of a crap movie. When you don’t have the money to do movies, you will do craps. Money is film. Without it, you can’t do anything. They don’t know yet that filming can sell far better than oil we depend on in Nigeria. The day we shoot a movie of about N200 million is the day they know what we are talking about. We still shoot movies of about N800,000. Is that suppose to be a movie? We get money from our fans who appreciate what we do and support us with what they have.
How is the movie doing now?
My movie is doing well. I am happy with the response.
What do you have to say about a rumoured romance between you and Sikiratu Sindodo?
I have not dated Sikiratu Sindodo. She is my colleague and a friend and that’s all.
It is also rumoured that you love dating older women and it was no surprise to them that Sikiratu was in the game with you. Is that so?
I don’t know how they mean Sikiratu being in the game. I don’t even hear when people say I date someone.
But people were seeing it from your reported relationship with Yetunde Bustline. Is that not true?
I think my relationship with anybody that I date should be my personal thing and concern. I don’t see anybody but myself.