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Wednesday, 3 July 2013

Why i Separated with my ex wife - Dejo Tunfulu




Kunle Makinde Tokunbo popularly called  Dejo Tunfulu is one of the few artists that master  funny character in movie, he has featured in many movie and has written many some as well. In this interview with Alarinka Agbaye recently he spoke about his life and how he was excited getting N50 pay for his first appearance in movie.


Why do you choose to play funny character in  movies
 I developed  the character  right from my school days when i was in secondary school i joined entertainment society and i have a friend  Sefiu Iman, he is a stamarer  so i do imitate him and gradually it became  talent  and part of men,
 Lets have an insight into your background
 I am kunle Makinde Tokunbo, i was born in Lagos Island, brought up in Lagos island but I am an indigene of Ikija, Abeokuta in Ogun state. So i started my education from Answarudeen Primary school Ereko Lagos Island  from there to Dolphin high school Lagos Island  from there to Modern way Nigeria school of printing before we end everything on theatre
  When exactly did you start acting?
 I started from my secondary school around 84 / 85
 How has it been so far?
It has been wonderful both on the positive and the negative side, i really enjoy it I thank God for keeping me and granting me the talent
 Do you play other serious character?      
 Yes, i played normal role in Adufe, which i wrote, i played normal role in Asa written by Ibrahim Chatta and some many more and i enjoy playing it as well but not as the funny character
 How many people have you participated in?
 My brother, i can’t count, they are so many           
 How much were you paid in your first appearance?
I was paid N50 naira,
 What was your feeling then?
 Full movie then was N5000 Naira so how will i feel, i feel great for them to pay me N50 naira, so i feel great and i was glad.
 You first appearance in movie, Tele and stage
 ,My  first appearance on television was Apere Ijongbon by Kolawole International theatre group Akuko Gagara, around 87  my first appearance on movie  was in the first home video in Nigeria  and that is Aje ni iya mi, where i played a minor role because in that play someone just called me “ Dejo se ohun e  ti la and i  answered him” that all and people loved that role
 Have you ever produced or written any films
 Yes i’ve produce many film, lets start from my first movie Eja Ojiji, i produce Tori Ife, Aya Rere, Owo Omago, bom Boy, kofoworola, Ero ibanisaroro BRF Babajide Raji Fasasi, and the coming one Oponu Meta.
Do you feel embarrassed outside when people called you Dejo
 I am two in one,  my name is kunle and at the same time Dejo so  there is nothing bad in  its my name,  even there are some of my friend  that don’t know my real name, they know  me to be Dejo so dejo has been part of my name
 You are a certified printer and rather than continuing with your printing Job you face theatre, who groomed you, who is your teacher
 I was trained in my area where there are many television  stars like Abeni Ajagun, Madam Saje, Ajirebi , Baba Balogun, Ateyepe, so they live in  my area and from there i became part of them and they groomed me  so later when i went to secondary school i joined entertainment society from where i picked up things
 How old are you
 I am close to forty
 Are you married?
 Married before but now single kid
 What happend to your marriage
 Personal                           
 Do you still intend to remarry?
Of course yes
How do you handles female fans
 They are all my friends and we relate as one
Sometimes ago it was rumoured that you are planning to relocate to abroad with your kids how through is that
 Me abroad, that’s not true
 Do you have any plan of leaving the shores of Nigeria without coming back?
 No, Nigeria is my father’s land, i can be going there and coming but no plan to stay permanently
  Are you enjoying what you are doing in Nigeria?
  Yes, you cannot because you don’t like your family and decided to align with another family  your family is your family, Nigeria situations for actors and actresses is not friendly, but we have to endure and pray to God to make entertainment industry in general to move forward,  we should go up like Hollywood and Hollywood
 What do you think can be done by the government and corporate organization to make the industry grow?
 You see in the entertainment industry we need government, cooperate organization and individual support, we have been saying this for long time but nobody is responding as expected which is discouraging
 Why do people in the entertainment industry always look forward to government patronage and not individual and companies?
 Just like i told you we need everybody to work with us to make the industry grow including you, we are not looking at government alone   we need everybody
 You happiest moment in life
 My happiest when was that o, when i sat with Gov .Mimiko, Professor Wole Soyinka at the airport hotel at Joe Odumakin Birthday?
 The most embarrassing moment
 Ehn let me see, ok when i die you can come and ask my corpse
 How do you want your new wife to be and what qualities must she possess
She must be caring and good as a woman, be responsive to her duties and responsibilities at home, as per size and colour, o don’t have any specification Gbogbo ejo ni jije
 What advice do u have for the younger one i mean the upcoming artists?
 Well they should be prayerful and hardworking. That is the only thing that can do it, prayer is much more important and they should be focused.