Yoruba movie star, Lateef Adedimeji, is the lead actor in an eponymous non-biological musical film based on the life and times of the late Àpàlà musician, Ayinla Yusuf, popularly known as Ayinla Omowura.
The Àpàlà music superstar was stabbed to death on the head with a beer glass cup by his estranged manager, Bayewu, during a beer parlour brawl on May 6, 1980, at Itoko, Abeokuta. He died from the incident.
Adedimeji, 35, has described the role as a high point of his career. In this interview with PREMIUM TIMES, he speaks on his career, the Yoruba movie industry, and why working with Tunde Kelani is a dream come true for him including other industry matters.
PT: You were brilliant in ‘Ayinla’. What’s more interesting is that you actually looked like the legendary Ayinla Omowura himself. What was it like portraying him in the film?
Lateef: It was not easy. It was actually very tough because I am not a fan of Apala music. I even hardly listened to Apala music until I got the script. So, when I went through the script and I saw that I’m actually gonna be singing, it was tough.
So, I became a fan and I developed the habit of listening to Apala music. I started listening to all of the songs and there wasn’t any documentation of Ayinla. So all of my characterization and mannerisms were put together by simply listening to his songs and reading about him.
PT: How do you feel about being directed by the legendary Tunde Kelani?
Lateef: It was a dream come true. It makes me feel that when you pray, God truly answers because I’ve always prayed for a ‘waka pass’ (minor role) role in any movie produced by Tunde Kelani. Now, I didn’t just get a part. I got a lead in his movie, not just in anyhow movie but a lead in a movie about a legend.