Funmi Iyanda

Funmi, you interviewed the hunter Ogunjimi in Ondo and you looked like you are an actor and this week was on Nollywood. Are you planning to act soon?

Lol. No I don’t plan to act soon. I immerse myself in my subjects; it’s that ease you can see. I am going to interview farmers, pot makers, cattle headsmen, market women, university students, fishermen, pig farmers, okadas, area boys, kings etc in future editions so you will see me fit into each and every one of those worlds. It all looks so dramatic and cinematic because the producer/director Chris dada is a genius.

When are you going to interview the marketers from the Alaba international where most of the Nollywood works are also found?

We are planning season 2 already and stories are coming to us. Something will take us to Alaba market in the future, maybe not Nollywood marketers. I am intrigued by traders in places like Alaba international and Onisha market.

For those of us who want to be an actress, is it compulsory to bribe the producers at LTV as mentioned by the Ebinpejo marketer?
As the stars Kate and Bimbo said, you don’t have to bribe anybody or sleep with anybody if you have talent and are ready to put in the work, this is true for all professions.

What is your opinion about Nollywood?

I share Tunde Kelani’s opinion that it was a child of necessity that has done very well and is embraced by Nigerians and Africans but it is time for literature to meet commerce and skillful film making to create the next generation of Nollywood films.

How were you able to cover that journey from silverbird galleria, Idumota, Winnies and then to Oshodi? Or were they shot on different days?
You must read my TWF diaries; I did mention that it was a long, tough tedious shoot in hot uncomfortable locations and traffic. Kate and Desmond were really great coping with the pressure. We filmed all on the same day except the end bit with Tunde Kelani which was filmed weeks later.