Veteran actor Adebayo ‘Oga Bello’ Salami has revealed the reason behind producing ‘Her Excellency’, a film that not only commemorates his six decades in the entertainment industry but also delves into the power dynamics in relationships and the role of women in society.
Scheduled to premiere on 29 June and hit cinemas from 4 July, the movie features an impressive cast including his son Femi, Odunlade Adekola, Sola Sobowale, Bimbo Ademoye, Yemi Solade, and Jide Kosoko, among others.
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Speaking in an interview with Broadway TV posted on the Instagram page on Friday, the 73-year-old actor stated that beyond celebrating his sixty-year milestone, he produced the film intending to educate both men and women.
Oga Bello said, “Women’s power was the inspiration behind ‘Her Excellency’ because I wanted to educate Nigerians about the power of women. I also wanted to teach women that they need to support their husbands, regardless of their position, and that husbands, too, should support their wives.
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Women are very important in men’s lives. If you look at the present generation, there are many problems in marriages, and that’s why I included lessons in the movie on handling and being patient with women. However, I leave the message and everything else to the audience to judge. My core belief is that women are powerful. ‘Her Excellency’ is a remake of my old movie, which was titled ‘Agbara Obinrin (Power of Women).’”
Quitting acting
Furthermore, the actor disclosed that he considered quitting acting following the death of his boss, the late Ojo ‘Baba Mero’ Ladipo.
PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that Oga Bello commenced his career in 1964 with ‘Young Concert Party’, a troupe founded by Baba Mero.
This group later evolved, becoming the ‘Ojo Ladipo Theatre Group’ and the ‘Awada Kerikeri Theatre Group’, before its founder’s passing in 1978.
Upon Baba Mero’s death, Oga Bello assumed leadership of the troupe, a role that was both challenging and significant, propelling him into prominence.
He shared that the weight of the responsibilities and challenges almost led him to give up, until a conversation with the late actor and playwright, Hubert Ogunde, changed his perspective.
“In 1985, I wanted to quit acting because I lost my boss, Ojo Ladipo, popularly known as Baba Mero, in 1978, and his wife, Iya Mero, died seven years later. The problems became overwhelming, and I no longer continued in theatre after my boss’s burial. When Baba Ogun heard about it, he called me and asked if it was true that I wanted to stop acting. I told him yes.
“He called me an unserious human being and said I didn’t realise that the more one is elevated, the more challenges one will face. He told me that whoever faces tribulations will eventually be elevated. He said there is no success without challenges. He also told me I had a bright future in acting and urged me to continue, promising that he would pray for me. That was the turning point, and here I am today”, he said.
Oga Bello further stated that he missed the stage performance, describing it as a fantastic experience.
“If I ever get the chance, I would love to return to the stage because nothing compares to the discipline and direct audience engagement that stage acting offers. These are the most important aspects of the craft,” said Oga Bello.
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