Bayo Bankole better known as Boy Alinco came into the limelight acting
as one of the characters in the Papa Ajasco and company series. The
graduate of Drama from the Obafemi Awolowo University of Ife has since
become a household name in Nollywood. He speaks with Joan Omionawele on his journey into acting, his new movie, his family, among other issues. Excerpts.WHY and when did you go into acting?
Well, that is something I cannot really explain, my life as actor started when I was young, I attended African Church Secondary School and I was a strong member of the drama club. Fortunately for us, we had a teacher who was art inclined. I usually played lead roles even though that was amateur stuff, but after secondary school, I discovered National Theatre and the place was not far from where I lived.
During those days, I could not afford to pay for transport, I therefore used to trek to National Theatre for rehearsals. I think Lisabi Theatre, which is still there really created the opportunity for me to go into acting.
There was this big guy, Hakeem Akinmoladun, who used to play basketball and used to come around and then fans would mill around him to hail him, I always looked at him from a distance and quietly wished I was a superstar. Maybe this was among the things that prompted me to go into acting. Also, I think it is a career God has chosen for me.
How has the journey been?
It has been so wonderful and interesting, there have been ups and downs but nothing comes so easy. But in arts and entertainment, you get to a level where you get established and you must have set a standard for yourself and people appreciate you and discover that you are well endowed and ups and downs will become history. At a point, an artiste gets well created and appreciated.
What is the difference between Bayo Bankole and Boy Alinco
I have dropped that name since 2007, but Bayo Bankole is a serious and focused person unlike Boy Alinco, who was portrayed as a playboy.
Why did you drop it?
It is a question I really do not want to answer, there have been different insinuations about my departure from Wale Adenuga Productions, I really don’t want to open old wounds.
What are you doing at the moment?
I have my own production outfit, I an MC too.
What’s next for you?
I have produced a new movie, called Oloja Ire, and its been out since late last year. I have been a freelance actor all my life, and I am not really under any control
How did you and Pepeye fit so well into those roles?
I acted with just one Pepeye, Eunice Alele, a wonderful lady
(cuts in)..Are you still in contact with her?
She is outside the country now. I have lost her contact as we haven’t spoken in years.
We had a perfect chemistry because we were like a family, it was like we shared a bond, we joked when appropriate. We were like a team, I could call Pa James a vulture and I could tease Papa Ajasco about his big tommy, on and off set, we were like brothers and sisters.
And that is the only way you can have a perfect comedy, When there is no complex, you don’t feel inferior and you don’t feel superior, a perfect blend creates a perfect team for situational comedy.
Are you trying to say some people were making you feel inferior?
No, don’t get me wrong, I mean in comedy, you must have a brotherly relationship because it gives you a perfect way to express yourself. Comedy is an internal thing. Check out the stand-up comedians we have today, though I am not a stand-up comedian, what I know about stand-up comedy in terms of performance is that the comedian must have a perfect synergy with the audience. If not, there is no way the comedian would not make a mess of himself because he would either not be able to please the audience or be misunderstood.
You are meeting them one on one and that flow must be perfect. So, when you are having a situational comedy, that’s comedy for television, the whole team must be able to relate with ease.
The whole team must be able to joke among themselves, abuse one another, using light jokes. For instance, the Boy Alinco now might not be able to insult Pa James and that is what really works out. The relationship between the whole team was beyond the series. This was a man that made me develop goose pimples the first day I met him on set because I used to watch him when I was a little child.
Why were you chosen for the role?
I cannot really explain it, but I would say destiny brought me to act the role
(Cuts in..) Not your character, perfection or physique?
Owo blow was shot in 1995 and the guy that shot the movie was with Wale Adenuga at AIT, Mr Niyi Wuraola. I was in school then, but I used to come from Ife for the recording every weekend. I saw the audition notice for Papa Ajasco and Company and refused to go because I wouldn’t want to go there and it would turn out to be a movie and I would have to leave school and spend two to three weeks recording movies.
That Saturday, I returned for the shooting of “Magnet” another soap I was acting, I got the card of Mr Wale Adenuga from my boss, Mr Taiwo Ogundipe, he told me that Mr Adenuga was telling them that he had gotten every other character except ‘Boy Alinco” and Mr Wuraola immediately told him that he needed to go and look for me, once you get him, you have gotten your character. And that was it.
What was your background like?
I grew up at Ebute Metta and attended African Church Primary School,
And your parents allowed you to study Drama? Those days, parents either wanted their children to be lawyers and doctors or what do you think?
Well, when I decided to study drama, I was already fending for myself. After my secondary school, I worked briefly with Federal Radio Corperation of Nigeria for about two years and after that, I had to resign to go back to school.
Are you thinking of going into full-time comedy?
I cannot go into full-time comedy, as I am already an actor. I am so flexible that I can do anything, act anything, I do not want to be a clown.
So, you can act softer roles?
Of course, you need to see my new movie Oloja Ire, when you see it you would see the real me. I was able to really express and purgate emotions
But that is not the impression that people have?
Well, maybe that was because of the Boy Alnico character, I am a very serious and flexible person, I can fit perfectly into any role.
What do you value most in life?
My family is irreplaceable, I value my environment, my people and the people around me.
For how many years have you been married?
Nine years…
What has been your most painful experience in life?
I don’t think I have one.
Why, are you not a human being?
I don’t get pissed off easily because of my religion, I am a Christian Cabalist.
What does it mean to be a Christian Cabalist?
Cabalas are a set of Christians who believe that Jesus Himself was the perfect example of a Cabalist. Believing in Cabala and believing in Christ makes you a Christian Cabalist. As a Cabalist, we don’t feel pain because whatever happens to us is the way we have planned it. I have been able to manage my life and so there is no pain.
During the making of the soap opera, there was a rumour that you were very frivolous and non challant?
I am not surprised about the impression people have about me because I live my life the way it comes. Yes, I used to smoke, but I did not stop because I had cough or tuberculosis, I stopped because I needed to stop and in my negotiation with God, I told him that I wanted to stop.and I stopped.
What is the most embarrassing thing you have done?
I can never be embarrassed.
Who is your role model?
Al Paccino, Olu Jacobs. Taiwo Ajayi-Lycett, Sola Fosudo and Ola Rotimi. They are wonderful people.
What kind of people can’t you work or live with?
I don’t run away from people, but I don’t like catty people, cats are close to man but not as close as dogs. You know when a dog is angry but you can never know when a cat is angry, they are very sly, and sly people are dangerous.
Is there anything you did then that you feel you should have done better?
I don’t think of the past, I think of the future and try to move with time.
In other words, are you fulfilled?
To God be the glory, yes. If I don’t do what I am doing, I would have been a filling station attendant.
Are you still in contact with Wale Adenuga?
I just did a soap entitled Itohan with him.
So, you don’t have any rift with him?
He is a very nice and wonderful person, we had our personal differences which have been sorted out.
What qualities do you look out for in a woman?
Brain and beauty
What specific attributes do you look out for, every man looks for brain and beauty?
…Lovely boobs, smooth face.
source: trib
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