Nigerian Newspapers
Dayo Amusa: Being a lesbian is big deal. I can’t be one
BY SAMUEL OLATUNJI
Dayo Amusa has been around for a while but she’s fast becoming the next big thing especially after strings of ‘out-of-the-box’ movies and moves. Dayo who studied Food Technology is a goal getter, who with strong support from her mum and strong business sense is the new poster girl for the wealthy, young and successful. In this interview with The Entertainer, she spoke about her new movie with Desmond Elliot and Mike Ezunronye, her love life, the many rumors of drugs, lesbianism, K1 and the likes. D-one as she’s fondly called denied them all but was frank enough to admit she once cheated on her boyfriend.
Let’s start with your new movie, Unforgiveable. I noticed you used actors not used to doing Yoruba movies-Desmond Elliot, Mike Ezunronye and the likes. You did the same in your movie, Dewunmi Iberu three years ago when you featured Uche Jombo and Justus Esiri. Why?
I’m a goal-getter and a pace-setter. Considering the level the entertainment industry is heading, one just has to do it right. You have to do something you will be remembered for. Getting them was a little difficult , because of their work schedules but don’t forget that we are all actors. It costs more money,but like I said, I like doing something different and as a producer we must learn to take risks.
Is it worth it?
It’s 110% worth it for me. Featuring Uche Jombo and Justus Esiri on Dewunmi Iberu added to the value of the movie. Now, having Mike and Desmond in Unforgivable is blissful. Very few people know that Mike speaks Yoruba.
Why did you choose Desmond to direct, a lot of people feel he cannot direct?
Whoever said Desmond cannot direct doesn’t know what he’s talking about. I saw Holding Hope and Bursting Out, and I was impressed with his job. I met him and sent the story to him. He got back to me and said it’s a project he would love to do.
How much did he charge?
You know I won’t tell you but he charged like ‘hell’ compared to where I’m coming from.
Is it true the writer of Figurine wrote this?
Yes, he did. Kunle Afolayan is a role model. I watched Figurine and I was impressed . Kunle should watch his back, we are right behind. I had the story of Unforgivable but needed a writer to bring it to life. I met him and he gave me a bill that struck me like thunderbolt. He said he wouldn’t go below a certain figure. I struggled to get it and had to relax for a while after the script was ready.
Some people think you are an ‘area girl’ Why do they have that impression about you ?
A lot of people believe that people who come from the Yoruba genre belong to a certain cadre of life, a lower one at that. When I got into the industry, a lot of producers gave me bad girl roles, a gangster and the likes. I was crying to do something totally different. That was the reason I played a different role in Unforgivable. People should also know that we are not what we play in movies. I am not razz and I’m not a thug or area girl.
Tell me about your family?
I’m the first child in a family of five. My mum is from Ogun state and dad is from Lagos. In my father’s family , if you are not an efico (very brilliant in school) you are nothing. I wanted to do the arts but no one would hear of it. I attended Mayflower Secondary School and did my ND in Food Technology at Moshood Abiola Polythecnic. I didn’t go for my HND, because I started business early and I didn’t want to over-burden my mum then who had responsibilities of sending my four siblings to school.
Is it true that you dated Wemimo?
That is very funny because Uncle Wemmy (Paul) never asked me out. I will say something I’ve never said to anybody to you today. My first movie ever was Wemimo’s film, Aiye Jobele. I acted seven scenes and went back to school to tell my friends to watch out for me. I went with pictures I took with some of the stars including Saidi Balogun, Baba Wande and others. To my greatest shock when the movie came out, I didn’t see any of my scenes. My roommates gathered to watch looking for me in the movie. They asked if it was true I was in the movie. I cried and went to a business center and called Wemimo. He asked why couldn’t I go and meet the DOP I was friendly with on set. What happened was, I think he had something in mind but he never asked me out. I was closer to a man behind the scenes who asked me out then. I didn’t even date him; we just struck a good friendship. He’s an elderly man and his name is Uncle Sunday Ogunyemi. Wemimo said since I saw the man as the alpha and omega, I should go and meet him. I cried that day and told him that he will still spend a fortune to beg me to act for him. I believe it’s still going to happen.
How did you get into the industry?
It was after watching Ale Ariwo. Uncle Wemmy was a major stakeholder in the industry then. I called him and he told me to come. I went to his office at Ibadan and registered. That was how I got into the industry. The people I met on set then told me to come to Lagos and work with them. That was the beginning of the journey. I did Itakun and from there got several referrals.
Did you get paid for Itakun?
I was paid my transport fare (general laughter).
Which movie gave you prominence?
That was the first movie I produced, Aje Egbodo. It was an all-female cast movie. It was about lesbianism.
Was that how the rumour that you are a lesbian started?
Don’t mind them. How can I be a lesbian and write a story to preach against it? They said I’m a lesbian while another blogger said I’m a serial lover. Which one should we believe? (general laughter).
Have you ever been approached by a lesbian?
Yes, I was after the movie came out. When they made their passes , I made them understand that I’m not into lesbianism. Yoruba, Igbo and Hausa lesbians made passes at me. They usually started by being friendly. You will get the message when they do odd things and would come out clearly when they know you are already suspicious or aware.
But seriously, what’s the big deal about giving in once to one of these ladies. It won’t kill you, will it?
I’m not interested. I’m so-so straight. I’m very finicky, I can’t do that.
What’s the big deal about a girl fondling your boobs, she’s a girl. It’s safe, isn’t it?
It’s a big deal. It’s not safe. It’s demonic. How can a girl be fondling my boobs? No way. They’re for the opposite sex.
Who says they’re for the opposite sex?
That’s what the Bible says. I’m a Christian.
Are you happy?
I am.
Is there something you would like to change?
It will be the way people judge me without knowing me.
Is it true you are rich because you are a drug courier?
I’ve never seen it before, except the powder and cassava flour we use in movies.
Have you ever dated a drug baron?
I don’t know. I’m saying that because you know men can hide a lot of things but none has ever come out to say he’s into narcotics.
Have you ever sniffed drugs?
Never. I don’t even understand why people say that. I don’t have two cars, I’m still a tenant, I don’t have diamonds. I wonder how people come up with these stories. I’ve been doing business as far back as 1998, don’t you think the business would have grown since then?. Those who know where I come from won’t be surprised at my progress? I still do buying and selling and I have a crèche, Paydab in Surulere. I run a business with my mum. She sells toys.
Has anybody ever broken your heart?
I’ve never been heart broken but I always find myself breaking hearts.
What do you look for in a guy?
A guy that can be real. I don’t want someone who says he is what he is not.
Is it true you are a serial lover?
The writer is dumb. You call me a serial lover and you mention one or two names. Serial means many. He should roll out more names.
How many men have you dated?
Sam! How can I tell you that? I started late though. I didn’t have a boyfriend until I got into higher institution.
Have you dated someone in the industry?
Yes, one person.
Who’s the person?
He’s behind the camera.
Why didn’t it work?
It wasn’t as if we were heading anywhere. We liked ourselves and appreciated our works.
Have you ever cheated on your boyfriend?
Yes.
Why?
When I realized he wasn’t real and not what he said he was. In my mind, I moved on even without telling him. I move on in my mind before telling the person I’m dating. If I make up my mind, that’s it.
Did he catch you?
No, just like you don’t get caught (general laughter)
Has your boyfriend ever cheated on you?
Which guy does not cheat? Guys are born to cheat.
Did you feel bad?
Yes, most definitely. I won’t leave my man because he cheated. I won’t. That’s the way men are. They can tell you, you are the only sugar in their tea. Don’t mind them. There’s honey they are mixing with it… (general laughter). I don’t want to see it. You know some guys are so irresponsible that they splash it in your face.
God make me this lucky o
(General laughter). The most dangerous women are women who don’t appear bothered because you don’t know what I’m thinking in my head. That is far better than shouting and raking.
Who are you dating now?
Nobody. I need a break.
Have you ever dated K1 or any of his friends?
I have never dated K1 or any of his friends. I don’t know any of his friends. I got to know him when a friend suggested him as an artiste for my premiere. I went to him and he agreed. He even assisted me by calling his friends to attend and support me. A number of them came and supported us. He’s like a father figure.
If K1 asks you out, will you oblige him?
No, I won’t and I believe he won’t. He’s like a father. He won’t spoil the relationship with such advances. He has never introduced me to his friends. That would belittle him.
I read somewhere you said you would like to have a child for him?
Never. I don’t know where that is coming from.
Where did you grow up?
Lagos and with my mum.
What of your dad?
They are separated.
Do you talk?
Yes, we do.
Does your dad feel bad that you are closer to your mum than him?
He’ll be the one to answer that. He’s proud his daughter is an actress.
Did you feel bad that you didn’t grow up with your dad?
Terribly bad. I feel bad. I miss the fact that I didn’t have that fatherly care. Maybe there were things I could have done differently.
When are you getting married?
I don’t know. At the moment, I’m not dating any man. Most men out there don’t love you for who you are. Some men will come to you and start dating. After a while, they will come around and say, you have to stop acting. Didn’t you know I was an actress when you came around before? But I’m not in a hurry, and I don’t see myself ending up with a married man. I have single guys asking me out, it’s just that some of them are playboys.
Between a married man and single guy, who is better?
A single guy is better. He has the time for you. A married man will first of all cater for his family. I can’t marry a married man.
What kind of person is your mum?
She’s the best in the world. I have colleagues who go to my mum and just spend time with her. She is that kind of a person. She’s a real mother.
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•Deploy more personnel as army chief vows to wipe out terror group
•Security beefed up at N’Assembly
Deji Elumoye and Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja
Abuja, Nigeria’s seat of power, is under a massive security cordon following threats of attacks by insurgents and the increasing wave of banditry in the contiguous states of Kaduna, Kogi, Nasarawa and Niger States, THISDAY’s investigation has revealed.
There has been a wave of kidnappings in the outskirts of the federal capital, notably Pegi, Tuganmaje and Kuje among others, which the police have battled in recent times.
The security situation in and around the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was heightened by the pronouncement of the Niger State Governor, Mr. Sani Bello, that Boko Haram fighters who he said sacked 50 villages in the state and hoisted the terror group’s flag, were about two hours drive away from the FCT.
Security has also been beefed up at the National Assembly as operatives, yesterday, thoroughly screened every vehicle approaching the National Assembly complex in Abuja.
The deteriorating security situation nationwide prompted the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, to warn that the 2023 general election may not hold, demanding the declaration of a state of emergency as well as the convocation of a national conference.
However, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, yesterday restated the Nigerian Army’s determination to annihilate Boko Haram.
But the Governor of Katsina State, Hon. Bello Masari, cautioned against declaring a state of emergency, saying doing so isn’t the solution to combat the security challenges facing the country.
The security of the nation’s airports was also in focus yesterday as the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) said there was no threat to them.
THISDAY’s investigations showed increased presence of troops, police, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) personnel and intelligence operatives at the three strategic entrances to the city notably, Keffi, Zuba and Gwagwalada.
More checkpoints were also mounted around Gwagwalada and Keffi.
THISDAY also observed increased intelligence deployment at the entrance and the borders of FCT with contiguous states.
Beyond the borders, there were more deployments and police patrols inside the city and increased intelligence deployments as well.
Security sources told THISDAY: “There are deployments here and there but they are routine. Alertness is key to a secure environment.”
It was also learnt that security agencies were involved in frenzied meetings throughout yesterday.
The meetings, coordinated by the office of the Chief of Defence Staff under the new joint operational strategy of the armed forces, were aimed at coordinating a joint response to possible threats of attack to the FCT.
“I understand the security teams have been meeting for some days now and if you look around you, you will notice that there are increasing patrols and numbers of security personnel. The threats are not been taken lightly,” a source said.
National Assembly workers, lawmakers and visitors also had a harrowing experience accessing the legislative complex due to heightened security in the area.
Security operatives thoroughly screened every vehicle approaching the National Assembly complex in Abuja, impeding both human and vehicular traffic.
The Sergeant-at-arm of the National Assembly and other security agencies supervised the operations, leading to huge traffic build-up inside the complex.
Legislative staff, visitors and lawmakers were seen patiently waiting for their cars to be searched so that they could go ahead with the business of the day.
Some staff and visitors at some point got tired of waiting and were seen alighting from their cars to trek from the gate to the complex.
Meanwhile, the ONSA has said there is no threat to the nation’s airports.
A statement by the Head of Strategic Communication, Mr. Zachari Usman, said the reports of threats to the airports were an internal correspondence of security threat assessment misconstrued as security threat to the airports.
PDP Demands State of Emergency
In a related development, the PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, yesterday demanded the declaration of a state of emergency, warning that the 2023 general election might not hold if the federal government failed to tackle insecurity.
He called on the federal government to summon a national conference to address the spike in insecurity.
Secondus added that the national caucus of the party will meet today to discuss the state of the nation.
Addressing members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) in Abuja, Secondus said: “We are worried Abuja is not even safe. It is no longer politics. We got alert of plots to bomb and burn down our airports.
“We urge the federal government to declare a national state of emergency in security. There is the need to call a national conference to discuss the insecurity in the country.
“There may not be any election in 2023 in Nigeria due to insecurity. This government must listen to the people. The Buhari government should call a national confab to discuss security and state of the nation. It is no longer politics. This time we are not playing politics. Let’s keep politics aside and move the nation forward.”
He said the country had been grounded, regretting that there had been no matching response from the federal government.
Secondus said in the past, terrorism in the North was confined to the North-east, but with the report of Boko Haram occupying villages in Niger State, terrorism had spread to the North-central
“Herdsmen are also menacing in the West; gunmen causing havoc in the East; and the militants in the South; all killing, looting, raping, maiming and burning down homes. The situation is bad; Nigerians all over are living in fear,” he said.
The Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, said the problem of Nigeria was outside of the PDP headquarters, while pledging the support of the Senate to the declaration of state of emergency in security.
Abaribe said he deliberately decided not to speak on the floor of the Senate but to allow the APC senators to speak so as to avoid being accused of giving a partisan colouration to the issue of insecurity.
He stated that only electoral reforms would give victory to the opposition party in the 2023 general election and ensure a democratic defeat of the APC-led federal government.
Also, the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, commended the NEC and the PDP leadership for their collective efforts at resolving the House leadership crisis.
The NEC meeting adopted the position of Secondus, calling on the federal government to convoke a national conference to discuss the state of insecurity in the country, according to a communiqué read by the National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan.
Army Chief Vows to Wipe Out Boko Haram
The army yesterday reiterated its commitment to wipe out Boko Haram.
Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, told reporters in Maiduguri, Borno State that Boko Haram had been defeated in many encounters and would continue to be defeated until it’s annihilated from Nigeria.
“We will take on Boko Haram decisively, and we are committed to the focus of the operations, which is the total annihilation of Boko Haram from Nigeria,” he said.
The COAS, who was visiting the headquarters of Operation Lafiya Dole in Maiduguri for the fifth time since his appointment four months ago, said the visit was to boost the morale of the troops, reassure them and listen to any issues affecting them.
Earlier, the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj. Gen. Farouq Yahaya, lauded the visit, which he said had continued to boost the morale of the troops.
“We are honoured, we are grateful, we are encouraged by those visits. You provided us guidance, logistics and other things we required. We are most grateful for those visits,” Yahaya said.
State of Emergency Won’t Solve Security Challenges, Says Masari
Katsina State Governor, Hon. Aminu Masari, has, however, said declaration of a state of emergency won’t solve the security challenges facing the nation.
Masari, who spoke yesterday with journalists after meeting with the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari at the State House, Abuja stated that he was against the recent call by the House of Representatives for the declaration of a state of emergency in the security sector as it would not solve the problem.
According to him, declaring a state of emergency will not achieve the desired effect as the security structure and personnel to be used to execute the emergency are already overstretched in a bid to safeguard lives and property.
Sourced From: THISDAYLIVE
Tribune Online
Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has recorded 62 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 165,110. The NCDC disclosed this on its official Twitter handle on Friday. “55 new cases of #COVID19Nigeria; Lagos-21, Yobe-19, Ogun-6, Akwa Ibom-3, Kaduna-2, Plateau-2, FCT-1, Rivers-1.” YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE COVID-19: Nigeria Recorded […]
Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
Tribune Online
Sourced From: Tribune Online
The government said that no worker should stay back beyond 6:00 p.m. within premises of buildings undergoing construction.
The post Insecurity: Lagos bans occupation of abandoned buildings appeared first on Premium Times Nigeria.
Sourced From: Premium Times Nigeria
Kamaru Usman has raked in a mammoth £1.1million, about N584.2 million after his impressive knockout victory over Jorge Masvidal on Saturday night, Sportivation.com.ng reports.
The Nigerian Nightmare has been handsomely rewarded for his stunning performance and he was the best-paid fighter on the card which was witnessed by 15, 000 fans in Florida.
According to Daily Mail, Usman earned £538,000 to show up, £459,000 pay-per-view bonus, a £43,000 sponsorship bonus and a well deserved £35,000 Performance of the Night bonus.
Jorge Masvidal also earned £358,000 to show, £186,000 in pay-per-view money and a £28,000 sponsorship bonus.
This is the biggest payday of Usman’s career so far and the Welterweight champion also benefited from the fact that Masvidal is also a top draw for the fans.
Kamaru Usman is a Nigerian-American professional mixed martial artist, former freestyle wrestler and graduated folkstyle wrestler.
Sourced From: Latest Nigeria News, Nigerian Newspapers, Politics
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Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
Military, Police Ring Abuja to Forestall Boko Haram Attack
UFC: Usman gets N584m after beating Masvidal
Insecurity: Lagos bans occupation of abandoned buildings
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