Lateef Adedimeji: I was told to join caucus to succeed in Yoruba film industry

Lateef Adedimeji has opened up about some challenges he faced when pursuing his acting career.

Adedimeji, a recent guest on the ‘King of Talk’ podcast, said he was told to “join a caucus if I wanted to be successful in the Yoruba industry”.

The award-winning actor said it was based on the premise that he joined a group of filmmakers.

Adedimeji said he was later assigned to assist cameramen on movie sets which made him contemplate leaving acting.

“I heard that to be successful in the Yoruba industry, they said you must belong to a caucus in those days so I have to join. So I joined the Afeez Eniola, Bayo Tijani, Muyiwa Ademola… All of the students under them are joined together,” he said.

“My first day on location I started with carrying cameras. I would carry lenses to follow the cameraman. I would be sent errands to select camera lenses. After that set, I said I did not think I wanted to do this one. This is not what I want to do and I left.

“When I left, I realised I could not work in an office. At one point, I was working with my uncle who does office work. If they call me, I will leave the office work and go.

“…I stuck to the rules of theatre and I keep struggling. There was a lead role I did in Ilorin and I was paid N1000 in 2010. I spent 10 days on that set. I was not even given feeding money until day six. It was the production manager who spoke with the producer to give me N300 to feed each of the remaining days.

“At some point in my mind, I decided that the certificate I said I would not go and dust and not go and look for office work, I think at that stage, I have to.”