Richard Mofe Damijo: At Night, I Don’t Pick Calls From Women When I’m Home With My Wife

Richard Mofe Damijo: At Night, I Don’t Pick Calls From Women When I’m Home With My Wife

Spick and span, decked in a dark grey, three-piece suit, his eyeballs sparkle behind the designer glasses on his face. Beneath the specs, a greying moustache and beard form a confluence between his upper lips and chin. He gives a gorgeous grin. He waves to the cheering, ecstatic crowd –most of them ladies. In gyration, they scream, “RMD! RMD! RMD!” Again, he grins, gently. He lets out his hands to acknowledge the frenetic admirers. Not just the ladies, everyone loves him. As he retires home, at night, his phone keeps ringing. With a knowing smile, he ignores the calls. Home, sweet home, he says –in the warm embrace of his wife. A movie star and Commissioner for Culture and Tourism in Delta State, Richard Mofe-Damijo, is always a headline grabber, and a show-stopping performer on stage and actor in movies. RMD, as he is often called, tells Oge Ezeliora that he doesn’t joke with his beautiful wife, Jumobi. He also shares the secrets of his great looks and happy marriage in this interview. Excerpts ..

Since you became the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism in Delta State, you have helped some of your colleagues besides, most of the Delta born comedians have benefited greatly from your state. What do you have to say?

Last year was a success, especially in the entertainment industry and in Delta State as a whole. In the past, everybody believed Delta, especially Warri city, is a land of crime. I mean people with dubious character, militants and criminals. Nothing good comes from Warri. Every comedian refers most of their jokes to Warri people. So people assumed Warri people are dreadful.  Some even forge false stories just to amuse people to believe that nothing good can comes from Delta. So when I became the commissioner, I pleaded with my Governor to carry my colleagues along, especially the comedians –those saying all sorts of evil things about our state all in the name of cracking jokes; I believe it was because of poverty and neglect, not deliberate acts. I wanted a change. My governor responded greatly and today, I know many of the comedians who have benefitted from this government.

Take for instance, there is no season we don’t organise shows for our comedians. We also help people showcase their talents through most of our shows and at the end, they are rewarded greatly. Sincerely Asaba, as at today, is the home for stars. Our administration has brought about change and as the commissioner for culture and tourism, our industry should benefit greatly. I am an actor; I started from Nollywood, and so nothing will make me to abandon the industry. All we need is change and transformation and that is where we are heading. I must say Delta State has done a lot in the entertainment industry and we will not stop here. I thank God for the incoming government; I know they will continue the transformation agenda done by Uduaghan government. I feel this year will be better and great, by the special grace of God. All we need is prayers and good plan, and then God will see us through.

You are over 50 but look much younger and still handsome. What is the secret and how do you handle your female admirers?
Good food, prayers and a lot of exercises have helped. I work myself out a lot. I also pray a lot and eat very well. I believe that is why I am looking this way. It is God. He has been by my side, from the beginning till this very moment. This is what I tell everybody who has asked me this same question. I believe that God has anointed everybody specially, and it is that same anointing that has kept me. I am fit and healthy. For my female fans, God will bless them for admiring me more. When you are in the entertainment business (especially as a male), the tendency for you to have female admirers is sure. They must flatter you whether you like it or not. You can’t avoid it.  That is why you are a public figure.  The women are always there. All you need is just smile and try to make her keep her dignity by being friendly.  Sometimes, it comes with a lot of personal challenges, but sometimes some of them get over-enthusiastic. But it is all in a day’s job. At night I come back home to the rightful owner which is my wife. No woman calls me at night. Even if they try, I don’t pick because that is my family time.

So how does your wife react when ladies admire you?
She understands her man and the job properly. She was in the business for a while; remember she used to be a broadcaster, hence, she knows the challenges. We’ve been together since 1996; we’ve been married for 14 years now. I am sure by now she has developed a thick skin (laughs). But I usually try not to take unknown phone calls after 9 p.m., so that I can relax my brain for the next day’s activities and concentrate on my lovely wife.

Since you went into politics, people have not seen much of you on the screen. Is this due to your demanding work as a commissioner?
Well, every political appointment is stressful. But that doesn’t mean I have quit acting. I just did ‘30 Days in Atlanta’ with AY, the comedian and Ramsey Nouah. It’s currently making waves at the cinemas. I have not quit acting. The truth is that, I am now a very busy person. I rarely have time for myself. Although my appointment is still very close to what I was previously doing, even if I am not in front of the camera.
Presently, I still make sure that I expose people to the front of the cameras in as many ways that I can. I remember when I had a break in-between the transition period. I went to do a television series called ‘Tinsel’ just to be in touch with my other constituency. I admit that they miss me, but this is also a call that demands a kind of service to my people and I am enjoying the fact that I am able to serve in that capacity.

You are among few Nigerian actors who are scandal-free. How did you achieve this?
I think it is just my kind of person. I am an easy-going and very busy person. I don’t give room for scandals and I avoid engaging myself in situations that will give room for gossips. So take me as I am.

Can you talk about your journey into acting?
I studied Theatre Arts at the University of Benin before getting into acting in 1983. My first acting role was in a soap opera called ‘Ripples’ and from there the story kicked off down to where I am today.

Do you see yourself retiring from acting?
Never! Nothing can make me to stop acting. It is what I enjoy doing. Why will I quit?

Why do you think many of your colleagues in Nollywood are taking up political appointments? Is it because of the huge income in politics?
The money is there and another thing is personal decision. Many of my colleagues are being appointed because the people believe they are good and can perform or even do better than the so-called politicians. Even when I saw my appointment letter, I was amazed by the sheer coinage of that office and it is as a result of that a lot of my colleagues are being offered political appointments. In fact, I have been making cases for my colleagues anytime I see one or two governors. I appeal to them, ‘You better get somebody to watch this area directly in your state.’ I thank God for people like Bob Manuel, Tony One-Week, Nkiru Sylvanus, Okey Bakassi and others. Governor Adams Oshiomhole also appointed Maleke and Efex into his government. It’s as a result of what one has been able to do here in line with the vision of Governor Uduaghan. You will never know, tomorrow, in another eight years, you’ll just find that the entertainment sector in every state is becoming as important as other ministries.

What is your opinion about the industry arethere changes compared to the early days?
In the early days of Nollywood we concentrated more on stories that had a lot of morality tales as it were. They were dramatic films; films that our people could relate to easily. We were coming from a tradition of tele-movies. As a result, most of the movies made in the early days I starred in, were films that fed from the tradition of made-for-TV movies through the Nigerian Television Authority. But today, it has evolved, there have been more adventures. First, the industry is being discovered by foreigners, people are beginning to look at the films more critically and filmmakers are beginning to take themselves more seriously. Directors and producers are working harder while the films are getting bolder. There is a deliberate movement now to do a lot of collaboration with other cinema-making cultures. For instance, we have done films with Bollywood directors and of course, there are mixed productions now between Nigerian actors and North American actors. That’s where we are now. We are in an era where we are seeking more collaboration with movie makers from other cultures. A lot of the serious filmmakers, who are independent, are now producing movies not for direct release to video anymore, but for the cinemagoers.

In itself, it is an improvement and in turn it has improved digital technology, sound quality, the settings and the quality of acting itself. A lot more filmmakers who have studied in New York, NYU, ULA, and in Europe are now coming back home and doing fantastic movies. Emem Isong now has Royal Arts Academy, while Desmond Elliot, Uche Jumbo, Ego Boyo, Rita Dominic and Amaka Igwe have already blazed that trail. Look at the effect of ‘Figurine’ by Kunle Afolayan. Look at what Tunde Kelani did with ‘Maami’ and look at the effect of ‘Ije.’ Today, with ‘Last Flight to Abuja and AY’s ‘30 Days in Atlanta’…. Omotola has made the list of 100 most influential people. My goodness, there’s no way you cannot see where all of these are headed –you never know where it is going to end. Each time we have made Time magazine and we are seen in good light, it is a Soyinka, it is Achebe, Chimamanda; now it’s an Omotola, Genevieve, you know. The number just keeps growing. It just tells you that it’s a sector you cannot ignore. It’s important that government look at that area and liberalise and fund it. So naturally the quality has improved in a lot of ways.

What’s your next move at the end of Governor Uduaghan’s administration?
We are in the system now. When we finish this one, we will know what next to do. But for now, I’m happy doing what I’m doing.

How can the Nigerian government support Nollywood?
They can do that in so many ways, because I believe the industry needs funds.  Although from the Federal Government, there have been funds specified for different areas to develop the movie industry. I just wish that there is a policy that ensures continuity and sustenance. We don’t need intervention funds alone; we need funding such that every year, the entertainment industry or the Nigerian movie industry will have money, not intervention. And I am hoping that even with the intervention of N3 billion for the expansion of the movie industry there will be great change.

Richard Mofe Damijo

What projects are you currently working on in Delta?
We have so many projects on ground. Remember, our policies are liberal towards the development of new young talent. Therefore, we are either working on one show or the other, especially in the areas of comedy, dance, music and acting. And we keep organising these talent shows just to encourage the youths in the state. As I speak to you, we have discovered a few people in different genres of the arts and they are doing well. This is part of my project in the state.

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