DAKORE EGBUSAN EXPLODES!

Sexy roles? Count me out’

 

Film producers and directors dreaming of featuring actress, Dakore Egbusan-Akande in a romantic role now that she has staged a comeback to Nollywood after taking time off to start a family had better forget it!

The actress who made her Nollywood debut in 2000 has declared that she can no longer act romantic roles because she is now married and so has to consider her husband’s feelings.

In an exclusive chat with The Entertainer during the 50th birthday celebration of actor and director, Fred Amata, held last weekend at MUSON Centre, Lagos, and which had the crème de la crème of the industry in attendance, the curvy mother of one and star of Silent Tears stated that her career has now taken on a new dimension and consequently,

she has to be more discerning in the roles she chooses to act.

“I have to consider my husband before taking any role these days,” Dakore said as a bright smile lit her features. “I will not do romantic roles as I used to

back in the day. Though, if I saw a role that is good and positive, maybe I could act. I am now a new Dakore and not the old Dakore people used to know because I am coming into a new era in my career. I am now a mother and a wife. I just have to be more discerning about the movies that I embark upon.”

Acting career

In a career spanning well over a decade, Dakore has carved a place for herself as one of the most sought after actresses. She has starred in a dozen movies including Emotional Crack, Dangerous Sisters and Before the Sunrise and won a number of awards.

Dakore once sojourned in the UK where she dabbled into music and briefly worked as a broadcaster. She was also a presenter and producer for BEN Television, a channel on Sky Digital for black Africans.

Though, the graduate of University of Lagos never planned to be an actress, luck smiled on her and her career kicked-off after she met Emem Isong, a film producer and script writer who took one look at her and decided she wanted to work with her. In 2000, Emem gave Dakore the lead in a film, Silent Tears, which turned out to be a blockbuster and ever since she has never looked back.

Marriage

After she got married in what has been described as one of the most anticipated weddings in Nollywood two years ago, Dakore went into oblivion and the rumour mill was agog that her husband, Olumide Akande, had barred her from ever pursuing her first love, acting, and so she had been forced into premature retirement. However, the actress said there was no iota of truth in the rumour.

“It’s obviously not true because if it was, I wouldn’t have shot a new movie and wouldn’t be working on other movie projects,” Dakore said, shaking her head in negation and spreading her hands expansively to drive home her point. “It’s unfortunate that people just like to play into stereotypes. At this stage we are all grown up and we all know that life is not the way it was when we were growing up so women often have to work and earn a living. But aside the financial aspect, I also love what I do. I never retired from Nollywood and my husband never barred me from acting.”

But she’s married to a stupendously rich man, why is she bothered about working when she could just laze away while her husband takes care of her every need? “It doesn’t matter,” she retorts, “I am very independent and like taking care of things and apart from that, my acting is a gift from God. I would be very wrong if I were to dump it.”

Movies

Dakore says she’s been up to the hilt in work since she returned to Nollywood last year. She says her fans should watch out for her new movie. “Currently, I have a movie out and it’s called Journey To Self showing at Silverbird right now. I just finished the Vagina Monologues. I have been very busy. I just shot another movie in Cameroun.”

Home front

Dakore is always in the limelight, and as an actress, she runs a tight schedule. How is her husband coping? “He is doing very well. I must commend him. He understands the nature of my job and he has been very supportive, he is my greatest fan ever. My husband is a very confident man and he understands it’s my job so he is not jealous that I am in the limelight.

Motherhood

Dakore, who exchanged marital vows with her heartthrob, Olumide Akande in January 2011, and who wowed audiences when she made her first post

baby appearance during the premiere of I’ll Take My Chances, spoke about motherhood and how it has transformed her.

“Motherhood makes me appreciate my mum a lot more because now I know what she went through raising me and my siblings. It’s made me a much calmer person. Now I have to watch out for my daughter and give her the very best in life. I am a much more mature and evolved person,” she said.

So, now that Dakore has a baby girl, how many more kids is she planning to have?

The actress bursts into laughter as she responds thus: “I don’t know. I am just enjoying having a baby. She is not even two years yet so I am not in a hurry. God knows, my baby means the world to me. She inspires me to want to go back to work. I don’t mind if she ends up an actress tomorrow; she can do whatever she wants to do in life. I will only encourage her.”

Most of her peers are now into movie production. What are her plans? Dakore pauses for a while before responding: “That’s quite complex. Going into movie production is a great idea but as you know, it’s very complex; not as easy as you think.”