Nigerian actor, and filmmaker, Lateef Adedimeji has revealed that he never had to watch legendary Apala musician, Ayinla Omowura perform before he could embody him.
According to the actor, he acted based on the scripts given, and what he read and heard of him.
Adedimeji played the lead role in Ayinla, an eponymous non-biological musical film based on the life and times of the late Àpàlà musician, Ayinla Yusuf, popularly known as Ayinla Omowura.
The Àpàlà music superstar was stabbed to death on the head with a beer glass cup by his estranged manager, Bayewu, during a beer parlour brawl on May 6, 1980, at Itoko, Abeokuta. He died from the incident.
Speaking about his role in the movie in a recent interview with Teju Babyface, Adedimeji, revealed his transformative process for the role.
Lateef’s journey took him to Abeokuta, where he shed his own identity and immersed himself in everything Ayinla. He spent time retracing the legendary Apala musician’s steps, visiting his childhood haunts and familiar hangouts.
Playing Ayinla not only opened doors for Lateef’s acting career but led to an unexpected diplomatic invitation. He mentioned how the Nigerian ambassador in Hungary, captivated by his performance of Ayinla’s songs at a cultural event in Vienna, extended a courtesy visit to Lateef.
Beyond Ayinla, Lateef also talked about his newfound passion for biopics, the journey of his acting career and his aspirations as an actor.
The production for the movie began December 2020 with actor, Adedimeji Lateef cast in the lead role.
Ayinla’ also stars Omawumi Dada, Bimbo Manuel, Kunle Afolayan, Debo Macaroni and Ade Laoye. The biopic is co-produced Jade Osiberu’s Greoh Studios.
Passionspurtv previously reported that that the works of the late Ayinla Omowura are the best seller among Nigeria’s evergreen music artists both dead and alive.
The Abeokuta, Ogun State-born musician’s career took root in the early 1950s, when he started with a brand of music called Olalomi which was popular and became the anthem of the young people both in Nigeria and the West coast.
His musical career took a new dimension when he joined EMI Nigeria, now Ivory Music, in 1970 and recorded a single titled ‘Aja t of oju d ejo’ in June of that year.
The tremendous success attained by the single was quickly followed by three other extended play records titled ‘E ma fowo soya si wa mo,’ ‘Danfo o si ere and E ma tori’ owo pa niyan in September 1970 and Anjonu Elere in July 1971 respectively.
All of them recorded huge success as they were reported to have sold over 50,000 copies each on the day of release.
The legend was overwhelmingly successful such that he became an idol to the masses back then.
