Star actress, Ronke Ojo has made her mark in Nollywood
especially in the Yoruba sector of the industry. The thespian became a
household name in 2000 when she acted in a movie, Oshodi Oke, from where she got her stage name.
In this interview with SUN newspaper, the actress who recently celebrated her seventh wedding anniversary
opened up on how she and her husband split up and then reconciled after
three years. She also talked about her forthcoming movie, Osun, the Yoruba Goddess.
Tell us about your current project?
I’m working on ‘Osun, the Yoruba Goddess’. I am also working on a
true-life story. And don’t forget, I am still working on my music. I do
universal music because I am a role model and so many people are looking
up to me. I want to reach out to the youth;; I want them to have fun and at the same time, learn.
What inspired the movie?
The Yoruba race is losing its culture. Some say Yoruba gods are
fetish;; I don’t agree with that. I am a Christian and I know Jesus came
to this world for everybody, and for me especially.
And I know God sent Prophet Mohammed, but if Christianity did not
come from Jerusalem and Islam did not come from Mecca, what will you and
I be doing now? Of course, we will be with our traditional gods.
Are you telling me that our forefathers were not talking to God in their own way?
I just sat down and said to myself ‘if I don’t do this, who will
correct those who feel that Yoruba gods are fetish?’ Is it all pastors
that will go to heaven? Or you do you think all babalawos (herbalists)
will go to hell? God doesn’t judge anybody;; you just do what you feel
makes you happy. I have not been to India but I watch
Indian films a lot. They still practice the Hindu religion and there
are Christians and Muslims among them. The Chinese have churches but
they still do their cultural thing, so why are we shy about our gods? It
really baffle me. The film is almost done now and I want people to see
that God wants us to be who we are. God also wants me to be Yoruba and
that is why I was born and brought up in Yorubaland.
If God wanted me to be an American, he would have made sure I was born there.
Recently, you celebrated the seventh anniversary of your
marriage. Against the backdrop of rampant marriage break-ups in the
industry, what things have you put in place to safeguard your marriage?
I am not saying that my marriage is the best but what is trending now is marriage break-ups. We
hear about celebrities because they are in the limelight.
Even when I was pregnant, they said ‘Ronke is pregnant.’ Why shouldn’t I be pregnant?
Am I not a woman? If they see me eating with my hands, they would say
‘Ronke is eating with her hands.’ Am I not a Nigerian? Before a man and
woman say ‘let us go to the altar,’ they must have given it a lot of
thought because they feel that they are compatible. But if something
happens and they decide to go their different ways, I don’t think there
is anything wrong with that. Like my husband and I broke up for almost
three years, and when we came back, he said ‘Ronke, this is what we
should do now’. I know where I went wrong and he knows where he went
wrong too.
What is your tolerant limit for a man?
It’s when a man raises up his hand on me.
For every other thing, no problem because I am a Yoruba and also an
African woman, I have people who are looking up to me. And I want them
to listen to me, because when my mother is talking to me, she always
gives example of herself.
Can money be enough when it comes to marriage?
No, no, no. Money is like 10 percent in marriage. Money is good, it has to be there, but it’s like 10 percent in marriage.
Today, lots of celebrities get married to men with high financial status. What is your take?
Excuse me sir. You see, that is what celebrities do but I am sorry, it is not right.
If that person is not a celebrity, he would do the same. It is everywhere.
After seven years in marriage, do male fans still find you attractive?
Yes, they do.
Could you tell us about the experience?
It is not a crime for anybody to come near me. There are ways and
manners you tell a male fan that you are not available, but if he keeps
coming, then I will put him in his place.