Yomi Fash Lanso is one of the A-list actors who cut his teeth
in the Yoruba genre of the Nigeria movie industry. The gangling actor has been
able to calve a niche of uniqueness for himself in the industry little wonder
tongues have wag on his personality as the proud and arrogant type. In this
interview with Faith Irabor, the graduate of the University of Lagos who just
featured in an English movie spoke on what he perceives as problems plaguing
the movie industry generally. You would enjoyed the chat.
What’s been happening to you of late?
It’s still the same profession that you’ve always known me
for that I still do.
Yeah but it’s been a while since we saw your face in movies
unlike before when you’re virtually in 70% of the movies released?
Yes you’re right, I am presently on break, am resting though
that’s not to say that I have not done some movies of late.
Which was the last one you did before going on break?
I think the title is Omo Okunrin Kan.
Was it produced by you?
No o, me I am not yet capable to be a producer, I am a full
time actor, when the time is right I will produce my own movies. Mind you it’s
not because I don’t have what it takes but I choose not to join the band wagon
yet.
But why is this so in the Yoruba industry unlike the English
sector where we can count producers?
Yes, you’re right and it’s true that everybody even a new
comer wants to produce and there is no other thing than the lack of structure.
Like I tell people, we don’t have an industry yet, we are only deceiving
ourselves. As far as Nigeria is concerned, the motion pictures industry does
not have structure yet and that’s why anybody can just come and produce one
junk movie and get out. Assuming there is an appropriate structure, I tell you
it’s on that platform that everybody would ride, this way people would climb
the ladder before assuming the position of a producer. One thing people don’t
understand is that film producing is not a child’s play. I always say this
despite the fact that I have done a film producing course well over nine years
ago where I got my certificate as a certified film producer, yet I have not
shot a movie not because I can’t but because I feel the time is not right. Let
me even ask, what experience have we garnered as actors before jumping to say
that we’re producers? Film producing is
not as easy as our people here are making it look. Like a friend of mine would
always say, if you watch Nigeria home videos, it would teach you how not to
make a film and I tell you, I have borrowed that word from him and let it serve
me as a guide. When you watch it as an aspiring producer, you’d know that yes
this is not how to make a movie. That’s the reason why I just sit and watch
most of these movies.
Then again don’t you think you people also need to work on
the subtitling?
Yeah, it’s very terrible my sister but there is honestly
nothing I can do because I am not a producer, all that concerns me is to act
and get out. It’s the duty of the post production and you would see their names
on the end credit. It’s the duty of the so called marketers who are so
redundant and myopic in thinking to know that our subtitling is poor and should
do something about it as the marketers who would sell the films. They are
supposed to ensure that final touches are put into these movies before pushing
it out to the market.
Why are you seen as an expensive and arrogant actor because I
have heard a lot of people say this?
Yeah, it’s good that way.
Whatever comes cheap lacks value. It is when you give yourself a kind of
platform that people would say all sorts of things. The most important thing is
for you to believe in yourself and when you do, God Himself would believe in
you, so nobody can ride you. When they say am arrogant, fine so be it, it’s not
arrogant but pride, it means you pride yourself. Like King Sunny Ade would
always say “whosoever doesn’t give you money, clothes have no right to claim
that you’re an arrogant type”. My philosophy is “once Fash is still delivering,
they should pay!”
Then you’re known for wearing different hairstyles and not
having a particular look?
Yeah, I do that a lot. I could go bald, do dreadlocks, and
keep full hair. I actually pattern my facial look after the character I am
playing in a movie. I believe every actor should, even if the producer or
director did not tell you that this is the characterization, you should, if you
want to have substance, you need to give your look that character matters. But
when you’re seen playing different roles with the same looks and shape of face
then you’re not acting anymore! You’re yourself!
What’s your educational background?
Let’s just say I went to primary
and secondary school like every other normal person but I am a graduate of the University
of Lagos.
Can you still remember when you
started acting and perhaps the first movie you did?
I can’t remember to be sincere
though I started acting professionally in February 1995.
Then again let’s talk about your
wife and kids because not much seems to be known about them?
Yeah, you’re right, I don’t bring
my family into my career and that’s why I try to keep them from public glare.
But I am happily married and my wife and kids are doing very fine and I think
that’s all I will want to say about that aspect of my life.
Where are you from?
I am a Nigerian (laughs) from Ogun State.
Who’re your favourites among your contemporaries in the movie
industry?
I give it to Funsho Adeolu any day and there’s a guy coming
up and I love working with him anytime any day and that’s Gabriel Afolayan, he
acts from the inside and we also have Ibrahim Chata, he’s also a fantastic
actor.
YomI Fash Lanso has become a brand whose market value over
time has not depreciated, can you share the secret that has sustained the brand
apart from God?
Like I tell people, if I want to go into any business I don’t
know of, I would go and learn it from those who are perfectionists in that area
aside learning it in school. I would go to those who know it to sensitize and
teach me the path to follow, those who would tell me what I stand to gain if I
stand here or there. As an actor, there’s what we call field benefits of you
placing yourself in some certain places. Like I tell my producer friends that
as long as they still keep using brands, I mean all these soft drinks, those soaps
in their jobs for free, the manufacturers would not give you money because
you’ve already cheapened yourself by giving them free adverts and quote me, you
won’t see a Yomi Fash Lanso hold such brands in any movie because I know as an
actor my right must stand. As a matter of fact I don’t go for names when I am
buying things but rather quality things that cost money, so you would not catch
me dead wearing names. And until we realize this, the public won’t know our
worth, that’s just it.
People say you don’t honour events, so how do you relax?
I am an indoor person actually and aside that, it’s not as if
I don’t go to events, I only choose to go to meaningful events that would add
value to my person.
On a final note, any message to your fans?
Yeah, I love and appreciate their supports and prayers for
me. I promise to keep making them proud. God bless them all.
It’s been nice chatting with you?
Same here.
