Star actress, Tayo Odueke popularly known as Sikiratu Sindodo needs little introduction. And that is because she is one of the hottest faces in the Yoruba movie industry. The talented actress went off the scenes for close to two years when she battled a strange ailment. She has been back in the industry to continue to do what she knows how to do best. Having featured in several movies since she staged a comeback, she had decided to produce her own movie. The movie is titled APATA, and it features A-list stars. In an interview last week she spoke on her career, her relationship with Fuji star, Sule Alao Malaika among several issues.
What has Sikiratu Sindodo been up to?
I have been fine and I have been working, my recent movie came like a month ago and it’s titled APATA. I have gotten good comments about it.
Every actress has struggled at some point of their lives, what has Sikiratu Sindodo been through?
I haven’t struggled, I am living my life the way I used to live it, I was sick for some time and I got back and decided I needed to put up one or two things. I am living my life normally, and very comfortable and I am okay with the way I am living it.
What is your new movie APATA about?
It centralizes on a family, I featured the likes of Fathia Balogun, Sule Alao Malaika, and Liz-da Silva. It wasn’t a movie that needed much cast. We were about 10 in it, me and Femi Adebayo, Fathia Balogun and the names I listed, were the main character in it.
There was a talk making the rounds at a time that you dropped out of school because of your daughter, is there an epitome of truth in it?
I never left school because of my daughter, I had an extra year which I didn’t go back to do till date, I did a 2years diploma course at the university of Ibadan, when I left I came to Unilag. There was actually no time for me to go back, I still feel like going back, I have said that years ago but I am still on it, but I will sure go back I know.
A lot has happened in the industry while you were away, which has brought about changes, a lot of actresses has sprung up, what do you think you need to change and fix about yourself and career?
I have been working and producing my movies and I still do all the things I do and use to do. I party and have fun with the spare time I have when I am not busy. The industry is so choked up, I only produce my movies right now but when I am called for movies, I feature in it.
With the new actresses coming up, don’t you think you are old for some roles for some producers?
To correct that, in the industry, I am not old. There is no where I am, whether on set or wherever that people don’t reckon with me. I work, for the past 2 months, I have been busy and working, maybe the movies are not yet out due to some reasons but I work very well and am still relevant.
What is the relationship between you and Fuji star, Sule Malaika?
Sule Alao Malaika is like a brother, I can’t say anything about love but if he says
he loves me, then fine, I love him too
There comes a time in a woman’s life when she needs to be married. When are we hearing the wedding bells from you?
I don’t need to rush into marriage, I am taking my time. I feel when it is the right time I am going to get married. I have a daughter already, I don’t see a reason why I should rush out. I might even decide not to get married again, all I want to focus on is my child.
What‘s the relationship between you and the father of your child?
I don’t know where he is, we had lost contact when my daughter was aged 1 and now she is 17.
What if she asks of her father?
I don’t think she will, she is very comfortable. She is presently an undergraduate at Babcock University studying mass communication. I am taking very good care of her, so I don’t think I need any man. I had her at age 21 and I am still here taking care of her, she is no longer a baby, when you talk about her father to her, she is always like, who is that? He has never been there at all.
You sound very bitter about him, why don’t you want to talk about him?
I was young and needed to go back to school, it is an experience I really don’t like to talk about. I don’t know if he is alive or not, it is a long time, 17 years ago.
When you started your career, you were in English movie, why did you deviate to Yoruba movies?
I featured in Zeb Ejiro’s soap opera and I just got a script of another movie from him. I actually started with Fidelis Duker, Charles Novia and the likes of them. But some years back I met Segun Arinze and he was actually the one who introduced me to Yinka Fowora and that was where I started. There was actually this kind of discrimination when they knew I was Yoruba in the English movies, but when I met Yinka, I felt okay, and they needed me more. I think it was the 2nd lead role I played SIKIRATU SINDODO which brought me to lime light, and since then I have felt like been with the Yoruba industry. Sikiratu Sindodo actually launched me out into limelight, I was just home and a producer called me, he goes by the name Yemi Shonde. He works at LTV 8. When I got to see him, he gave me the script and I read through, then he asked me if I could play the role, and I answered yes.
I was to act with the likes of Fathia Balogun, Ashewo to re Mecca, Opeyemi Aiyeola, and I was to play the lead role, I was not getting into the character and the editor was like they have to change me and get someone else but the producer insisted that I would act the role. They called him into the office and said this girl is not getting it but he insisted I would be the one to do it, I think he saw me in one movie I acted and he saw a particular scene that made him believe I could do it. I was stressed and had pimples all over me, so after a while he said he was going to give me 2 hours of rest, when I got into the room, I undressed myself and went naked and I prayed to God to help me get into the role and when I got back to them, the first scene I did was fantastic and that was it. After the movie was produced and sold, I was at shitta bus-top (surulere), I wanted to take a cab and people were staring at me saying, that’s the girl that acted that role and I was like, wow; I was quite embarrassed and that was how the fame began and brought me to where I am today.
How did acting begin for you?
I was home one day and a friend of mine came to me saying, while we wait for our jamb result, there is a place where people get auditioned and that was how I followed her, when I got there, Tom West(JT) was still alive(may his soul rest in peace) and he told me he needed a body guard, I was very tiny, I was given a very huge gun which I couldn’t handle, Segun Arinze later came on set, so when he was speaking Yoruba and I responded, he was like, so you are Yoruba? And I answered yes. He then said there was a movie he needed to shoot with Yinka Fowora, I met with him and that was how I became the Sikiratu Sindodo you all know.
Where were you born?
I was born in Lagos, Nigeria, surulere precisely and I went to mainland preparatory school surulere, I had my secondary education at Methodist girls high school, from there I went to UI where I did diploma course in theatre arts, I went to Lagos state computer school and also Unilag where I didn’t finish.
How has fame changed you?
I am still who I was before I became an actress, I am a simple person and also down to earth.
What are the other things you are working on aside the release of your new movie?
I have two new movies in the offing; they are actually coming out huge.
A lot of people complain, that movies isn’t financially rewarding, but it looks people like you are not one of such class, what do you have to say on that?
I love what I do, I do no other job aside acting, I am doing it because I have flair for it, if I don’t do movies, I don’t know what else I will do. Yes, the industry is actually not so rewarding and yet we are not helping ourselves because if I am close to you and I want to work with you, I won’t be able to negotiate with you because I am close to you, which is setting us back financially. Maybe we should be more professional about it.
What’s your relationship with bimbo Thomas and who are your best friends in the industry?
Bimbo Thomas, we went to school together and we are really cool. I have no best friend, Sule Malaika is my best friend because I think what I can’t tell some of my girlfriends, I can confidently tell him. I am close to everyone in the industry, we go to parties together and all, I have no foe.
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culled:http://www.playgroundtv.net
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