The son of legendary Yoruba Nollywood actor Adebayo Salami, well known by his stage as Oga Bello, Tope Adebayo, has described a traumatic event from his early career.
Tope talked candidly about an event that profoundly affected him emotionally and influenced his will to be successful in the film business in an interview with Babaibe TV.
At the time, Tope was just beginning to explore his passion for movie directing. Eager to learn, he sought permission to accompany the crew to a movie location where his father was the producer.
Despite securing the director’s approval, Tope faced an unexpected setback when he was denied a seat on the crew bus by one of the team members, Segun Apata. Although there was space available, he was ordered to step down, leaving him stranded as the bus departed without him.
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The situation worsened when Tope’s father, Adebayo Salami, arrived shortly afterward. Hoping for support, Tope approached his father’s car, expecting to be given a ride. However, instead of offering assistance, his father listened briefly to his predicament and drove off, leaving him behind once again.
Tope described the incident as a heartbreaking moment that made him feel insignificant and unwanted. The feeling of rejection weighed heavily on him as he grappled with the reality of being overlooked not just by the crew, but also by his own father
Despite the emotional toll, Tope did not allow the experience to deter him. He found an alternative means of transport, eventually making his way to the set by taking a commercial motorcycle.
Reflecting on the event, Tope noted that the pain of that day served as a strong motivating force for him. Instead of giving in to bitterness or discouragement, he channeled his emotions into hard work and perseverance.
Today, he stands as a successful figure in the Yoruba movie industry, a testament to his resilience. He proudly acknowledges that he has become an essential part of many productions, often relied upon by the same people who once overlooked him.
His words: “I just wanted to start learning directing, so I spoke to the director and he agreed that I can follow them so that I can learn how the work is being done. So when they wanted to move, I asked the set man to allow me manage in the crew bus. There was an available seat in the bus, but Uncle Segun Apata asked me to get out of the bus. It was my father that was producing a movie at that location. So they closed the door and left. Then, I saw my dad’s car approaching from behind.”
I expected that my dad would take me along, but when his car approached me, he wound down the window and asked what I was doing. So I told him that the crew members bounced me and couldn’t take me along to the movie location. Then he said okay and zoomed off. What my father did to me that day pained me because he made me feel irrelevant and worthless. I was pained that day but later took a bike to the location. This was one of the things that gingered me and I thank God that today they can’t even do most of their work without looking for me or waiting until I come,” he added.
Watch interview below
