Ayobami Ajewole, popularly known as Woli Agba, is a Skit- maker, singer, actor and dramatist. His career dates back to 2002 in a dance drama crew he co-founded with his brother, Femi Ajewole. Some of their productions include O ti Gan pa, Oruko Nla, and Alfa Sule. In this interview, he talks about his background, career, challenges and motivation.

Q: Can you tell us about yourself?

Woli Agba: My name is Ayobami Ajewole. I am a native of Osun State, Olori-Ade local government of Ijeda to be precise but I was born in Ibadan, Oyo State Nigeria. I am a graduate of Economics from Lead-city University, Ibadan.

I got married on April 8th, 2017 to Mrs Olaife Ajewole and God has blessed our union with two wonderful children, Mighty and Marvelous. I love to be creative when it comes to entertainment. I am passionately blessed as a prominent actor, singer and comedian. I have been in the industry of entertainment for over two decades to the Glory of God.

What motivates you to sing and also makes skits.

Passion comes first, I love singing and making skits. It is a part of me, It is one of the first in my daily To-Do list. The responses (testimonials) and show of love I get from my fans are another motivating factor for me. The fact that some families and individuals are happy seeing my creatives is everything to me. A merry heart does good, so the merriment of the heart is paramount to me.

How did the journey begin?

The Journey started in the year 2002. I had my first stage drama on January 18th, 2002. We started with dance drama and became a household name in 2007.

The urge to do more has made me to be attentive to my changing environment and be relevant with time, therefore, making myself flexible and dynamic with my choice of creatives per season.

The sudden invention and concentration on social media informed the need to be dynamic with my concept and do something relevant with the current time. The purpose is intact and the focus has not changed till date. I am the prophet with the oil of gladness. This means that I still ensure that there is something my fans can hold on to morally or for spiritual growth even while my videos (concept) appear appealingly funny to them.

Is there a reason behind your portrayal as Woli Agba?

Well, I am a flexible actor. I have played different characters at different times. Woli Agba happens to be one of the characters I have portrayed in times past. However, the fact that in all the characters I have portrayed, the Woliagba-Character gained large momentum and follower-ship made me stick more with it. Meanwhile, other roles are not left out anyways.

How did the phrase “of bum-bum dance” become your catch phrase?

In a typical church or gathering, some prophets are characterized with dancing. And when they dance, they shoot-out their bum-bum like that of a woman. The character Woliagba must dance, that is why I chose the dance style and Luckily for me, it happens to be a dance I can do well. Maybe because I have bum-bum too…lol.

What was your profession before skit making?

I think I started well early in life, although I was once a teacher and I also organized a coaching class for students that were writing exams back in the days. But acting professionally started even when I had to combine teaching. But at some point, I had to let go of teaching and focus on acting.

We see you do a lot of singing, how do you marry it with comedy, dance and skit making.

Whatever is called Talent needs not too much struggle. All that is necessary is just to pay attention to what I need to do per time. I do full theater and that consists of Singing, dancing and acting. I find it really interesting having to touch all areas when necessary at all times.

How was life before stardom?

Before stardom, there were struggles. I was not born with a silver spoon, I needed to hawk and became a driver at some points so we could feed. Life before stardom was humbling and with so many experiences that I learnt from. One of it is, I do not look down on anyone struggling today, It will surely be over one day.

What has stardom deprived you of?

It has restricted my movement to many places. It has affected me more when I appear in the marketplace, so I have been deprived of having to negotiate prices of goods and what to buy.

What are some of the challenges you have encountered as a musician and skit-maker?

It has never been a huge one that is beyond what can be controlled. Being a dynamic creative, when I introduce a pattern of song, some people might first counter with comments that are discouraging especially when they are never patient to see where the concept is going. I have had them apologize for not being patient to assimilate what I am communicating from the first view.

As an indigenous skit maker, having to explain or do a concept in another language and holding intact the comic relief is also a major challenge but we have been able to respond well in our ways.

Despite your achievements in music, skit making, and comedy, what lessons have you learned that made you stick to your craft?

Never to confuse success. Consistency oftentimes allows us to be better in what we do; Even when one fails, experience is the reward that will turn to earnings over time. People that are afraid of failure will want to seek advice from the person that experiences taught how to avoid failure the second and more time. Also, it is better to do what you love doing than doing what you are forced to do, your mental health has a lot to do with having a healthy lifestyle. Therefore, doing what you are naturally comfortable doing, improves the functionality of your mental health.
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