Words:Adedosu 'kenzy' Adekunle
Nolly-Wood and Pretty Yoruba actress, "Laide Bakare" has constantly been in the news lately due to her acquisition of expensive automobiles, especially SUVs. In fact, as at the last count, she has four wonder-on- wheels conspicuously parked in her garage. And this has set tongues wagging about her source of sudden wealth, with many alleging that the married mother of one, must be dating some money bags (Sugar Daddies).Others even accused her of romancing the immediate past governor of Oyo State, Alao Akala. In this Exclusive interview with KREST, the Theatre Arts graduate of the University of Ibadan, spoke on the above allegations and her source of wealth. Bakare, also opened up on her cold war with Bisi Ibidapo Obe and many more. Enjoy the encounter:
You are a very pretty woman, don’t men disturb you for affairs regardless of your marital status?
One thing you must know is that not everybody that likes you as a person would want to date you. Some just want to be friends and that’s all . Most of them know that I am married. Even if they are crazy about me, they should know that I am married. Actually, there is nothing to talk about them. Besides, it is not everybody that has access to me , so they can only admire me from a distance. It is only family and friends that have acess to knowing me better. Anyway, it is good for people to like what you do, appreciate you and learn one or two lessons from your movies.
Aside your fans, how about top society men who ‘spoil’ our actresses with money, have you been in such situation?
Well, I see no big deal in that. As long as one is a lady, men of different calibres will always come around you. I just don’t see it as anything but the lady has to take a stand; if you are not available, then you are not. Things have changed a lot now, unlike the good old days when such things are seen as taboo and shouldn’t be talked about. if a man asks you out, it is just a matter of mutual understanding, just talk it over and that’s that.
It is being rumoured that the fleet of SUVs you cruise in was bought by one of your sugar daddies, how true is that?
Lot of stories going around, I must say. But anyway, that’s Nigeria for you. Our African mentality. We tend to bring up issues at the slightest occurrence. As for me, I don’t know where this particular one emanated from. Maybe because I have four SUVs and other normal cars so they believe that someone out there must have bought them for me. Well, my love for big cars like Jeeps is not questionabale because that is what I inherited from my father.
While growing up, my father buys big automobiles a lot and also drives us around in them. And while we are in these vehicles, I also hear them talk about the latest Jeep in town, its features and stuffs like that. So since then, I just fell in love with big cars. I also travel a lot, when I go to America and I see the car that I like , I just go for it and send to Nigeria. And I bought them all with my money.
So you are saying that there was no time anybody bought you a car?
It doesn’t matter. But I just can’t get a car for a gift, it is not possible. I bought the four SUVs and the Honda car with my own money.
Which of them did the former Governor of Oyo State, Alao Akala buy for you?
I honestly don’t know where all those stories are coming out from. Nothing of such happened. He didn’t buy me anything. In fact Rita, enough of all these funny questions (laughs).
Back to acting , you once had a fight with Saheed Balogun on stage, what caused the fight?
Ha! I am just hearing that for the first time. You know you journalists hear things we don’t even know existed. Saheed Balogun is a big brother to me in the industry, so I see no reason to pick a fight with him. I address him as my big brother.
What challenges do you encounter as an actress?
The only time I had challenges was when I was in the university. It was not easy struggling with education and work. Struggling with my education and the birth of my baby was also a challenge. At a time, I needed to leave school to go and have my baby so, all those things were challenging. I had to travel out of the country to meet my husband and then come back. I was always going out and coming in.
What has being famous deprived you?
A whole lot o! I just want to be as free as possible. Go clubbing, dance like I want to, drink and just be free Laide. Move around freely, jog around, and go to some places . I cant do that anymore because of my fame. It is really eating deep into me. Same reason I will not allow my kids to be popular.
Any regrets so far being in the limelight?
No! Not all. Because in everything I give thanks to God. Where I am today, I never planned for it but God in his infinite mercies has been seeing me through.
Insiders are alleging that there is a rumoured cold war between you and Bisi Obe-Ibidapo?
I hardly meet her, in fact we hardly see. I have no business with Bisi. She is just a colleague and not a friend.
Maybe journalists might have seen us at events snub each other but that doesn’t mean we have a rift. We are neither friends or enemies.
If the acting of a movie brings us together, we’ll do our work and go our separate ways.
I have lots of them like that in the industry. I am the kind of person that chooses my friends and not the other way round. I am a reserved person and I don’t have too much people around me as friends but few of them.
Like you said, you travel a lot and also has a very tight schedule, how then do you strike a balance between your job and the home front?
It is God. I won`t talk about my family because that’s what I so much cherish. I so much treasure my daughter and my husband. I treasure them a lot. I avoid anything that will affect them. I don’t want to have problems with my family. I don’t want to put them in the public eyes. I would rather keep it to myself. I don’t talk about my family. They are strictly private.
Yes! My husband loves me and supports what I do. He encourages me in every way he can
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