The producer, sat down for an interview with Sunday Scoop where she opned up about her life, family and more.
Acccording to Ronnie who took part in several hit Soap Operas, she has no biological kids of her.
Read interview below:
Over time, you have been described as the queen of soap operas having featured in notable ones…
We didn’t have much soaps showing at the time those programmes were being aired, so I think that probably informed that appellation. At the moment, there is so much proliferation of soaps on television which is borne out of the number of network providers that we now have and who are all jostling for relevance in the industry. Of course, we also have the cable networks which have various channels, so it’s a huge terrain. Hence, there are several television programmes and soaps on air these days. I don’t know if they’d still be able to say that about me though.
Was acting your childhood ambition?
No, it wasn’t. It was just something that I happened upon.
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Do you recall your first role in a movie/TV series?
My first movie role was in the movie, When the sun setswhich starred Kate Henshaw and Bob-Manuel Udokwu, while my first role on television was in the series, Fortunes.
Who were some of your contemporaries when you started acting?
I actually escorted Liz Benson to the audition of the movie When the sun sets, and that was how I got a role in the movie as well. My other contemporaries were Dolly Unachukwu and Kate Henshaw.
Did emerging talents in the industry make you leave acting for something else?
Not really. I had other things doing, so I really didn’t feel the impact of the newbies. It’s not a regret because as you age, you can no longer play many roles and that is the truth; you either play the role of an aunty, mother or grandmother.You find out that the need for you becomes limited and the demand for you is somewhat restricted. One other thing that I’m guilty of is not really fraternising with people in the industry. This again is probably borne out of the fact that I’m involved in other things. For instance, there was a time when I was producing – I employed people and set up a production outfit, gave some people jobs to do and assigned some responsibilities which they didn’t handle properly. I later realised that the capital required was high and I couldn’t separate myself from the other things that I was doing in order to give it my full attention.
What have you been up to?
I’ve not been so much on television but I returned to the screen when I was invited by M-Net to take part in a production as well as a few other things. I do say that I am not a professional actress but I don’t know if that’s the right word to use. What I am trying to say is that acting is not something that I get to do all the time. At a point, when the industry was not as profitable as it is right now, I had to diversify and go into other things. At the time I joined the industry, I was the general manager of a corporate security outfit. Around that time, I took part in the soap, Family Circle. I know it’s funny to say that I had a passion for acting yet I was considering the remuneration as well because when you want to diversify into something, you also want to get the attendant reward that comes with it. However, acting was taking too much of my time and the remuneration wasn’t commensurate to the time and the effort that I was putting into it. It was also affecting my job, so I had to step away from it for a while, coupled with the fact that as you get older, you become gradually irrelevant. One thing that I do mainly now is to renovate old buildings and make them new again. I’m into properties and I have the workforce to do these things. My dream is to be able to renovate and buy properties on a large scale.
Tell us a bit about your background.
I am from a polygamous home-the first of six children from my mother. I obtained my first degree from the University of Ilorin and I studied Linguistics. Thereafter, I went to the University of Lagos, where I obtained a master’s degree in Public Administration. I also attended several professional courses and seminars as well.
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What was the experience like growing up in a polygamous home?
People would tell you that it could be a complicated set-up but somehow, I didn’t feel much of it when I was growing up because my father made a lot of effort to make sure that we got all we wanted.However, as I grew older, I began to see the ugly side of things. It is not something I would advise anyone to go into.
Do you recall the movie that made you popular?
I think that would be Raging Storm, which was directed by Tade Ogidan and produced by Francis Onwuchei.
Did you at any point produce movies of your own?
Yes, I did. I produced Ojuda, a Yoruba movie in 1994.
Did you undergo any form of training to become an actor?
I didn’t train formally to become an actor but as you know, some people actually go to school to study Dramatic Arts while others get involved just because they have a passion for acting. If you have the talent and skill, you’d be able to learn as you go along in the field.
There was a time that it was rumoured that you went into politics…
That’s true and I am still a politician. Perhaps, I’d run for political office someday, you never can tell. When you fraternise a lot with them and you are all over the place, at the end of the day, you might be blessed to be given an appointment.
Do you still get called up for acting gigs?
I wasn’t such a regular face in movies and for you to be in soaps all the time, you need to fraternise with the people in the industry. You cannot say that you are an actor and you are not seen in the gathering of actors.
It’s a bit strange that you don’t fraternise with the people in the industry; why is that?
Truth be told, I don’t even like the fact that I’m like that but I guess it is because I am into other things. If acting is just solely what you do, you don’t have any excuse. When they are doing something, you are there. It won’t be good of you when your colleagues get together and you are not there; you will not be relevant or remembered but when there is a function or event and you celebrate with them, it’s a good thing. Occasionally, when I attend functions, people ask me where I have been and I tell them that it’s because I haven’t been around or I am preoccupied with other things. Even if you are old like me and you fraternise with your colleagues, no matter how bad it is, you will get a role, even if it’s not a lead one because acting is what you do full-time. For instance, I get calls occasionally when they do M-Net movies and I am invited to be part of a production. Some people are amazed that I am still around.
How would you describe your personality?
If you are a good reader of people, you would have been able to sense from our conversation the kind of person that I am. I’m a very down-to-earth individual; even my workers will tell you that. I am friendly with everybody, irrespective of class and social strata; that was how I was brought up. My late father was somebody that could relate with anyone and I am that kind of person too. I also love God because I’m beginning to see that with God, nothing is impossible so I love to work for Him. I love to have my family members around me, I don’t pretend to be what I’m not and I like to be free. I love more of the informal lifestyle and I don’t like to be in a place where there are restrictions. I also love to be around people that can tell me when I go wrong.
Don’t please me by telling me that I’m doing the right thing. I love to be criticised because from there, I can make corrections. It breaks my heart when people lie to me. No matter what it is, just tell me the truth. Don’t think that you are too important compared to other people so I avoid such characters. I don’t like to experience gloom around me and that’s the kind of person I am. My workers will tell you that whatever site that we find ourselves, when we wake up in the morning, we all gather (if it’s outside Lagos) to observe our morning devotion and we respect one another. I’ve learnt from my past mistakes. I don’t like it when people have a larger-than-life impression of themselves. The more exposed you are in life, the more humble you should be and that is the truth.
How did you coin the name, Ronnie?
My name is actually Veronica Denise Dikko. I attended Epe Girls High School, Lagos, for my post-elementary education. While I was there, a lot of people would call me ‘Vero trouser, Vero knickers’ and all what not, making fun of the name and I didn’t like that. The first four letters of my first name is Vero yet, people could not even pronounce it correctly. Thereafter, I took the three middle letters, (Ron) and coined Ronnie from there. I heard that there is a name like that. Maybe now, I probably would not have done that with my name because now, I don’t really care much about that but while I was growing up, I didn’t like the fact that people made fun of my name.
With your busy schedule, how do you relax and unwind?
One thing that I’d love to do is to read more but I’m not able to do that because it has become increasingly difficult. What I try to do early in the mornings, after my prayers is to read some passages in the Bible. I’m a member of the Redeemed Christian Church of God. Relaxation for me is becoming increasingly challenging in the sense that I’m not happy with the traffic situation in Lagos-you hit the road and by the time you are making your trip back home, it’s tough. I live within the Island axis so it is not convenient. More so, I am also involved in the work of the church, even during the week as a worker. Consequently, I don’t really have much time to relax; the only time that I have on my hands is Saturday and I really want to rest on that day. If you asked me when I was young, I’d say that I love to go dancing or hang out with my friends. I think age is also a factor, I’m not sure though. Occasionally, I get invited to parties but I don’t go out like I used to and I’m beginning to lose interest in so many of these things. Even though I am back in the industry, I don’t even watch television that much; I just watch CNN and sometimes, locally produced movies which are really impressive and refreshing.
How do you handle the perks and downsides that fame thrust upon you?
The world has become a global village, so we are more informed as Nigerians. In those days, your parents wanted you to be a doctor or lawyer and if you told them that you were acting, they wondered why you decided to do that. One of the positive sides of fame is that it opens doors for you and when people see you on the streets, they exclaim, ‘‘ Is that you? Oh, I am a huge fan of yours, my wife knows you.’’ and all that. Recently, I was one of the resource persons at a youth empowerment programme and a co-resource person walked up to me and said that he was so elated that he was seeing me for the first time and that he had been a huge fan as far back as the days of Family Circle. That is part of what fame does- it opens doors if you know how to use it. The bad side of it is that people often view you through the lens of the character that you play, forgetting that it is just a role as dictated by a script. Hence, they feel that is who you are as a person and start relating with you from that perspective which is very wrong. The negative vibes that you get from some people that are not very informed about your profession is frustrating. In addition, as a celebrity, you are easily identified at gatherings and you have to behave; you have to be of good attitude so that people won’t say what kind of person is this. Some people might see it as a negative thing and be quick to say that it makes you restrictive and you cannot be yourself but I think when you have the right attitude, it is not a problem at all. In all, the benefits of fame outweigh the negatives because some people will tell you that they cannot buy boli(roasted plantain) by the side of the road. I don’t have any problem with that; I can buy boli by the roadside if I want to because I always like to be myself at all times and there are no airs around me.
How would you describe your style?
What I wear depends on where I’m going, but I always like to look good. Mondays through Fridays, I like to wear formal clothes because I like to put on suits most of the time. In the past, it used to be trouser suits but later on, I changed to skirt suits. Over the weekends, especially on Saturdays, I dress down but opt for the formal look on Sundays because I have to go to church.
Why have you yet to marry?
I knew that somewhere along the line, you would chip that question in. Some things in life are actually spiritual, depending on your background; although some people may not agree with me. I’ve had to say that before and to the glory of God, I’ve had people propose to me in the past.
So what happened?
Let me state clearly that specifications are not in terms of finance. As I speak to you, I’m involved with somebody but we have yet to consummate our relationship. I’m a born-again Christian and I’m very conscious of what I do at all times because I want things to be done properly.
Was there some sort of parental pressure over the years due to your single status?
Obviously, because when a woman gets to the age of 25 in a family, they expect her to be married- the age range varies though from culture to culture. For some people, it’s from the age of 21 and when you get to a particular age bracket in some families, you are under pressure; they want you to go and get married and have children. More so, if you are through with school, what else do you want to do as a woman? Even in some churches, they counsel young people not to commit fornication but for them to go and get married. I was one of those that was pressurised by my parents.
…and how did you handle it?
I laid the cards on the table and told them how it was. Left to them, they wanted me to marry one of their friends’ sons who is well-educated or one who speaks the same language with us, not minding how you feel and when you tell them about love, someone like my mum will say, ‘‘Look, I don’t understand you, this thing looks spiritual. You complain that one person is not tall enough or not well-dressed; this is spiritual! We have to pray because I don’t understand anymore.’’
What was your father’s position on the issue?
My father was a bit liberal and he would say, ‘‘She has to like and love the person that she wants to get married to.’’ And my mother will retort, ‘‘Once the person is okay, no problem. I wasn’t so much in love with you when we started out. When you start living with a man, you will start loving him as long as he is a responsible person.’’ She would always add that the man doesn’t have to be rich. Sometimes, when I complain that the man is not tall enough, she will ask me jokingly if my father is tall and we would laugh about it. My father is of blessed memory now. Then, another part of the challenge is when your siblings begin to get married; it’s like a curse and people begin to pray for you. Even in church, the pressure is there when people see you as one of the senior singles in the church. People just don’t understand these things.
Have you ever dated anyone in the industry?
Not at all. I have never dated anyone in the industry. Though there was a time the rumour mill was agog that I dated someone in the industry, let me say it categorically that I never dated anyone in the industry and nobody can come out and say that they dated Ronnie Dikko. I did no such thing.
Do you have kids?
I don’t have biological children but I have adopted children. However, I look forward to having biological children of my own.
Who are your role models and mentors?
My role models and mentors are those who have excelled positively in life; making something out of nothing. Anyone that is humble and has been able to excel out of nothing and go beyond boundaries clearly stands out for me.
Do you plan to return to acting full-time?
No, I don’t think so. It’s not in the works.
What is your biggest fear in life?
My biggest fear is failure. Honestly, why do we work and aspire to be successful? It is because of the fear of failure. Some people don’t want to take calculated risks because of the fear of failure. I pray that I don’t fail and that has always been my prayer because I want to make it. I am still a work in progress and I want to move from one level to the other so I get scared of situations where I cannot move onto the next level because I aspire to move on at every point in time. I also pray that I won’t do anything that would make God turn His back on me.
Do you recall any specific lesson about life that your parents passed on to you?
My parents taught me to have a good attitude, to be respectful and humble and honestly, it has worked for me. You cannot meet me in person and say that I am not respectful. In fact, when I was growing up, my mother used to tell me that if people are having an argument or rift, do not intervene, just go on your own and be respectful. Be humble and above all, love God; and these things have worked for me. Whatever I have attained today; it is because God has destined it to be so, it is not all as a result of the hard work that I have put into it. The right attitude has gotten me to where I am today.
You are now into property development, does that presuppose that you are very wealthy?
I’d be lying to you if I say that I am wealthy. I am still struggling because I am also an employer of labour. I am struggling but to God be the Glory, I know that I will get there in terms of wealth someday.
How financially rewarding has acting been for you?
For me, at the time I started, the remuneration was nothing to write home about.
What about now?
Now, it’s a bit better compared to the past and you can see that practitioners are doing very well. You know all the big names in the industry and they are doing extremely well. They don’t need to do any other thing and there are endorsements all over the place.
Why do you think veterans in the industry are not getting endorsements like their younger counterparts?
I think things are changing now in that regard. When I saw Ibidun Alison(Sisi Amebo in The New Village Headmaster) as an ambassador for a telecommunications company, I was so happy and impressed because the focus is usually on the younger ones and the raves of the moment and you cannot even blame these companies because the raves of the moment are what matter to the general public. Richard Mofe-Damijo also has an endorsement and it’s a good thing. I won’t blame any company that settles for younger talents though; it depends on the content of their products and they would want to choose people that the general public can easily identify with. Just like it is in the acting world, it also applies to the music industry; you won’t want to leave a younger artiste and employ the services of an old one.
As a veteran, what would be your advice for those who want to go into acting and what are the key things they need to survive in the industry?
First of all, they need to hone their skills and believe in themselves. Your set skills matter a great deal in whatever segment of the entertainment industry that you find yourself in and if you don’t know your onions, you would be thrown out and overtime, it will tell. In addition, you have to be passionate about what you do. If you want to act, make sure that you improve your skills and learn something. This is very important and you must also believe in yourself and give it your best. Be resilient; don’t be tired, but give it all you have and you will get there. When you are turned down in one place, don’t give up. Try again and again and be rest assured that God will make things right for you. Most importantly, work and study hard, be humble, fear God and things will fall into place.
What would you like to be remembered for?
I will like to be remembered for my good works because when you are blessed, you are not blessed for yourself alone. If you have money and you spend it solely on yourself, you have not impacted on any life. My desire in life is to be able to impact the lives of people positively and if I die, let them remember my good works that I was able to do certain things during my lifetime. That I am still struggling to attain-I want to be able to live religiously so that when I die, they’ll say , ‘‘Oh, this person did this and that and has impacted on the lives of many.’’ That would give me great joy as an individual.
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