Veteran actress Ronnie Dikko, is a household name in the movie industry.
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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inRead invented by TeadsDo 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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inRead invented by TeadsWhat 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.
