Though, he went through an Arabic school, Nollywood Actor, Olamilekan Ayinla has no formal education but has been able to carve a niche for himself in the movie industry. The movie producer, director and scriptwriter in this interview by FEMI OGUNTAYO, talks about his fast-rising career and some of his experiences.
Let’s start with your alias, 220. How and where did you get that name?
I got that name when I was at the Arabic school (Ile Keu), it was my exam number and before I knew it, people started calling me by that number – 220. Then, I told them I didn’t like it but because when they wanted to call us, they call us by our examination number, not by our name, that was how people started calling me by the number – 220. I later fell in love with the name – 220 and I adopted it as an alias.
How and when did you join the movie industry?
I joined the movie industry about 15 years ago, I cannot remember the exact year now but I am sure it has been over 10 years since I joined the industry.
How would you describe your journey so far?
Glory be to Allah. The journey wasn’t smooth at the beginning, I faced a lot of challenges, a lot happened to me, but with God, I was able to overcome. It is not that I have it all now, but once one has God, one has it all.
Can you tell us a little about these challenges?
They were the normal challenges faced by actors and producers in our industry. When I started, some people will tell producers or directors not to cast me, that I couldn’t play those roles, even when some people were already noticing me and knew I could play those roles, there were some antagonists that would say ‘don’t give him the role’ and all that. As a producer, I have produced a lot of movies and I haven’t even released them yet, because they didn’t meet up to the standard I wanted for them. I love doing something great but there is no money, no sponsor that can fund my projects. I hustle hard to produce my movies and I don’t want to engage in illegal activities to make money because I value my name. Another challenge is what we face in the hands of area boys. They ask you for money anytime they see you just because they see you in movies, unknown to them, even you, are still hustling to get that money but one just have to give them money, because they will never understand that you don’t have much too.
What is it about your look? Especially your beard, are you part of the ‘beard gang’? What is so special about the beard for you and why did you make it that long?
I am not part of the ‘Beard Gang’, though some of them have called me to come and join them but I haven’t because I have to be sure about them before moving closer to them, sorry to say. Then on my beard, I just love it. Whenever I have any work and it requires that I clear it, why not? I have done that before, on the set of the movie ‘Hatred’ directed by Seun Olaiya. He just called me that he needed me for just a scene and it will require that I clear my beard. Unknown to me, I would be playing a lead or sub-lead role in the movie, I just loved it.
