Nollywood actor Lateef Adedimeji is reminiscing about his early career days when he was paid a mere N4,000 for a lead role.
During an interview with Teju Oyelakin on the Tejubabyface show, Lateef disclosed that as far back as 2014, he was earning just N4,000 for a lead role. He mentioned that it wasn’t until 2015 that he began to receive payments ranging from N100,000 to N200,000 for a role.
Lateef also shared a valuable lesson his father imparted to him. His father once told him that success is evident when women seek his attention, but he cautioned him that losing self-control and following them blindly would lead to ruin.
Lateef reflected on his humble beginnings, stating, “If I tell people that I wasn’t collecting N100,000, N200,000 until 2015/16, a lot of people would not believe me. Before then, the highest I collected for a lead role was either N4,000, N5,000, or N10,000. I was paid that low back in 2014 because it was more like a learning process.”
He concluded by echoing his father’s words: “My father once told me that the day you know you are successful is when women are surrounding you to get your attention. The day you will also know that the time of doom is near is when you can’t caution yourself and you start following them back. Females come with the success and the ruin.”
Here are some reactions to Lateef getting paid N4,000 for a lead role:
Jaiye Jejeomo commented, “They call it ‘the sacrifices you have to make in order to get to the top,’ but it’s only when you reach the top that it counts. Someone who went through the same process and still hasn’t reached the top knows.”
Emmanuel wrote, “Now he’s big, you have to always press on.”
Ajehmahn remarked, “Every successful person puts in so much work in the past.”
Ifeanyi stated, “Everybody has a starting moment.”
Tim Cook exclaimed, “N400 in 2014 for a lead role is too small, tf.”
Reverse Truth observed, “No wonder most of these legendary actors are not doing so well.”
Regarding Lateef’s statement about his father’s advice, reactions were mixed:
Gbade Conceptz shared, “Same thing my father said before he died.”
Taibat Ajiboye countered, “Females don’t come with ruin. If you’re not disciplined, it’s on you.”
Olujet Boss simply agreed, “Facts.”
Erelu Bade Ladele praised, “Your father is a wise man.”
This isn’t the first time Lateef has opened up about his low pay during his early days. Last year, while counting down to his birthday, he revealed being paid N5000 for a lead role. He reminisced about being a helpless young boy who unintentionally made people laugh, leading to opportunities.
Despite his humble beginnings, Lateef has achieved significant success in his career. He was nominated for Best Actor in a lead role at the 10th edition of the AMVCA but lost to Wole Ojo. Recently, he expressed excitement for receiving an award for his role in Femi Adebayo’s movie, “Jagun Jagun,” and was honored to share the stage with Nollywood legends. Additionally, Lateef received international recognition for his performance in the movie “Ayinla,” leaving his wife, Mo Bimpe, proud while he received an award in Vienna, Austria