Marriage has cost me jobs – Toyin Aimakhu

Popular Yoruba actress, Toyin Aimakhu, tells JAYNE AUGOYE about the challenges of managing the home front and career in this interview





Based on the trend in the Yoruba movie clan, some people have tipped popular Yoruba actress, Toyin Aimakhu, to become the ‘next’ Funke Akindele’ in no time. But that thought will remain just a wish as far as Aimakhu is concerned.

This is simply because the lady who cut her teeth in acting in 2003, as a Philosophy undergraduate at the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, Ogun State, thinks otherwise. As far as she is concerned, she is not out to compete with the award-winning Akindele.

She says, “It is a privilege and honour to be compared with Aunty Funke Akindele because she had become a household name long before I came on board. She is also one of the few actors that have mentored me in this industry. So, it is a thing of joy to be compared to your small mum and sister.

“I can’t overthrow her because no one can overthrow me as well. People do have a right to their opinions but we all know that the truth is she is a fantastic actress any time, any day. So, she be my oga and I dey follow her for back.”

Aside from her strides in acting and a string of scandals around her in the last few years, one area where Aimakhu appears to be making headlines is in her union to fellow actor, Niyi Johnson. For instance, she recently posted a picture of her husband helping her relax her hair, thus giving the world a peep into their intimate experiences at home.

While she intended it to be a fun post, she says the comments it has attracted are not surprising to her.
“People will always have something to say,” she adds. “If my husband was beating me up, then some people pretending to be women right activists have their partners pummel them at any given opportunity. Some people want what you have but when they can’t have it they just ‘bad-mouth’ you. I sometimes read comments about me online when I’m bored because they crack me up.

“There’s no way I can ever stop putting out our pictures on social media because we are both in the industry. If people don’t talk about us, how do we make money? How do we get jobs? Because he is a caring husband, the consensus is that I have jazzed him. I wanted my hair blown out because I wanted to fix a weave-on and he offered to do it. I have been using Ozone relaxer for ages and can’t stop using it because other kits do not work for me. They still have a lot to talk about because this is just a tip of the iceberg.”

Although the light-skinned, Edo state-born actress started her career starring in Yoruba movies, she says she still nurses a strong desire to break into Nollywood like some of her peers have.

“I really wish to break into Nollywood but I haven’t gotten an opportunity to do so yet. I was actually called up by Simony Films to star in a film in Asaba, Delta State. But then I was too busy to make it to the set. Although I am satisfied being in the Yoruba movie sector, I am really interested in being in Nollywood and becoming a cross-over actress. It is not about the money for now but about my career and passion for the arts,” she says.

So, has marriage been all rosy for her? Letting out a smile, Aimakhu, who is the youngest child in a family of five, says she set her priorities right even though it comes with a huge price.

“I have lost some jobs as a result of my marital status but it is worth it because you can’t buy a good home or compare it to anything in this world. You can always get another job after you lose one. But once you lose your home it is difficult to get another good home.

“I take up controversial roles wisely and can no longer go the extra mile with male colleagues on set or take up bitchy roles. My husband can take up any role and he knows how to handle them. My man is very decent and does whatever he feels is right. After all, location is location while home is home,” she says.

With two projects, Alakada 2 and Eta due to be released before the year runs out, the actress, who produced her first movie titled Alajota in 2005, no doubt has a lot on her plate. Citing piracy as a spanner in the wheel of progress, she however declines to speak about her earnings. But one area that touches on her emotions is the issue of bad press. If for anything, there is one thing she wishes the world knew about her.

“It hurts me a lot when people who don’t know me only judge me by simply watching my movies. It is also painful when they say actresses are promiscuous. I feel terrible because I am not. But I thank God it is a lot better now as people can now differentiate between screen scenes and real life,” Aimakhu explains.