A Nollywood actor, Femi Ogedengbe, who gained some modest popularity around 2004/2005 has spoken about how he became Security personnel in the United States.
Speaking to Kemi Filani, the former actor cleared the air about some misconceptions including the information going round that he is a gardener.
On why he moved abroad in the first place he said; “I saw myself as one of the very great actors in Nollywood. In 2005, I discovered that the Nollywood industry, where I belong, was becoming more and more a tribalistic industry because a few financiers who were throwing in money for productions dictated who appear in the movies.
“So, more and more, we discovered that those of us, talking about Emeka and others, we were not getting the jobs we should get based on merit, I had to move over to the Yoruba genre and even at that, I discovered that the Yoruba genre was more like a help- me-I-help you outfit that couldn’t pay my bills, I just couldn’t cope. In 2010, I made a terrible decision, which I regretted by saying I wasn’t going to act again, I stopped acting and many people were no longer calling me for jobs.
“The people I earlier acted for were the likes of Saidi Balogun, Femi Fadeyi and even at that, I told them I was just doing it that, I was not going to do another. I know you know them, ask them and they would tell you the truth. I said I wasn’t going to act again because the money was nothing to write home about. But, it was a mistake because the moment I stayed away, everybody forgot about me.
“So, I found it difficult to come back and at the end of the day, I blessed God for a good wife, everything got messed up, I was practically begging to feed. I looked into it, I have been travelling out of the country since 2007, I told my wife that we have to make a sacrifice. I need to move out of the country and seek a greener pasture and as God would have it, the plans worked out. To the glory of God today, we are in the US together.”
He also explained his job as security personnel saying: “I am a Security Guard, a job that takes care of me, my family and my people back home, while I upgrade my film-making skill.
“I work as security personnel, I trained to be a Security Guard and I obtained a guard card, which is the criterium to work as a guard, and maybe I might own my security company soon too.”
He did say that even with all his negative experiences he will not be giving up on Nollywood “Never!” he said when asked if he has dumped Nollywood “I love Nollywood so much that I named my child after it. I am just working to strategise. I pray that God will grant us the grace to be a reference point in the game soon.” He said.