Gabriel Afolayan is a brilliant actor, but he has had a lot to live up to. Before there was even the legacy of his brother Kunle Afolayan, there was Adeyemi ‘Adelove’ Afolayan, their father. This is his story, as told to Darafunmi Olanrewaju
Adeyemi ‘Adelove’ Afolayan
The first of the Afolayan actors, and the patriarch of the Afolayan family, Adeyemi Afolayan was an incredibly popular actor and producer. Departing from the traditional travelling drama groups (Alarinjo), made popular by Hubert Ogunde and Moses Olaiya (Baba Sala), Adelove was one of the early adopters of filmmaking in Nigeria. He followed the lead of the likes of Ola Balogun, who produced “Ajani Ogun”, with Adelove in the lead, and was one of the most commercially successful movies of the time.
Adelove brought drama and flair to early Yoruba movies, he himself heavily influenced by Bollywood. He tended towards music, dance, fanfare and romance in his movies. Some of his classics include, Ija Orogun (produced by Ola Balogun), Kadara, Ija Ominira and Taxi Driver 1.
Adelove’s movies were showcased and celebrated in several international film festivals across the world, including Rotterdam’s and BFI London Film Festival. Festivals that have also celebrated his son, Kunle Afolayan’s movies.
Despite not living with his father while growing up, Gabriel remembers him fondly. “He was a totally loving Dad. Very protective.”
“I once visited him at work in 1986 when he was directing “Mosebolatan”, a film produced by Baba Sala. I remember I followed him to Professor Pellers House, where I also met the young, now honourable Shina Peller for the first time.”
Adelove passed on in 1996, at 56, following complications caused by a stroke. He departed the world fairly early, but his legacy still burns bright. By the time Gabriel Afolayan came into play, his father had already exited the stage. However, Kunle Afolayan, his half-brother, was already getting ready to roll.
Kunle Afolayan’s debut role as Aresejabata in Tunde Kelani’s 1999 epic political movie -Saworoide, and his consequent success as a director, starting off with Irapada in 2006, almost beg the question, “why do we need another Afolayan?”
Though the Afolayan family is originally from Agbamu in Kwara state, Adelove practiced his craft in Lagos and that’s where most of his family lived. Gabriel was also born in Lagos, however his mother left Lagos for Ibadan shortly after his birth and it is there he grew up.
Gabriel Afolayan – Life, lessons and learning
Gabriel reveals that he has a close relationship with his mother who is a retired teacher, dancer and singer. “She is a major influence in my life. Everything I’ve come to understand about life, lessons and learning, it is from my mum. We lived in Ibadan together with my grandmother. She is my all.”
When Gabriel and his mother landed in Ibadan, their first stop was the home of the legendary Moses Olaiya, who had always been close to the Afolayan family. “When I left Lagos in 1985, Baba Sala’s house was my first home. He was my dad’s best friend; in business and outside business. His wife “Karile” was my mother’s elder sister, so you can totally see the connection and why my performing career kicked from him.”
Often regarded as the grandfather of comedy in Nigeria, Moses Olaiya (Baba Sala) had his comedy shows at the Agbowo Shopping Complex, opposite the University of Ibadan.
Gabriel started out as a child actor in Baba Sala’s “Diamond”, in 1990. Moses Olaiya was an uncle that ultimately became a father to Gabriel, after Adelove’s passing.
“He was a father to me. I grew under his wing. He taught me so many virtues and values. Much more in a Christian way. His life offscreen was emulative. He was a great human with a wonderful soul.”
The legendary actor and comedian died in 2018 and Gabriel describes his influence on his life as immeasurable. “He was a notable church leader, he never missed our early morning devotions. That was one of the platforms where my courage to speak publicly was harnessed. I lived life around him as a child and he accommodated my excesses.”
Reminiscing on growing up in the ancient city of Ibadan, Gabriel tells Netng, “It was a round experience growing up in Ibadan. I had my childhood, teenage life and some parts of adulthood there though.”
He goes on, “Like every kid on the block, I grew up having a curious mind. Always trying to find solutions to feats. I was communally raised. We were always in each other’s business and that gave birth to a lot of excitement, pains and gains. We lived in a neighbourhood around the “Coca-Cola” area called Amisu street, Oke Itunu not far from Mokola Ibadan.”
Gabriel enrolled at the University of Ibadan, to study Theatre Arts, and it was there he met the film producer, Tade Ogidan, who had come to the University of Ibadan, to audition actors for his new movie, Madam Dearest. The two forged a close bond and Tade Ogidan will eventually become a mentor to Gabriel and cast him in the mold breaking role of Dosu in Madam Dearest.
Through the casting and shooting of the movie, Gabriel kept his connection to Adelove to himself. “Uncle Tade did not know me in connection to my father. I attended the audition like every other aspiring actor. It took place at our ‘Arts Theatre’ in UI. I was freshly out of the diploma class and I think out of over 400 people that showed up, he was interested only in my performance”.
The then 20 year old Gabriel was cast in the role of Dosu, a Ghanaian houseboy, who worked for a rich couple on whom calamity falls. The husband (Akin Lewis) is sent to prison for a crime he did not commit, and his wife (Opeyemi Aiyeola) is forced to resort to extremities, in order to achieve her desire for a baby. The situation is made complicated when the wife’s friend, (Sola Sobowale), advises her to consider asking Dosu (Gabriel Afolayan) to get her pregnant. Dosu is caught in the middle of two powerful forces, loyalty to his boss who is in prison, and a sense of duty to his boss who wants to get pregnant.
Gabriel’s performance in the movie quickly endeared him to fans. Madam Dearest is regarded as one of Tade Ogidan’s greatest works and a Nollywood classic. The movie was accompanied by an original album featuring the entire cast, one of the very few Nigerian movies to achieve this feat. With Madam Dearest in the bag for Gabriel Afolayan, the young actor had his path set.
Following the success of Madam Dearest, Gabriel featured in a series of movies and soaps, including Ife Ewe in 2006 and Wale Adenuga’s Super Story, “Because You Loved Me” in 2007.
Being deliberate
It is clear that Gabriel is as selective as his brother in working on projects, but he says he is not underrated, he is only being deliberate. Taking long breaks in between projects is normal for the Afolayan brothers, as well as working on specific and defining works.
Gabriel describes acting as sacred, “I believe acting is more of a calling than a profession. It is a sacred act. It is whatever you can make out of it in moments. If the ‘gift’ is to bless people then why put it on ‘irrelevancies?’ if it is good for people, the people will be good to it.”
In 2012, Gabriel Afolayan combined both his passions again – music and acting – in “Hoodrush”, a musical thriller. Acting alongside Bimbo Akintola and O.C Ukeje, as Teviar, the slow, meek brother of hot tempered Shez (O.C Ukeje).
According to Gabriel, “The story is great on many levels. Apart from the relatable life events of the two struggling ghetto superstar brothers, it also packed a total theatrical performance in acting, music and dance.
All these elements made it great.” His performance in the movie earned him a “Best Actor In A Supporting Role” at the 9th Africa Movie Academy Awards, in 2013.
Of all Adelove’s children in the entertainment industry, Gabriel seems to channel his father’s passion for combining film with music, the greatest.
In 2012, Gabriel released Kokoro Ife (Love Bug), his debut single to critical and commercial success. He had recorded the song in 2011, “at a studio just up the stairs of my old apartment in Ojodu owned by a music producer called ‘Smyl’. But the track was produced by MasterKraft”.
Before releasing Kokoro Ife, Gabriel had spent time with other artistes and producers, honing his craft and working on his music. “Prior to [Kokoro Ife] I had done a track titled ‘Chapterz’ produced by DJ Klem of Knighthouse music owned by Gomez.” The conversation gets wistful here, as Gabriel takes a pause to reminisce on the journey that has led him to this point in life.
Since its release in 2012, Kokoro Ife (Love Bug), has cemented Gabriel’s reputation as an artiste. He describes the project as a “yoke breaking track”.
He reflects, “I trained a bit at ID Cabasa’s studio, located at Adetayo Oso street, Jibowu Yaba around 2009 to 2010. I know 2phat, Olamide (g-dog), Seriki, Kayefi, Ab1, Blacko blaze, 9ice, Jahbless.”
In 2019, he joined forces with Tade Ogidan again in “Gold Statue”, a story about a family’s search for what might be a valuable heirloom. For his lead role as Wale, he won the “Outstanding Actor” award at the 2019 Abuja International Film Festival (AIFF) and in the “Best Actor In A Leading Role” category at the 2019 Best Of Nollywood (BON) award.
Gabriel Afolayan’s catalogue reflects a varied and versatile selection of roles. In 2019, he shows off his flair for the unusual again in “Coming From Insanity”.
He plays Kossi, an immigrant from Togo, who had lived his whole life as the domestic staff of a rich family in Lagos (reminiscent of Madam Dearest), who sets out on a journey to financial freedom and many misadventures. The movie displays the interesting dynamics between all the characters, with Gabriel Afolayan providing the gravitational pull the entire time.
Explaining his process, he says, “I love engaging stories. That is the criteria.” He goes on, “I’ll like to debunk the narrative that I’m ‘underrated’. I am not. I choose the work I want to be part of. The industry is aware of this.” A highly decorated actor, Gabriel is not lacking in nominations or award wins.
Gabriel returned to Ibadan, the city that had given him so much, in 2018, to get married to his wife, Banke, in a star-studded ceremony that had Banky W, Adesua Etomi, Mo’Cheddah, Adeniyi Johnson, Tope Tedela, Wole Ojo, Tunde Demuren and others in attendance.
In 2020, Gabriel and his brother finally teamed up for Citation, directed by Kunle Afolayan.
The actor always brings a candid and earnest element to his roles, and that was not missing in Citation. As the protagonist’s (Temi Otedola in her debut role as Moremi) love interest, Koyejo is the jealous boyfriend concerned about the burgeoning relationship between his girlfriend and Professor Lucien (Jimmy Jean-Louis), the supervisory lecturer from out of town. Koyejo’s fears would turn out to be valid when Moremi reports the professor for trying to rape her.
Temi Otedola has received high praise for her role in Citation and people are beginning to pay attention to the young actress and what she has to offer. “Working with Temi was quite easy because she came prepared. She left behind the cloak of ‘billionaire daughter’ and came to work like a true hustler who wants to make something out of herself. I respect her a lot. I describe her as ‘The lady from Pimlikle’. Na only her sabi the joke. Gabriel says laughing.”
Kunle Afolayan also makes a cameo appearance in the movie as Koyejo’s brother. Gabriel says he has always been a part of Kunle’s production process, and was comfortable working with his brother. “He calls me for script analysis most of the time. So I knew what was expected of me. It was fun working on this with him. A great pleasure.”
Gabriel describes his relationship with Kunle as “cordial”. Though they grew up in different cities, the brothers were still able to spend time together during school breaks. They had known from childhood that they had a shared interest in films, just like their father.
“We knew our bond as family would transcend to the film business. When we were much younger, anytime I visited them in Lagos, Kunle would take me out to the local cinemas within the neighbourhood to watch Indian films. From there, I could tell we both would end up filmmakers. because the attraction to cinematic experience was innate. I love him dearly.”
This talented actor, musician and now filmmaker has shown through his long and successful career that he can make a name for himself, and is a force to contend with. His craft may have come naturally to him, but he has honed his talent into a skill with discipline and study. His journey is just beginning.
