Why I can never date Fuji Singer, Pasuma-Jaiye Kuti

Jaiye Oluwakemi Kuti is a successful actress, producer and a businesswoman. Not a new name to many people in the Nigeria society especially in film industry, known as Nollywood. She is one woman who has paid her dues as far as film industry is concerned in this part of this world. Jaiye Oluwakemi Alake Kuti (Not a relation to popular Kuti s) She started her career officially in 2002 with a comedy soap opera, ‘Laff Patterns’ and from there, she featured in ‘Everyday People’, ‘One Love’, ‘Face To Face’, ‘Spiders’ and so many other blockbuster. Born into the family of Mr. and Mrs. Kuti in the South West of Nigeria, Jaiye a native of Ilaro in Ogun State, spell out what she want in her life despite the fact that she once worked as a personal assistant to managing director of a company,
In this chat with AJIBADE ALABI the beautiful, light skinned mother and wife with an infectious gap tooth smile, revealed some of her best kept secrets and family life
 
So much has been said and written about you and Pasuma of late anything that is between both of you apart the business of entertainment?

Pasuma is not my lover we are both in entertainment world and that is it. Though he had featured in my movies once but that does not mean we are dating, or does that mean any male artistes that I feature in my movies I date them? That means  I should have dated a lot of actors then. Even my upcoming movies he never featured there he will just play during the premier in London and that is it. When I heard people saying am dating Pasuma I just laughed it off. I can never date Pasuma
(Cut in) why?
Because I am a married woman, Pasuma is just a colleague in entertainment business, moreover he has the same story success as mine, as in he was a kind of person who struggle to attained the success and fame he is now enjoying. So for those saying Jaiye Kuti is now dating Pasuma is not true, the relationship between us is only on entertainment and pure business
There was a time I was travelled abroad and I ran into one woman at the airport she was telling me sorry o, I said what happened, she now said she read and heard that Pasuma has divorced me and he was cursing him I have to take my time to explained to him that all those things she heard or read are mere rumor that there is not of such that I am a married woman with kids
 
 
 How did you join the profession of make believe as a professional?
You know when I left my paid employment work, I started acting gradually, and even before I left the job I always go on part time stuff. I started with Laff patterns and everyday people. So when I left my paid job it was very easy for me because I started it as a career. Coming into industry is like coming to a familiar terrain, because I know I have the talent of acting in me. So that is how I started gradually and to God be the glory I started growing in the industry from soap opera now I have done home videos.  At a time I was the assistant coordinator for Actors Guilds of Nigeria (AGN) in Ogun State, and then later I joined Association of Nigeria Theatre Arts Practitioners (ANTP). I started with Oga Bello, and then to Jide Kosoko, you know I started studying under so many people. After studying under this people I came out with my own film which is “Eewon Lafin-Itan Kokoro ede” shortly then it was taken to Italy, it was a big one, I was happy for that. I have done another one which is “Eni Agbelebu” I have done other ones
 
How has the journey been so far?
The journey has been up and down. Not quite rough, and I would not say it has been so smooth, but gradually if you are ready to grow in it, you have to trick it gradually which is what I did, and which am still doing, am still working it, am still working gradually taken it easy. But the journey so far has been wonderful great; at least I have the good story to tell about it and am enjoying it and I thank God.
 
As an actress what makes you unique?
(A prolonged laughter) I think God make me special, everything about start from God. Because every day I asked God for wisdom, knowledge and understanding, with that you can stand with any other person, so I think God created in me that uniqueness, and I also try to be unique in my own little way, to try to create things better than what I see. So creating what is better than the best of course will stand you out.
 
What can you say about Nigeria movie?
Nigeria movie now I can say is growing and is growing fast. Apart from the piracy that we all face with, that is affecting us terribly I can say we are growing fast. You see that these days our people are producing good movies, because gone are the days when people we produced rubbish film and it will be accepted by the people, even the cinemas will not take it. So everybody is now sitting down now to think of a good story, and do what apart the fact that can be shown and sell it  here in Nigeria can be distributed anywhere in the world. I am not going to do a movie that I can take out of Nigeria, I want to be able to take it to anywhere in the world, but if you don t do a good movie you can’t take it anywhere, may be you will rather take it to your house and watch it with your family. We are growing fast and we are doing better than what it used to be.
 
 In some quarters it is believed that a lady has to submit herself for sex before she can be famous or make it. How true is this allegation?
 
Well, let me just put it as 50-50 things. From my own experience in the industry, I have never been asked out by any producer or any directors, or even co- artiste. Though, co-artiste may just admire us. I have never been told specifically that because of this role I have to go out with you, and I don t think anybody has reported it to me, even though I know that once in a while is going on like that. But you see as you lay your bed so you lie on it. When you are focus and you know what you want to do in the industry you have come to the industry for  a purpose, if you know the purpose of your coming to the industry and why you are there, nobody will say look if I don t sleep with you. Okay listen, if you are good they will beg to use you. I know a lot of actresses that if they come for an audition you would not just let them go because they are good. You really have to ask your self are you really an actress? Because some people just see the industry and feel that haa! Money is there o, I am beautiful girl I want to be there, no! It doesn’t work like that, you might be beautiful you might not be good at it, so if you are not good at it, so if you are not good at it and you want to be there by force, then you have invited trouble. The producer will want to sleep because they know that at the end of the day you are still useless. Some of these people create problems for themselves. What you cannot do you say you want to do by force. When you are good—- I think the director self will not let you go. So have to be focused, you have to face what you what to do, and you have to know why you are there. And it does not really have to be in a hurry. You have to start gradually, Rome was not built in a day that is the system in the industry, and you grow with it. So as you grow along it people get to know you and like you, and before you know it your phone number will be flying about, please let me have the number of so, so, so,  person, they you get there, it does n t have to be I want to get there today, today.
 
Have you ever regret been an actress?
 
I have never, every day I am happy been an actress. In fact do you know every day I thank God that I am in this industry? Because I could n t have done anything better. This is industry that has taken me to Paris, it has taken me to Italy taken me to London, and by this month I should be in US and UK
 
 Have you been embarrassed before by the role you play in a movie?
I can really say it was an embarrassment; I can only say that was when I started to know that I was becoming popular. it was when I went to market to buy something when the market women were shouting on me “ E de na owo landlord fun wa se bi landlord ti fun yin lowo now” (  spend the landlord money for us now, at least landlord has given you money) so people relate to you by what they see. They were referring to a role I played in a film as landlord s wife. A lot of people get carried away with what they see, they don t want to see it as been acting, and they see it as the real word thing. There was a time I played a wicked role, and I went to  Idumota Lagos to buy jewelries and the next I heard was “Eni Agbelebu e ma kan wa magbelebuo” (Please don t crucify us o) and when I wanted to start talking one woman said I know you will be wicked you are just acting as if you are nice. Because they believe that a nice person cannot be so wicked, they think you must have that wickedness in you. But what they failed to realized is the fact that you are playing a character of another person in a film, which is part of what makes you a professional. I have never cried in a movie but I cried in a spider. It happened that my daughter (Damilola) asked a question and I was at fault and I knew, but the way he asked me, the director did not ask me to cry, but I cried, because I just felt it was natural, the way Damilola asked it was I don t know how to explained it to him, and water started coming out from my eyes, and I was asking myself: am I really crying? Then I started crying more and more, so a lot of things happened on set.
 
 What do you think gets you attracted to opposite sex?
I have this physique of an African woman, and when you have this physique of an African woman, believe me it is the hottest in the world. We call it figure 8. when the woman is having a pretty face, then you have got everything in place, in right places, the front, you have got the future , the back you know what I mean and above all you are friendly, that makes you a hot figure and irresistible for the opposite sex, and I think I have got all these.
 
Why did you decide to shoot two movies back to back?
I felt one movie was not enough for me. It also happened that I have two beautiful projects that will sell and I know doing two movies at the same time will help me manage funds effectively. In a way, I will be able to know how much I spent separately.
By shooting two movies at the same time, is it compulsory that you must also release both at the same time?
Not at all, they will not be released at the same time. They are not going to the cinemas at the same time, but they will be premiered together. It’s going to be one after the other.
 Jaiye as a kid, and Jaiye Kuti as a famous and successful actress today, did you ever see it coming?
Not really; although I am a very hard working person. From time to time, I tried not to be distracted or to get lazy and I know one way or the other, I’m going places but I couldn’t see how far. I am very grateful to God for his grace.

For those who are reading you for the first time who is Jaiye Kuti  
Jaiye Oluwakemi Alake Kuti. is an actress, a producer, am also the CEO of Jaylex production, we are into film productions, music and entertainment in general. Jaylex production is basically to expose people that are talented those who want to make a career and give their life a meaning in acting and entertainment word in general. So is all about creating job for creative minds, so that is what Jaylex is all about. I went to Ikorodu Grammar School from there to Federal Polytechnic Ilaro, Ogun State where I studied Secretarial Administration, from there  I went to University of Lagos to read  English I also did  Computer Science with it. After that I started working in company as P.A to the Managing Director or the chairman of the company, later I discovered what I really wanted to be or what I really wanted to do. Even while I was working this acting has always been in the blood, even when I was doing my paid job, I knew I have to be in this industry one day