Funke Adesiyan’s romance with controversial actor, Saidi Balogun, earned her fame. But away from the riotous affair that hit the rock about four years ago, she has nicked a few milestones. She discusses her career and ambition for a seat at the Oyo State House of Assembly with ORUKPE NELSON in this interview

You have added some weight, what is responsible for this?

You are not the first person to say this. I don’t know what is responsible for this because as a very busy person I hardly eat. I am contesting for a seat in Oyo State House of Assembly to represent Ibadan South East Constituency 2. It has always been something I have flair and passion for. Politics has always been in me and I have been involved underground but I choose to come out now to represent my people.

It appears you’re using acting as a launch pad to achieve your political ambition?

Politics is not just about the office but about active participation. PDP has higher chance of winning the election in Oyo State come 2015.

Many are of the opinion that Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau is your political mentor?

Mallam is like a father to me because my mum is from Kano State.

Do you have his backing in your political quest?

The most important backing is that of God Almighty. With that, he will cause men to support you. Everyone along the line has been supportive. Politics is not about lies but it is about service to the people. It is not an industry of people who are not upright.

Are you ready to trade some of your treasures to achieve your political ambition?

I don’t think you have to sell your properties to achieve anything because you don’t achieve anything by being desperate. I don’t believe in getting something out of the box because that to me will amount to looking for trouble. Youths in my community contributed money to make souvenirs for me and an undergraduate in one of the universities got me campaign stickers. All these to me are significant and a sign that my people really want me.

How close are you to your people?

Some people think I live in Ibadan because I am very close to my people. I have not detached myself from them and I will never detach myself from my people. There is hardly a week that I don’t spend less than four days in my community.

Some of your colleagues are also in the race to contest for one political post or the other, what do you think is responsible for this influx?

You can’t really take politics away from entertainment as we have been working with politicians and politicians have equally been working with us. We have access to the people and some of us genuinely have the love of our people at heart, so we are vying to represent our people well.

Do you have the support of some of your colleagues because some say that you are arrogant?

I don’t know what that person meant by being arrogant; I am just me and I hate pretence. I just came back from my constituency and some of my colleagues travelled down there with me just to give me their support and to show solidarity.

Who is bankrolling your political campaign?

I don’t have any major financier anywhere; I am banking on God and the goodwill of people around me. They so much believe in me. I am very sincere in all I do and I will never promise what I can’t do. I started acting as a professional in 2003. I am a product of God’s grace and that has been sustaining me since.

What attracted you into acting?

Acting has always been something I have great passion for. I started acting as a child. I can’t really remember when I started acting, but I know it is something that has always been in me.

Won’t politics affect your acting career?

Hope is a beautiful thing and let’s keep hope alive. I don’t believe in appearing on every movie jacket and I control the movies I appear in. Acting is my hobby and not my business. There was a year I appeared in just one movie. I don’t want my face on every movie jacket because I don’t believe that what makes people love you is being in every film. My training on stage is to do whatever I do very well.

Aside acting what else do you do?

I am into business; wine importation, construction and general importation of goods into Nigeria. I started business long before I came into limelight and I made my first million when I was 17 years old. I have always been a business-oriented person as I started business when I was barely 13 years old. Though if my mother had her way, I wouldn’t have gone into business at such tender age. There was little she could do about it because she noticed that trait in me when I was very young. I have always had flair for trading. I had a shop when I was in secondary school.

You are a practicing Muslim…

Yes and I am trying to be more committed.

When do you intend to visit Mecca?

There are five pillars in Islam and it is expected that you take a step at a time and not jump from one step to the other. I believe that is not the best. I don’t want to be an Alhaja just for the sake of people calling me an Alhaja.

What is that question you are tired of answering?

I don’t think I can ever be tired of answering any question.

Don’t you think you might intimidate would be suitors if you eventually become a lawmaker?

It is only a man with low self esteem that will be intimidated by my success and I don’t want such man around me. I don’t worship money and money can never be a big deal to me. There are certain qualities I look out for in people before I get close to them.

What was the most challenging role you have played?

I approach each role I act as if it is the best I will ever do. All of them have been so far challenging.

Can you share with us your most embarrassing moment?

It was a day when I decided to purchase goods at Idumota market (in Lagos). On sighting me, some women probably out of excitement were around me, some grabbed my cloth and in the process it got torn. I was greatly embarrassed but there was nothing I could do. One of them offered me something to cover up. I couldn’t say anything but deep down within me, I was boiling. I like to keep to myself and I do things without minding my status as an actress.