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| Toyin Aimakhu Johnson |
Toyin Aimakhu Johnson is an actress that has been soaring since she joined the movie industry over a decade ago. The talented lady, who hails from Auchi, Edo State, in a recent interview with Nigerian Tribune, speaks about her career, marriage, the movie industry, among other issues.
How would you describe yourself as a person?
I am first and foremost, a wife. I see myself as a role model, daughter, mother-to-be and a born again Christian.
Born again? That sounds strange?
Yes, I have fully given my life to Christ, because I realised that without Him, one is nothing. I was born and brought up as a born again Christian, but the thing is when you get into school, you’ll meet a lot of people and they influence you. But, I have been into the world and I’m back. So I can tell right from wrong now.
What influenced your decision to go back to Christ?
I would say my husband and my pastor. My husband is a practising Christian and they both influenced my life positively.
How did acting begin for you?
I never wanted to be an actress, I wanted to be a physiotherapist, but fortunately for me, my uncle is a movie marketer. I remember about 13 years ago, Aunty Bukky Wright was in Ibadan to shoot a movie, so I was called to assist at the location. But when one of the actresses didn’t show up and it was affecting the production, I was asked to try the role. People commended me a lot and that was how it all started.
I remember aunty Bukky gave me N5,000 after the shoot and that was a lot to me, because I’m not from a rich home. I just thank God for where I am today. The passion grew with that, and thank God, I have succeeded at what I do.
Coming from a religious background, how did you convince your parents about your choice of career?
Initially, it wasn’t easy, because I’m from a typical CAC family. But, there was a time my mother had a dream, where she saw me in a crowd and people were trying to touch me. So, being a member of the CAC, all she did was to enroll me in Bible school and I actually graduated from there.
But when I started acting, she didn’t like it. She took me to the late Prophet Obadare (May his soul rest in perfect peace) and Baba told her that acting was my calling. She was shocked and she again took me to Prophet P. F. Owa and he said the same thing. After that, my mother then sat me down and talked to me about maintaining a good image in the industry.
She told me that whatever I did while acting, I must have it in mind that my body remains the temple of God. But you know, when you are not with your parents and you are somewhere else, you just forget whatever you’ve been told. It just takes the grace of God. You make mistakes, but the good thing is getting back on track, then you can look back and tell people you used to do some things and not anymore.
How was growing up for you?
I grew up in Ibadan; around Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN), in a village called Adebayo. I used to believe then that we were rich, because to me, we had the best of life. We would go to the farm early in the morning; we didn’t get sick. I can make gari from cassava and everything was just fun for us. It is now that I look back and realise that we were actually poor back then, but it was a normal life to us. I remember we would walk for about 45 minutes to the stream; sometimes about four to five times in a day. We would drink directly from the stream and we didn’t get sick. I grew up in a village and I loved it there. There were lots of people in the community and we were happy together. I could play football, I could enter a well. I could do a lot of things; I was like a tomboy. So, my childhood was fun.
Some critics didn’t believe that your marriage could even last this long…
That’s their own wahala. I don’t care. But all the same, I like the attitude. I’ve heard that before, even from people that we thought were close to us. But the truth is, a lot of people don’t know the kind of upbringing we had. They know neither my background nor my husband’s, so they judge based on speculations. But I love it. It even serves as a push to remind us that it must last. It is obvious that some people are waiting for my marriage to crash and that alone is enough incentive for me to make it work. My home is built on the solid rock, I am not of the world.
There are also speculations that your husband is younger than you are…
My husband is three years older than I am. I don’t owe anyone that explanation though. It is no one’s business. In fact, let them say I am 20 years older than him. It is their problem.
Your husband has been able to change a lot about you. For instance, stopping you from using a blackberry phone, among other things. Many thought you couldn’t be that submissive...
That is why he is my husband. And those that say things about me are those that don’t know me. He is my small god; I have to listen to him because I want to have a happy home. All my older siblings are happily married; everybody in my family is happily married. My eldest sibling is like 50 years old and is still happily married, so mine can’t be a different story. My parents are still happily married; my father is 74 years old, my mother is 72, so who will I turn to with a broken home? I am submissive to him, because he is my husband. So if he is doing his responsibility, then I have to do mine too as a wife. A lot of people don’t know what a hubby and wife relationship means and that is why we have a lot of broken homes.
I am off BBM because he doesn’t like it and I am fine with it. Moreover, that is the only thing many people know, there are lot of things I had to give up because he doesn’t like it.
Educational background…
I attended Oba Akenzua Nursery and Primary School, Benin, before I proceeded to Queens’ Staff School and then to Saint Anne’s School, Molete, Ibadan. I was also at the University of Ibadan (UI) for a diploma course, but I failed. After that, I did my preliminary studies at Ire Polytechnic, also my ND and HND in Philosophy at the same school.
Any role restriction?
Yes. I have lost a lot of roles to that. I even recently lost a chance to feature in an English movie. They ask you if you can do some things or not and I said no.
What can make you turn down a script?
I used to belong to myself, but now I belong to someone and I have to dance to that person’s tunes. As a Christian, we have the 10 commandments and the husband is the ‘small god’ in the home. The Bible says if you listen and obey God’s commandments, He would do everything for you, so that’s the way it is. I’m gone past some roles.
How do manage male advances now?
I don’t even give them the chance to make advances. It is not possible anymore. There are some things I have faced in my life. People say married people do things, and I say I won’t even go near the temptation. It takes the grace of God, because anybody can be tempted.
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