Nigerian actress Aisha Lawal recently shed light on her decision to maintain a private presence on social media, in contrast to some of her peers who share more about their personal lives online.
Lawal attributed her restrained online behavior to her disciplined traditional upbringing and her desire to avoid actions that might one day embarrass her children.
Growing up in Ibadan, Oyo State, Lawal embraces the Yoruba saying that “what is hidden has more prestige.”
She emphasized her background as a “typical Yoruba girl” and pointed to her mother’s role as a retired school principal, who instilled a strong sense of values and discipline. Lawal expressed her intention to prevent any online activity that her children might find embarrassing in the future.
In an interview with Saturday Beats, Lawal elaborated on the concept of maintaining a clean image in the entertainment industry.
In her words;
“I am a typical Yoruba girl. I grew up in Ibadan, Oyo State. The Yorubas have a saying that what is hidden has more prestige. Also, my mum is a retired principal, and she does not take nonsense. I try as much as possible to avoid anything my children would be embarrassed to read about in the future.
“There is a saying in the industry that every publicity (whether positive or negative) is good publicity. But, I think having a clean record is also good. Whatever one writes on a clean blackboard would be clearly seen, but if there are a lot of jargons on the board, whatever is written on it won’t be too clear.”
While there’s a common belief that any form of publicity benefits one’s career, she highlighted the importance of a pristine reputation.
Using a metaphor, she compared a clean blackboard to a clear record, suggesting that a clean slate yields greater clarity and understanding.
The actress, known for her role in the acclaimed movie “Jagun Jagun,” offered insights into her approach to selecting roles.
“There are some scripts one would get, and one would know that it is going to be a big deal. That was how I felt when I got the script of the movie. Whenever I get a script, I look out for how challenging my role is. I then consider the storyline, and ask myself if it is something I would want to be a part of.
Lastly, I consider how much I would be paid. Most actresses in my age bracket run away from featuring in epic movies; perhaps because of the incantations and other things. But, I like standing up to challenges,” she said.
Expressing her enthusiasm for the current state of the Nigerian movie industry, Lawal noted the emergence of high-quality films.
She remarked that the industry’s storytelling prowess was always present but had remained somewhat concealed.
“I feel good about the quality films that are being released these days. I have always known that we (Nollywood) have the strength in storytelling, though we had been under the radar. But, the industry is growing, and we are here to stay,” she added.
