Nigeria’s popular comedienne, Oluwadamilola Adekoya, better known as Princess, has been in the entertainment for over a decade. She’s also a self-acclaimed chef and currently on a fitness journey. She opens up to VICTORIA NONIKE and FAVOUR NWANZE on her journey so far and how she’s looking up to God to remarry.

Brief background

I’m a comedian, actress, chef and event planner.

You started acting at the age of seven, what was it like?

I think my first movie was in 1970 but I think my first time with television was 1988 because I started out with stage acting and after a while I moved to TV, I actually had a couple of programmes on TV as a young person. Later I started playing minor roles in movies.

What made you venture into stand-up comedy?

Well I think it was by chance, like an advice. It was after a ‘Super Story’ production by Wale Adenuga Production, Mr. Adenuga advised me to go into comedy full-time because he felt that I was really talented. Up until then, I was into it partially while I was in school but then he encouraged me. Then around 2003 or so I went into it fully. Before I came into the industry, most comedians were already my friends because I used to go for a lot of shows but I never thought I would be one of them. So when I started out they were like, ‘Oh so you’ve joined us’ and they were really supportive.

How has your fitness journey been like?

It’s been tough. I have to get up early and my house is not close to where I work out, sometimes I could be in traffic for an hour or more just to get here and work out every day. If I miss out on anything, the coaches would make me do extra like some kind of punishment but I really feel good about the whole thing because I am seeing results. The reason I came here is not to be thin but to be fit. I like to train, I actually started around 2005 then along the line in 2013 or 2014 stopped for a long time and resumed again last year October. I just felt I was not fit enough, although I love to be big and beautiful but I just need to be fit and there is no crime against that. I am benefiting, I am seeing the result and next month will be a year and I can happily and proudly check my weight but even if I don’t, I know that I have come a long way. The first three months were crazy. I would come and work out but one day I said I would stop coming because I thought I was not losing weight and one of the guys was like ‘you have lost weight’ but I didn’t feel like I had lost any weight and he said that people who had seen me the first day I came are saying that you have lost weight, so I decided to continue and give it another try. Then I was ill for a while, I had a minor surgery and was off for about a month, coming back after the surgery was not easy but then I found out the my clothes wouldn’t fit so I was like let me take me clothes to ‘Obioma’ to slim-fit them. I didn’t even notice and everyone was like, ‘You have changed’ and I was like thank you.

What inspired you to continue working out irrespective of the challenges?

Well I am a very persistent person and I do not like things to just discourage me like that. Like I said I had not worked out in a really long time and I wasn’t feeling myself. I am a very bubbly and active person although I was still active I was still feeling lethargic like this is not me. Sometime I get here 5:30 and work out till like 7:30-8:00 in the morning and if you see what I do, you will be impressed. I was still big but I was fit, then I said to myself I do not think I am as fit as I want to be so I started working. Even when I saw the result, I was like what more can I do to keep fit, I knew it would be difficult to go back to the way I used to train but I always try to encourage myself that no matter what, even if there is flood I would try and do something, no matter how small it is and before I knew I switched from 10-20 minutes to one or two hours intensive training so that is just it. I tried to encourage myself to do more no matter how small it was.

How are your fans reacting to the workout journey?

Some of my fans have been really encouraging and some go to my page and insult me and I don’t even have time I would just delete and block, I do not like stress. I do not understand why it is like that but I feel it’s the way people are and they try to project it on other people, it’s really bad. For those that are encouraging me, I really appreciate them.

Tell us about you catering business?

Well I started in the 1990s but I was not really serious about it. Then in 2011 a friend of a friend advised me to start it big time and so I registered the business and I some signature meals that are to die for plus I cook healthy with little or no oil under clean conditions. I make really delicious meals, I have them in supermarkets, in LUTH, UNILAG, Magodo and people place orders also for parties. My ‘Efo-riro and Ofada with beans’ are to die for and everyone knows that.

What are the signature meals that everyone must eat?

Anything I cook you must eat but I have my special dish I call ‘Premium Royal’ which has my special fish, grilled chicken and for carbohydrate, rice but then I have my special chicken meal, also my ‘Ofada and Efo-riro’. It was actually a guy that thought me how to make ‘Efo-riro and Ofada’ and I have perfected it ever since. I also have my five star designer beans. I am just good like that.

How do you find the time to joggle everything you do?

It is very stressful but I love them, I can cook by 1am. No matter how tired I am, I can still cook, drive and swim. It is stressful but fulfilling because I enjoy doing them.

Who are you favourite colleagues in the industry?

I do not have favourite’s but I have a lot of people that have been really supportive. I have people that would tell me the truth no matter what. Like Tee A, Basorge, Okey Bakassi, Koffi and Lepacious Bose. I also have people that inspire me to do more like Ibokoko, C Julius, Gbenga Adeyinka and Tee A also falls into this category. When I was starting out, I had people like Gandoki, Koffi, Otega who always had my back. Then there are people I just like hanging out with that make me laugh like Helen Paul; she is very crazy and I like her and also Buchi. Then I have people like Mandy, Alibaba that are so caring then Tee A. Tee A is like a brother who I never had, outside comedy he is a very good friend and brother. I do not think there is any comedian that I have not felt a connection with at any point in time. There are a lot of comedians that started after me that inspired me like Josh 2 Funny, Short family, Akpororo. I think I am just top lucky to have so many brothers and some sister in this industry.

Outside the comedy industry, do you have any other siblings?

Yes, I have one sister and it’s like having 10. She is just so supportive; in fact my friends say she should have been the older one. I really appreciate her and she is very strong and determined. She is a farmer, she is into fish, snail and poultry farming, and she is a hair stylist and a makeup artist. She is an entrepreneurial coach in a University in Abakaliki. She produces palm oil and coconut oil. She is crazy talented. She is so industrious.

Where do you see you self in the next five years?

I would like to put up my own show outside the country, maybe four or five states in the US, in the UK, France and Switzerland as well.

Looking at most of your pictures, you are usually bare faced , why?

Well, I was actually a makeup artist before but the thing is that I do not wear makeup, not because I hate it but if we have to then I will. I just like to be bare.

What is your fashion style like?

I like trainers. I love comfortable shoes.

What accessories can you not leave the house without?

Perfume, I can’t leave the house without it. At least if we are not going to wear makeup and dress like a lady, let us smell nice.

Any plans for re-marriage?

We are looking unto God. I had one that wasn’t that good, unfortunately I did not pick up myself in time but with time everything will fall in place. Not everyone is strong. I myself might look strong on the outside but emotionally not really and that is why I respect people like Funke Akindele, Tiwa Savage. Going through that kind of pain is not easy but when you are able to pick up yourself and these people have picked up themselves and are helping other people. In Funke’s case, she is lucky, she is married again but in Tiwa’s case, she is up, working and making people happy. This is what we should do, when we are going through pain we should not let it hold us down because it is just going to get you depressed. I tried to remember that I had about 200,000 fans and I need to crack joke for them and so I had to get up. Gradually you will get there; we still have nice people in this world.

I hate essay and long stories even from day-one. I have too many issues to worry about than reading this long dialog.

I'm just here to comment !!.
Thaink you !!

I'm just here to comment !!!