To celebrate Richard Mofe-Damijo’s birthday today, comedian Bovi took
to his Instagram page narrating a hearty and aww-inducing story of how
the Nollywood icon brought him to limelight.
Read the hilarious but beautiful narration below:“Fresh out of school via NYSC, I
had come to Lagos with just a bag. Squatting with my uncle who was a
squatter, I dusted my scripts and headed to my appointment with
Nollywood icon, RMD. He leaned back on his swivel chair and crossed his
legs on his table. It was the cleanest pair of mokasin shoes I had ever
seen.
In my mind I was before a
“god”. Tell me about yourself, he said. I mumbled my family history
unfluently. Any hopes of selling my scripts to him fizzled when he
pointed to a corner in his office that had about a hundred scripts.
I wasn’t the only one trying to
sell scripts. He promised to read mine and that he did. To fulfill all
righteousness he took me to meet potential buyers on movie sets. One of
such buyers, a director, ripped my story and made a movie years down the
line. After four weeks of escorting RMD on set, he said “I’m looking to
hire a PA. If you think you fit the profile go home and think about it
and let me know on Monday.”
My answer was immediate, “I
don’t need to To go and think. I can do it” “then resume on Monday”. And
PA I was for two years and six months but what I came out with, the
things I learned from his direct teachings is what u describe as d
polishing of diamond.
He have me a book and said
“bovistus, if you read this book it would seem like you have a masters
without d certificate.” And that book was ” the 22 immutable laws of
branding”. And it was true. Once I asked him, how do you cope with the
attention and the fame? He replied ” ignore it. Or you will just die”
once I asked him “when does one cement his status as an entertainer” and
he said ” you are only as good as your last performance.
There is no holiday on this
job. If you flop in your next outing, that’s the one people will
remember”. Once I asked him why a favorite big brother Nigeria character
had been shockingly evicted, he smiled, looked me in the eyes and said
“whenever you start from the top, there’s only one place to go; down”.
These are few of the very many life changing advice that where handed
down to me. More than silver and gold. And I appreciate them forever.
Well, all I’ve been trying to say is ” happy birthday to the legend,
Richard Mofe-Damijo.
