Dayo ‘D1’ Adeneye reveals how he handles his female fans

Dayo & Wife

Radio/TV celebrity, Dayo ‘D1’ Adeneye is one celeb that has lots of female fans. 

The co-owner of Primetime Africa is no doubt a ladies man..
In this encounter, he tells us how his wife copes with all the attention that comes his way among other issues.

Why are you hardly seen at Nollywood events?
Well it’s not deliberate, usually most of their events don’t fit into my calendar and most of their events are not held in Lagos. Like African Movies Academy Award (AMAA) is always held in Bayelsa and it usually doesn’t fit into my calendar or my schedule but we’re all friends, we’re all colleagues and we ‘overlap’ so to speak you know, they’re all my friends. I made a deliberate effort to be at the Nollywood Movies Awards because Kingsley Ogoro is a very close friend.

What are your expectations for Nollywood?
I’m very proud of our colleagues in the movie business. Aside broadcasting, I’m an actor myself and I did a couple of movies last year including one or two soaps. Nollywood has done a phenomenal job in the last 20 years. Nigeria and Africa are indeed very proud of them and that’s why we are gathered to celebrate Nollywood at 20, it’s a welcome development, one which, I’m happy to be part of.

Can you briefly tell us some of the movies you featured in?
Oh! I did Superstory by Wale Adenuga productions last year. Similarly, I did two Yoruba movies with two producers.


Odunlade Adekola starred in one of it, Saka was there too with was Yinka Quadri and Olaiya Igwe. It was just a star-studded cast, I can’t actually remember the name of the movie, it was a Yoruba movie but of course I played myself in it but it was fun, they made me feel very welcome. Most people reacted, “Ah! We didn’t know you could speak Yoruba.” And I said but of course I can speak Yoruba! I’m Yoruba. So it was fun and I look forward to doing more, probably next year I’d do some more.

How often do they approach you especially in the Nollywood sector?
Of course, I have been approached severally. Funke Akindele wanted me to do something and so did Bukky Wright who has asked me several times. I really want to do more.

What then has kept you back?
Just like I said, to do movies take more time; you have to be on location for maybe weeks if not months. I’m a personality that’s on radio and TV just about every day, so I cannot afford to take that much time off from what I do on radio and TV. Again, I travel a lot, most of the events we do as well on radio and TV like the Grammys, BET Awards they take us out of the country and I’d hate to commit myself to a project like a movie and then I have to tell them “oh! Sorry I have to go to The Grammys and leave everybody stranded and that’s why I’m hoping and praying that this following year I would really take some time out.

I am surprised that you’re stepping out alone this night without madam, why?
Oh! My wife wasn’t feeling too strong though I insisted on her joining me. She enjoys these events although she doesn’t like the red carpet part of it because I have to stay behind, do interviews and take pictures. But she enjoys the events, she enjoys mingling, she enjoys the outings as well. She just wasn’t feeling too strong, she had a bit of Malaria and I had to leave her behind for today.

Is it safe to assume that she took a big risk allowing a handsome man like you attend an event alone?
(Laughs) She knows it is part of the job; it is part of what we do.

Does she get jealous over the attention you command from the opposite sex?
Oh no! She knows the nature of my business; if I’m here you can watch on TV and know that he’s here. She understands that this is what I do, it’s entertainment, we have to go out and we have to make rules. But she’s cool with it, she understands what I do for a living.

How does that work especially as you have the responsibility of a father to play at home?
Oh, she knows. She knows that if I’m not travelling even if I’m travelling, I make sure I call. We talk, we Skype and we stay in touch. She knows I don’t roam about town, if I’m not working, I’m at home and I try to get home as early as 4.p.m or 5.p.m sometimes. Unless I have a production that takes overnight, you won’t find me just sitting in a club or one pepper soup joint. No! I’d rather spend that time with my family and she respects that.

It is not surprising that Mode Men Magazine gave you an award, how do you manage to keep re-inventing your suave style?
Well, thank you, I’ll take that as a compliment, I’ve always love to feel good, I like to look good, looking good is good business, first impressions count a lot, I like to look good and when I dress well I feel good. I also recognize the fact that I’m a role model, young people look up to me and aspire to be like me, so if we don’t look good and if we don’t glamourize this business, young people wouldn’t want to be in the business. Also parents won’t want their children to be like Keke and D-1 or like anybody else. So, with that in mind, that’s why I like to be stylish, I like to dress well, I like to look good.

Do you have any particular fashion fetish?
Shoes! I love shoes. (Laughs) I know right… I don’t buy too many but I spend ridiculous amount of money on shoes.

Can you give us a sneak-peek, what’s your biggest investment fashion-wise?
Probably, it is a Rolex wrist watch. It’s the king of watches.

You want to give us an idea of its cost?
Whoa! I can’t tell you that. But you can Google it and see what their price range is. I love wrist watches and I love shoes.

What are the new things to expect from you?
Well expect some big things from the stable of Primetime Entertainment. We’re also working on a very big project which I wish I could tell you and let the cat out of the bag but I promise when we’re about to unfold, you’ll be one of the first I’ll let know about it, but it’s something entertainment-based, it’s not radio or TV, but there’s nothing like it in possibly West Africa, but Nigerians and West Africans should look out, it’s going to be big.

What advice would you give to male celebrities on how best to cope with young ladies who disturb them and harass them?
Just be true to yourself, it depends, whether you’re single or married, but it doesn’t even matter, the most important thing is respect; respect yourself, do everything in moderation. Whatever you do in life, do in moderation – whether it’s drinking, partying, whatever it is, do it in moderation. Everybody likes the good life and when you’re in the business we’re in which is entertainment, a lot of things would happen, you have a lot of parties to attend, you have a lot of mingling to do, and you’ll have a lot of opposite sex attracted to you or whatever. Just keep things in perspective, recognize the fact that people like what you do, not just you. So if you start telling yourself “oh! They love me, they love me,” then you’re setting yourself up for a big fall. But if you recognize the fact that it’s because of my acting talent, people love my acting, people love my music. Then you can keep things in perspective that way and just
everything in moderation, don’t over-do, that’s the basic rule, that’s the basic tenet that I follow.

Are you saying female fans have never come between you and your wife?
 Well it depends, I mean, as you see me here I mingle, if you say hello to me, I’ll say hello to you and we leave it at that; “hello, hello…you want a picture?” and we leave it at that. It depends on how you present yourself, if you present yourself as someone that’s available, people will treat you as available and if you just say hello and of course some will try to overstep their boundary, but once you let it be known politely that it is not going to happen, most people will back off, any reasonable human being will back off and that’s just the thing, it’s important. The way you present yourself will determine how people will address you.

Looking at the façade, it’s very easy to assume that you look too unruffled to have challenges, please correct me if I am wrong
Of course, I have challenges just like any other human being. I face my challenges every day, the thing is you don’t let your challenges overwhelm you. You’re meant to have challenges, that’s what makes you grow and that’s what makes you strong. When you overcome those challenges and you taste success, overcoming those challenges makes you want to do more. If you don’t have challenges in your life then you’re probably dead. You’re not trying to do anything in life, you’re just a mediocre.

Can you give us an example of a recent challenge you overcame, does anyone come to mind?
Depends on whether you’re talking personal or you’re talking in business. I mean, every day you come across things that will challenge you, but I’ve learnt to…you know there’s a saying that “God give me strength to change the things that I can and understand the things that I cannot.” So the things that I can change, if I can affect lives, impact lives, help young minds, I do that and of course not everybody appreciates what you’re doing, some people only want your downfall, but you don’t focus on negativity, you focus on the positives and keep striving. That’s the way I approach life, I don’t let it weigh me down, I keep moving, and my life is set for bigger things and that’s the way I handle life.

Do you have any vice(s)?
We all have vices my brother (laughs) what are you talking about? Like I said, everything is in moderation, even my pastor will tell you that he’s not a saint. We all have the human side of us, that’s why we pray to God for forgiveness of sins, live a clean life, live a good life, like I said earlier, I realised that I’m seen as a role model and I try to lead by example. I lead by example I don’t just say blahblahblah. I try my best, because I’m also a role model to my children and whatever you do out there, whether you spit on the road or you take a piss on the road, it will be written in the papers the next day, that also paints a picture of the kind of human being you are. I’m very cognizance of that and I’m mindful of what I do.

By FEMI SALAWU