Tobi Bakre is an actor, a model, host, compere, and photographer. The finalist in the Big Brother Naija Season three reality TV show is a graduate of Banking and Finance from the University of Lagos. He used to be an investment banker having worked in the office of the Accountant General of the Federation and in the banking industry for four years before the BBN show. Bakre featured in the lead role of Prime Amazon film, Gangs of Lagos currently trending. In this interview with IJEOMA THOMAS-ODIA, he spoke about his character as ‘Obalola’ and playing a lead role.

What makes Gangs of Lagos different from the other projects you have worked on and what was your favourite aspect of this project?
This is my first time playing a lead character, my first time really letting myself embody and staying that long in a character. It is indeed a special project. I believe not just for me but for everybody else that was involved, both cast and crew.

The synergy on and off set was amazing. We had such a beautiful ecosystem of positivity. We were attempting a lot of things that had never been done before. I loved being on set every single day. Each day came with its unique experience that just made the whole time shooting and the project as a whole memorable.

What was your experience portraying Obalola?
The character development for Obalola started immediately I delved into the script. I started building the character in my head. I also was able to go deeper into the creation process when I took lessons with the producer Lala Akindoju and also shared notes with the Director, Jade Osiberu. This character was who he was because of his background, and life experiences. Everything he did meant something or came from an exact place.

I could really relate to this character so much that we became one all through the time of shooting. The problem then became unbecoming the character after we finished the shoot. I really enjoyed being Oba, and I hope I get to play that character again in the future.

How did you prepare for the role of a character caught up in the world of crime and violence?
For the action scenes, we had to take stunt and fight training with one of the best in Africa ‘director tough’. I remember feeling muscle pains in places I didn’t even know had muscles. We all really just got into it. Everything about the project got all of the cast and crew willing to give their best.

We shot most of the scenes in Isale Eko, the exact neighbourhood referenced in the movie. It felt like art was imitating life right around us. For some scenes we even had the locals join us in the shoot. It felt real on some occasions.

What do you think audiences will take away from the film’s portrayal of the struggles of people living in Isale Eko?
I believe what audiences will take away from this will be to understand that we are all products of our community and upbringing, whether we turn out to be good or bad people. And, our decisions play a huge role in determining our life outcomes.

How do you think this film contributes to the evolution of the Nigerian film industry?
We have a number of veterans and new blood like myself on the project. The wealth of experience we could tap from the older actors, and the will to risk it all from the younger actors really played very well.

The set and story line also feels like the old Nollywood movies being told in a totally new dimension. Like I earlier mentioned, I believe this movie will inspire a lot of new collaborations for much bigger projects in Nollywood and beyond.

What was the most challenging aspect of the filming?

The most challenging bits, for me playing Obalola, was when we really had to see the vulnerable parts of the character. In my personal life I have had to build walls to be able to withstand whatever life brings my way. Becoming Oba allowed me to become a really strong and powerful character, but part of that power was also being open to raw unfiltered emotions.

I had to tear my personal walls to tell the character’s reality perfectly. It required a lot physical and emotional. The physical, I am always ready for, but the emotional took me on a whole different journey, deeper than I would have imagined or expected.