Veteran actor Kayode Olasehinde, popularly known for his role as Pa James in the long-running sitcom Papa Ajasco and company, has offered fresh insight into the ongoing conversation about the welfare of cast members on the show.
The discussion was sparked by comments from fellow actor Abiodun Ayoyinka, who recently claimed he was facing financial difficulties and noted that public assumptions about his wealth as Papa Ajasco do not reflect his reality.
“People believe Papa Ajasco is a millionaire or billionaire, but the remuneration is very poor,” he said.
However, the show’s creator, Wale Adenuga, had earlier dismissed the claims, insisting that actors under his production were adequately compensated.
Olasehinde countered the narrative of neglect, expressing appreciation for Adenuga and the opportunities the show provided him.
“To be realistic, Wale Adenuga did something for us. Especially me, the day he called me for a role in ‘Papa Ajasco and Company’. The show had been on for a long time. Peter Fatomilola was the first Papa Ajasco. But when they started the one on television, they called my friend, everybody, and me too.
“I thought it was going to be just something we’d do in three weeks, but it went on for a long time. And they didn’t owe us money. Anything we do, we get paid. If he (Adenuga) calls us for a meeting, after that meeting, even if it’s for just five minutes, he pays us. The day we clocked twenty-five years with Papa Ajasco, I was very happy,” he said.
Olasehinde also highlighted personal gains from the production, noting that the role brought him fame and financial benefits, including the purchase of his first car.
“The thing I got from playing that role wasn’t small. I became popular. As for money, the man tried a lot for me. From ‘Papa Ajasco and Company’, I bought a car. I did a lot of things from that job.
Providing further context, the actor explained that changes in production frequency have affected earnings in recent years.
“The way they used to do it, it doesn’t take long before we get jobs. But now, if we record about 10 episodes, before we are called to the location again, it may take up to two years. When it was in Wale Adenuga’s hands, we didn’t have to wait long before we got called. You know they now have WAP TV, so they no longer spread their programmes across other stations like they used to. Probably that’s why.
“For me, if it is about driving, I don’t know how to drive, but the first car I bought was from Wale Adenuga. It was a Nissan Bluebird. Papa Ajasco bought a car through a loan. Me too, I bought mine and with a loan and paid back in three instalments. When I work, they deduct the car payment from my pay. That was how they did it,” he said.
He further explained that contractual limitations restrict actors from fully leveraging their popular screen identities outside the production.
According to him, while he can take on other acting roles, he is unable to use the Pa James character elsewhere because the name is registered to Adenuga.
He added that a similar restriction applies to Ayoyinka’s Papa Ajasco character, whose distinctive bald look is also tied to the production.
Comments