Emmanuel Ayanlodun, a seasoned Nigerian actress better known by her stage name Ayoka Omo Ologede, has spoken up about her early years, family customs, and journey into show business…..CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
The seasoned Yoruba actress talked candidly about how her cultural customs defined her life and how her background influenced her career path in an interview on ITAN NLA TV on Wednesday, September 10, 2025.
Oyo State native Ayoka disclosed that she finished her elementary and secondary schooling before moving to Lagos, where she actively followed her love of performing. She described how her early involvement in community activities helped to foster her love of acting and dancing. Recalling her initial forays into public performance, she noted, “I had started acting during the speak-out.” The actress underlined how her upbringing in a family of traditional drummers had shaped her sense of self as an artist. I come from a family of drummers. My dad plays the drums. His father spoke to them with drums.
She clarified that rhythm and communication through percussion were an integral part of her upbringing, saying, “Any child that does not understand the drums is not even possible for a child from a drumming family to not understand the language of the drum.” Ayoka says she grew up surrounded by traditional celebrations, dancing, and music. She recalled how she and her peers participated with unbridled joy at drum festivals, which she emphasised were essential to her community and family traditions. We used to do drum festivals really well, so I used to dance when I was little. In the interview, she said, “We danced naked then.”
The actress went on to say that what started out as a traditional custom developed into performances with financial rewards. As time passes, they purchase the nudity with money. We get paid to dance nude,” she revealed. Her frank analysis illuminates the ways in which entertainment, economy, and social ideals interacted with customs during her early years. The cultural background that many Yoruba entertainers of her generation arose against is further contextualised by Ayoka’s remarks. Dance and drumming have long been significant forms of celebration, spirituality, and communication among Yoruba communities. Her story of getting compensated to perform naked, however, highlights how intricate and contentious traditional customs that combine art, culture, and business are.
Ayoka emphasised that the experiences were firmly anchored in communal life rather than exploitation, even if her comment has aroused interest and discussion among fans and cultural lovers. She claimed that in addition to providing entertainment, the performances served as a means of upholding customs, fostering social ties, and supporting livelihoods. The seasoned actor also considered how these early cultural experiences helped her get ready for the entertainment business, where her confidence, expressiveness, and stage presence were crucial advantages. With a decades-long career and a reputation for giving viewers emotionally charged performances, Ayoka Omo Ologede is now hailed as one of the most identifiable names in Yoruba film…..CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
