…Says ‘I believe I’m the most beautiful creature God has created notwithstanding my rape experience’
By Christy Anyanwu
Foluke Daramola-Salako is a seasoned actress. She was nominated for Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Actress in a supporting movie in 2013. Though she started acting in her teenage years when professionalism was a top notch, she was endeared to many for her roles in The Cobweb, Olokiki Oru: The Midnight Sensation, and Test of Love.
She is a graduate of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) and the founder of Action Against Rape in Africa initiative.
Aside acting, Foluke also anchors events, as well as does master of ceremonies on occasions.
What is it about your childhood that shaped you into the person you are?
My father died early. She was a very strong woman that really cares for her children. She has set a very high pace for us, when you have a strong-willed mother who showered you with love, with contentment and through hard work, the only thing you can do as a child is to make your mother proud. And that is exactly what I am doing.
What motivated you in starting your foundation, PARA?
I was deflowered by a tenant at age 17. I was frigid overtime. I used to see sex as punishment. Frigidity was why I lost my first marriage. After my first marriage, I had a relationship and my new boyfriend called me one day and said, ‘Foluke you have a problem and you need to see a therapist’. Along the line, he will always tell me that the best way to get over this is to talk about my experience about the rape incident. So, I started talking about it, I started granting interviews, and eventually, an NGO contracted and did a documentary on me. The NGO asked if I have a foundation, I said no. The NGO said it will be a good idea for me to have one so that I could talk about it. That was how I registered PARA. When I started, I had cases of child abuse, rape, it was then that girls who have been raped came to open up and talked to me about their experiences. I have children that have been raped coming to me to relay their experiences. I take care of the elderly people as well; remember the case of Baba Agbako. Apart from the girl-child, I do elderly as well. Most of them are not hungry, it is just to celebrate them while they are still alive. That is what I do with PARA.
What’s your advice for young girls who want to be a successful actress?
The Genzees of now are not patient. They are always in a hurry. There is an adage in Yoruba that says it’s not the day you give birth to a child that the child will start to walk. You first carry the child, the child starts to crawl, then it starts walking. That is to tell you that Rome was not built in a day. They cannot just become stars overnight. They need to understand that the standard you build on a right foundation is the one that would last. The standard that is built overnight will fade, be humane, be respectful, and appreciate the fact that acting is not child’s play, focus and understand that you can have a good marriage, you can have a good career, you can have anything despite the fact that you are a celebrity and you can still be humane.
Growing up, were you body shamed at any point in time?
Of course, when I was in secondary school I used to wear double bra and I used to cover my boobs because I used to be so ashamed of it. I used to feel that I’m abnormal because my boobs were larger than girls of my age. As I grew older, a family friend who comes from the US and even bustier was very proud of her busts. She carries herself so well and that gave me that confidence. She tells me she’s very beautiful with her bust and that when you carry yourself well and even when people are body-shaming you, just ignore them, such people have complex and you don’t give people the allowance to make you feel bad for what is not part of their lives. I believe that I’m the most beautiful creature God has created and nobody has to tell me otherwise.
