Mutiat Lawore 
Popular actress, Dayo Amusa, has come a long way in the movie industry, garnering recognitions and awards from within and outside the country. She made a switch to the production of English movies and has been making a mark. She spoke with MUTIAT LAWORE in this interview about her motherhood journey, passion to be relevant among other issues.
At what time did you discover acting was your thing?
It is something I have always loved to do, like being in the entertainment industry. Though I read Food Science and Technology at Ogun State Polytechnic, the fact still remains that I saw myself more in the art world. So, after earning my ND at Moshood Abiola Polytechnics, I just felt it was necessary for me to pursue my dream which I did and the rest they say is history.
Some of your colleagues believe that rising to the top comes with a special price, which could sometimes be inexplicable. How did you manage to remain level-headed?
There isn’t any special price to be paid as far as I am concerned. Nothing has ever gone beyond putting in my best at every opportunity I get. In this field of ours, consistency is key, reason you see a lot of filmmakers releasing back-to-back projects to stay relevant.
You were off the movie scene for a while and are back now; what then are you doing differently?
I’m fully back to show my unwavering commitment to my craft, working with producers, directors and the corporate world at large. As it’s been established, we at Amzadol Productions bring quality storyline and creative content and we are not relenting on that as my return is a testament to my resilience and determination.
On one of your posts on IG, you said this come back is personal, did you feel left out at any point?
How can I feel left out when my break was intentional. Of course not. I was dealing with personal issues then and yes, I lost interest in everything that mattered. My career suffered the most as I gradually lost focus and interest in my passion. I ran into my shell battling with depression for many years.
You are a new mum; how does it make you feel and were there some kinds of different feeling from that experience?
I feel completely fulfilled. I have done so many wrong things in life but one thing I have done absolutely right is having my son. Motherhood is beautiful and now I am beginning to see things from a whole different angle. Right now, all I want to do is to be available for my son at all times, I want to be an intentional mother.
Could you share some of your struggles before you welcomed your son?
For as long as I can remember I knew I wanted to be a complete ideal woman (a wife and mum). Having had three miscarriages, in 2015, I was diagnosed with uterine myxomatosis, and some doctors recommended removing my womb due to the complications and discomfort I experienced every month during my menstrual cycle. I decided to fight and reject that option. I was on medications, injections and treatments to stop the growth of tumors until my uncle’s wife advised I come to UK for treatment.
Feb 14, 2015, I had the surgery to remove the tumour via TCRE Lâparoscopy dye ovarian drilling procedure as I was really afraid of being opened. In 2016 myself and my then partner decided to try again as we were so eager to welcome our first child together but later discovered one of my tubes was broken and it would be almost impossible to get pregnant naturally. My dear, the rest is history now as God rewrote my story for me.
You’ve released a lot of songs in the past one or two years, what do you intend to achieve with music?
I love music. I love to write songs. It’s another way of passing messages across, expressing myself and my deeper thoughts. I am not giving up on music. I am an entertainer! Not just an actor. I Work for a cause, not for applause. Therefore, I do music to express, not to impress.
We’ve seen a lot of actors who tried music and failed, does that scare you at all?
I am never afraid to fail! So I’m not scared of failure or disappointment. I think not making efforts, not trying is the major failure.
The Nigerian movie industry has evolved significantly in the past few years. What changes have you noticed, and how do you plan to adapt to the new Nollywood?
I agree with you that the game has changed over the years. A lot of efforts have been made to improve our cinematic elements in general and of course I am looking forward to adapting into the new Nollywood.
You have built a strong brand over the years. What do you think has been the secret to your longevity and relevance in the entertainment industry?
I would say my unwavering commitment and resilience to my craft combined with hard work, dedication and determination.
Social media has become a major tool for celebrities. Will you also be engaging in a trending marketing style like we’ve seen your colleagues do recently?
Seeing some very outstanding creative content from my colleagues, I definitely will infuse some of theirs while exploring mine.
