Popular Nollywood actor and filmmaker, Muyideen Oladapo, popularly known as Lala, has said his biggest academic ambition is to earn a doctorate degree through study rather than accept an honorary award.
“I don’t want an honorary doctorate,” the actor said. “I have received several invitations for that, but I don’t want to. I want to study and earn the certificate as a PhD holder, not just as a title.”
Oladapo, who already holds a master’s degree, explained that his passion for education is driven by the same determination that has sustained his career in the movie industry.
Speaking about his early years, the actor recalled a rough upbringing marked by daring choices. “I was a tough child – even my parents prayed that I wouldn’t be swallowed by the streets because I could dare anything in life. But now that fame has come, and I have a family, I avoid putting them into chaos. Death was a normal thing to me because my orientation was that everyone would die after all,” he recounted.
He narrated one of his street encounters which tested his resilience. “I once beat a thug in his turf in Surulere, Lagos. The story of my life is a long one that has also shaped how I was able to interpret certain roles in movies.”
On how his nickname Lala became his identity, Oladapo said it originated from a character he played in a Funke Akindele production. “The character started in a movie by Funke Akindele, where I played the role of Lala, and people loved it. I later wrote and produced my own movie titled Agidi, and I made sure the character also bore the name Lala, since it was already established.”
