Since 2010, Aisha Lawal has made her mark in different career fields. From being a successful actress, movie producer, lawyer and a business woman, she has literally seen it all.
In this interview with eelive.ng, Aisha Lawal takes us through an inspiring journey of her life and career paths, as well as balancing work and spending time with her family.
What are the ways your training as a lawyer has positively aided your career as an actor and businessperson?
My training as a lawyer has aided me in so many ways. For instance, as a lawyer you learn to multitask, you learn a little about everything, so you have a little knowledge about everything before you dabble into anything.
Being a lawyer, makes you a professional and lettered person. It makes you a literate in all ramifications, and more informed because you get to have an idea about everything.
So, when I got into the film industry, it was much more easier for me to multitask, to diversify and to not be stereotypic in my acting. I was able to do different things, I set new challenges for myself because I’m used to challenging myself.
It has also helped me with my business because my thinking was different but now my horizon has widened as a result of my law background. I know how to go about everything and I know about intellectual property and the likes. I know my rights and I understand that to be ignorant of the law is never an excuse and that guides me in what I do. So I understand the need for continuous development.
There is this thing about whether it is possible for people to live solely on acting in Nigeria, what is your opinion about this and is this why you are involved in interior décor, events planning and all that business endeavors?
Of course, it is possible to live solely on acting but it is always advisable to have so many streams of income. So if one industry is down, the other can pick you up.
How do you balance all of these and family?
I try as much as possible to be considerate by putting my family first and I am always available to play my roles in the family as a wife and mother. I do my best not to allow anything stand in my way. Family is very important to me.
Law is a profession for which a lot of those trained in it are proud, they call themselves the only ones who are learned, but here you are an actor, do you find a nexus between law and acting?
Yes, lawyers are learned because they know a little about everything. Also acting is a means of showcasing/mirroring the society which also makes you know a little about everything. So, yes, I see a bit of similarity in the areas that these two professions cover.
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What were the initial challenges you faced at the start of your career and how did you surmount them?
Things were tough initially especially in terms of remuneration and funding to do the things I wanted to do. However, I found the grace to remain resilient and persevere and here we are today. God has been faithful.
What are the things that attract you to acting in or producing a story, are there any particular things you look out for?
I look at how challenging the roles are; and how much of an opportunity they give me to develop and exhibit my talent. I also look at how much the story contributes to developing the society, how didactic the role and story is.
Let’s talk about Aisha Lawal. What was growing up like for you, was there anything in your childhood that prepared you for the roles you play today? How did your family take your decision to become an actor?
My childhood was fun. My mum was a Teacher while my dad was an Estate Surveyor and Valuer. There was nothing in my childhood that prepared me for acting. Although I liked dancing but nothing really made me think I would become an actor. I think my dad would have loved it but unfortunately, he is late, and my mum didn’t like it initially.
Finally, what advice would you give to youngers ones who want to tread this path?
You should be prayerful, you should learn to persevere and you should stay focused.
