Dear readers, for a moment, Doing Life With was paused, but we’re now back to continue showcasing how people live, the work they do and the philosophies that guide how they live and what they do. Through the Doing Life With…, which will now be published every two weeks, we continue documenting the lives of all people and ensure everyone is well-represented at BN. Today, we’re doing life with Ibrahim Suleiman, a multi-talented Nigerian actor, architect, and artist known for his performances in films such as Up North, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti and others.
In this exclusive feature, he tells us what it means to be an actor in Nigeria today. Enjoy the conversation! Hello Ibrahim.
How are you feeling right now? What are you up to? Hey, I’m good, thank you for asking. Feeling a little nervous because I have a solo art exhibition kicking off this weekend.
But still excited. Ouu, congratulations! Thank you. Everyone knows you as an actor but now you’re having an art exhibition.
How did acting start for you, and what are the other things that you do? Acting was actually something I stumbled into. Had no plans whatsoever to be an actor.
My Mom had just passed away, and I basically lost interest in everything I was doing. Quit my job as an Architect and hung up my sneakers as a Choreographer. Took a year off to just deal with the darkness that came with losing her.
And then a friend of mine found out I was back in Lagos and said to come hang out on their set. So I did, just to pass the time. I somehow got roped into recording an audition tape right there and got hired immediately.
It felt like a joke to me at first, and I basically just felt like “Yeah, just have fun for a couple of months, then head back to Abuja.” It’s been almost 9 years and several really great projects so far. I’m also an Architect (studied at ABU Zaria), writer, storyboard artist for ads, voice-over artist, and a self-taught painter/digital artist. (There’s more, but abeg let’s focus. Lol.) Yeah, let’s focus!
Give us a peek into your childhood and what aspects of your childhood inform all that you do today? I was born and raised in Kaduna State, Northern Nigeria. First of 3 siblings.
My parents separated when I was about 6, and my mom raised us all by herself (along with the Holy Spirit, as she always said, lol). We had a few really tough years, but she found her feet as a divorced mom of three, got a second job, and focused on making sure we did not lack the basics. I grew up in a very close-knit family.
We learned to share, be honest, kind, empathetic, grateful, work hard, protect each other, and laugh. My family laugh a lot. It is one of my favourite things about us.
All of that, I think, has contributed to how I approach life today. I keep it simple. I work hard. I protect my positivity.
I love wholly. And I laugh. A lot. I was particularly introduced to your acting brilliance in Up North.
I’m not sure people ask this often, but what is the most difficult thing about being an actor, an actor in Nigeria (because it different from being a Nigerian actor), and what is the best thing about it? Lol, the difference between being an actor in Nigeria and being a Nigerian actor is HUGE abeg. I think being a Nigerian actor IN Nigeria is hard.
Yes, a lot of people think it is all fun and games, but the GRIME of it is ridiculous. And right now, the biggest challenge of all is selling the projects. It is currently easier to make a good project than to sell it.
We had a product quality problem before, but now, we have a sales platform problem. It is part of a broader conversation, though. But on an individual note, the most difficult thing for me has been finding the balance between the projects I really want to do and the ones that pay the bills.
But the best thing about being an actor in Nigeria? The people. I get to work with incredibly hard-working, dedicated and creative people every day.
Especially those behind the cameras. As an actor, do you have a role that particularly speaks to you a lot, that your acting makes you want to watch the film again and again? Or do you simply finish a role and a film and say, “Well, it’s just another day at the office”?
Certain projects are honestly about getting through another day at the office, but there are some roles that are just… memorable. I don’t particularly enjoy watching myself, because I am constantly nitpicking my performances. However, I find that over the last year or so, I’m enjoying playing the villain way more than the sweethearts I am known for.
Okay, ket’s talk about Linda. What’s the best thing about being married to someone who works in the same industry as you? First-hand, experienced advice.
You can never overestimate how valuable that is. Then, of course, there is the fact that you don’t need to explain the dynamics of work schedules, career decisions, and others. When do you feel most loved by your wife, and what’s the best thing about being a father? Hmmm, this is tough, because this girl is