In the
ears of many a movie fan, the name, Taiwo Akinwande would hardly ring an
immediate bell. But mention her stage name, Yetunde Wunmi, and a lot of faces
would light-up instantly. In the Yoruba film industry, Yetunde Wunmi has earned
a name for herself. For over three decades, the pretty actress enjoyed
tremendous popularity. That was until about six years ago when she was nabbed
with hard drugs at the airport on her way to Europe. She was convicted and
sentenced to a two-year jail term which she has served.
Getting her side of the sad experience was very
difficult. It was like engaging a two-year-old kindergarten pupil in a
difficult mathematical question. In this interview, Wunmi confessed
that the drug incident is her only regret in life.
“That was the bitter pill that would remain in my
system for the rest of my life, and it’s my only regret in life,” she tells the entertainer. Excerpts:
How I was arrested
It was on September 19, 2006. I was billed to travel
to the United Kingdom. So I got to the airport early enough to catch my plane.
But then, I was arrested by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency at the
Murtala International Airport in Lagos. I was arrested on drug related
offences. Initially, I thought I was in a dream, but it later turned out to be
a reality. It was a sad experience for me to remember because that event almost
cost me my life. I ended up serving a two-year-jail term. Really, I lost so
many things to that incident. And it did a lot of damage to my image as
an actress and even among my colleagues in the industry. It’s my only
regret in life that I had to get involved in drugs. But I thank God that I came
out of the mess after serving a two-year jail term. I also thank God that
though the situation I found myself was that bad, the news of my drug offence
wasn’t that of my obituary. Truly, I have learnt my lessons the hard way.
Lessons learnt
I have said it earlier that I have learnt my lessons
the hard way. I learnt that nothing in life is permanent, that there are no
permanent friends and enemies. During my travails, I learnt lessons about the
ups and downs of life. For instance, a rich man today can become poor tomorrow,
and a poor man today can become rich tomorrow. Even, I learnt my lessons about
death. That, though life is good and worthy to live, death remains the end of
all souls. It’s the end, no matter who you are. It was really, a sad story to
tell, but I thank God I am still alive to tell the story.
What I lost
I lost almost everything. For instance, I lost my
privacy. I lost my popularity that I have worked hard for, for about
three decades. I lost some of my close friends and my relationship with many
people broke-up as a result of the sad incident. Nobody would like to relate
with an ex-convict. But, honestly, some of them showed great concern and
understanding. They saw my problem as a phase in the course of my career and
life as well. They really gave me hope that time heals all wounds and that
eventually came to pass.
I wouldn’t want to mention names, but there were some
of my colleagues that despised me while so many others showed great
understanding. They showed me love and concern. It was God that really
intervened and strengthened me after I served my two-year jail term. So many
people treated my case as that of the prodigal son. The Association of Nigeria
Theatre Practitioners (ANTP) actually brought me back to life. They rekindled
my hope and my career was put back on track. I was able to overcome the sad
experience through the unflinching support of everybody that stood by me during
the trying period. It was terrible indeed. But today, the rest is history.
How I got back
on my feet
It was the grace of God. Even at a particular point in
time, I became confused. I didn’t know where to start from, but God really used
some people in the entertainment industry to put my career back on track. Since
then, I have been enjoying a breakthrough and I’m now back on my feet.
The truth is that I didn’t allow my past experience to
weigh me down. I didn’t allow it to disturb my future. But I was able to cope
during that period through the grace of God. My humility also played a very
important role in getting me back on track.
It was difficult for me to cope, initially, but one
virtue God gave me is humility. And that helped me a lot. Even before the sad
incident, I was a very humble person. For me, popularity didn’t get to my head.
I don’t brag about anything, but I know quite well that my humility actually
helped me a lot during the trying period. I was humble after my humiliating
experience, and I felt real great remorse for what actually happened to me. I
regretted, and still regret it. In the end, I saw it as my destiny and the
sad experience actually humbled me in life.
A new life
With God, everything is possible. Since the sad
incident, I have started my life anew. I have repented from all my wrongdoings.
I even went to Saudi Arabia in 2011 to perform the Hajj and that afforded me
the opportunity of telling Almighty Allah all of my earlier trespasses. I
confessed my sins in His presence and I promised never to return to such sins.
Today, all that is now in the past. Today, everything is new in my life, and
I’m always grateful to Almighty Allah who actually preserved my life during
that trying period. Now, I’m hopeful that God has answered my prayer because
since the time I came back from Saudi Arabia, everything, I mean my whole life,
has become new and I’m back on my feet with renewed hope and vigour.
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