How do you describe your acting career?
In what terms?

Your whole career gains and loses.
I won’t use the word fulfilling. I actually wanted to make it more, more than where I am now. All the same, by God’s grace I have been able to get where I am now. But I won’t say fulfilling. Somehow. No challenging roles any more.

And you are now bored?
I think forward to seeing scripts that will be demanding, that can make me want to research. But one sees the same thing again and and again.

So the jobs have been coming all the same?
Somehow , again. It is hard to tell these things. The industry is like the weather. It might rain today but shine tomorrow.On the general,I say the jobs have been coming . I’m higher than the Nigeian home video industry.That is why I’m happy for Genevieve Nnaji.

So your target is Hollywood ? When do you hope to get there?
Well, how soon I don’t know.

Have you made contacts?
No.

Why not?
One, I’m not ready. For one to get there, one has to work on. And that is what I’m doing . Besides, I’m occupied with work on my album, my first love.

So because of the boredom you are quitting acting
No. I’m stepping aside.

Then step into music
Yeap!

How many years?
12years.

Regrets?
None. Instead I’ve gained experience.

How do you compare with other actors and actresses that broke into limelight with you,I mean Segun Arinze, Ramsey Noah,Pat Attah, Liz Benson and the others?
How do you mean?

Financially.
I am comfortable. I didn’t come to make money. I am acting for the love of it. It is not all about money.

Then how else do you measure the success of an actor.
His use of language,like in spoken English.The general acting itself.The ability to fall into character convincingly,without transferring what one did in one movie to the other.In Nigeria, though,one can have all these yet remain unknown and uncelebrated because of “isms”. You have nepotism, tribalism, sexism, homosexualism, favouritism, and so on and so forth. As an artiste, immortality is the essence.If it is all about material things,then those at Ikoyi and Victoria Island are more successful.Some people call themselves stars because they have one car or the other.I don’t call myself a star till I see myself immortalized like Michael Jackson.

Usually, your roles in movies are similar.Does this have anything to do with your looks?
May be. But I think it lies in the ability to do well in in these roles.Sometimes too I think people have refused to be creative when it comes to assigning roles.

Seeing these movie producers come again and again with the same role ,because of your looks,does face surgery and up-lift ever cross your mind?
Personaly,yes.But Iím sorry for Michael Jackson.

What other roles do you admire and seek?
Pastorial. A pastor,not the bad pastor. You know,this will make one work. And do some research.

So why don’t you tell the shot-callers that bring the scripts to you?
They cast before the script gets to you.

Tell me about tribalism in the industry.
From the Yoruba side of the industry to the English speaking side, tribalism of state of origin determines,as in, influences who gets what. I mean, to a very large extent.They know that I’m South South, I’m J.T. I’m not IK or Emeka,so I get side lined.They bear with people I’m better than. If any one thinks he is better than me, let him come out .They’ll say “shut-up” ten times, the same way in ten different movies. But with all the “Isms” about and tribalism at the centre, all these don’t matter.

But some people have made it and do get good roles, coming from minority tribes.
Boot-lickers.Some of them are boot-lickers and that is no part of me. Iím no boot-licker.

Talk of majority and minority tribes in the industry,what tribe,precisely, makethings difficult for you?
This tribalism comes in different shades and forms.You canít really say.And again, the other ìIsmsî are there helping it run down talented people.

Do you think you would have been more favoured , had people from your tribe invested more in the Nigerian Movie Industry.
Yeap! But even at that, Iíd love to do whatever I get based on merit.

When is your album hitting the stores?
2006

Month?
Not fixed yet.

In what class is your effort?
R and B.

Singing? Rapping? What?
All.

What movie do you regret making?
May be Iíll have to draw a list of like 1 to 20, then see ifI can pick a few.

Which do you admire most?
The World is Mine, directed by Izu Ojukwu.

Do you watch Nigrian movies?
I do, to see how I erred .

What is the biggest problem of the Nigerian Movie Industry?
The NIG factor.N for Nepotism,I for Indiscipline, and G for Greed.They say charity begins at home;Charity don waka o!She took a flight to US last month.

One word to your fans before I say thanks.
To those my fans who have been asking ìWhat happened to J.T.?î , I care, I love you.