MY STAGE NAME ‘ASEWO TO RE MECCA’ HAS BROUGHT SHAME TO ME – ACTRESS TOYIN ADEGBOLA

Top actress, Toyin Adegbola (fondly referred to as Asewo To Re Mecca) was born to the family of late Mr. & Mrs. Babatope over 40 years ago and bred in Offa, Kwara State. She attended Methodist Primary School in Offa and her set happened to be the last in Kwara State. Her family moved to Osogbo where she attended Saint Augustine in Inisha very close to Ikirun in Osun State.

Despite the level of fame and fortune she has earned herself in the last three decades as an actress, Nigeria’s Yoruba actress, Toyin Adegbola popularly known as ‘Asewo To Re Mecca’ has lamented the stigma she has had to contend with over the word ‘Asewo’ in her name, which translates into ‘prostitute’ in English language.

In a recent interview, the actress noted that over the years, she has struggled with the irony of bearing a name, which brought her fame yet has seen her explaining to her kids even when they were teenagers why she is called a prostitute.

In the movie, the actress played the role of a repentant prostitute who embarked on holy pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia.

Can you believe that several years down the line and with three grown kids, I am still being widely referred to as ‘Ajoke Asewo T’o Re Mecca’ or ‘Toyin Asewo To Re Mecca’ and despite many attempts at some point to rename myself… I have termed the whole thing my destiny because sometimes when I think about it, I just give praises and thanks to God, because I wasn’t the only person who played the role of a notorious prostitute in the movie.

In fact, a beautiful colleague, Sola Sobowale was also in it. She introduced me to prostitution but the name has only stuck with me because that is the way God wanted it for me. I don’t have any problems with the name because my children are all grown and they know it’s only a moniker and not a true expression of their mother. I have been to Jerusalem and I have done so well for myself, so it’s just a name that comes with the job,” she said.