Her name Modupe Mariah Johnson might not ring a bell in the ears of
Nollywood enthusiasts especially those of the Yoruba movie genre but
just mention “Faliwerepe” and you see heads turning in her direction.
Who gave you the name Faliwerepe and how did it stick to you?
The name Faliwerepe came through the famous Yoruba soap of the late 80s and early 90s titled “Bata Wahala” by Ajimajasan.
That soap had a very interesting storyline of a man who married 27 wives and I happen to be the last wife and I was the most troublesome and cantankerous in the house hold. And because of my cantankerous nature I was tagged as Faliwerepe which came from my name Falilat in the soap.
People started calling me Fali-Werepe, meaning that I am troublesome and very, very prone to anger and all sort of things known to people ofthat nature. Werepe is a plant that once it touches your body, you will just be troubled all day long. So, in a nutshell, I got the name fromAjimajasan’s film Bata Wahala (The crisis laden shoe)
In a recent chat with City People, Faliwerepe who became famous after her role in the famous Batawahala
Yoruba soap opera of the late 80s and early 90s, talked about her career, her family and so much more.
What would you say
are the major challenges of being a veteran actress especially with the
emergence of young actresses all over town?
I can’t say one is outdated in stuff, you can not be taken out of your own stuff; there will never be two Faliwerepe, there will never be two Iyabo-Oko, there will never be two Mama Rainbow, you are what you are by the special grace of God. Yes, we reinvent ourselves because change is the only thing that will last a decade or a century.
And for those emerging girls, we also try to educate them and put them through; life
can never be rich without the advice of the elderly. You must listen to those who have seen it earlier before you, that is why God made it for us to have our fathers and mothers before we become adults.
Talking about being a veteran actress, I will say that does not affect my stuff as an actress but in terms of make up, I am above 50 and at times, when your body is aging, things you do as a young person might start eluding you.
For instance, I like laying my eye lash as a young girl but now, if I try doing it the thing will just slip up and become a total mess, so what I do is that I go along with my make-up artiste anywhere I go.