Twenty years old boss of the Ilorin based Jumshanty Production, Halimah Jumoke Abdul Wahab stands as a strong hope for greater days ahead for Nigeria, she is full of talents, potentials and ideas. AKINLOLU ABAYOMI had a chat with the promising young Nigerian, Jumoke Abdul Wahab, who has made good impacts in the sports and movie circles in her two decades on the planet earth. Read On…
You are a graduate of Mass Communications; what really would you say inspired you 
into acting?
I would say it is inborn and a lot of inspiration also came through my role model, Funke Akindele. Yeah, seeing her on the screen developed the acting thing in me but then I realized I don’t like seeing my face on the screen, so I decided to be behind the screen directing and editing. However, I have found myself taking up roles; so I am an actress too.
You are mainly involved in directing and editing?
Yes, presently.
How has it been?
Very challenging! Very challenging.. In fact, it has not been easy getting the work and the idea. In fact, the idea is the main thing. Getting that unique idea is not easy and for the fact that I’m working with kids and teenagers, it has not been easy at all.
If I may ask; why the interest in kids and teenagers and why not the adults?
Not like I don’t work with adults at all, I do. But I just have a lot of interest in kids. I love kids a lot, because while growing up; I realized that nobody understood me as a kid. I was kind of always being on my own (laughs) thinking about one thing or the other and it’s like I’m invisible to every other
person around me. So due to that reason, I take a lot of interest in kids because I don’t want them to feel away from the world. I love to pay attention to whatever they are doing even if I see kids alone in a corner; I would call them all and start up something. That was what inspired the first movie I did which was titled ‘The Family’.
Do you mean you already knew your potentials and ideas even as a kid?
Yes, to the Glory of God.
How were you able to get such ideas and potentials tapped? Have you got the ideas exhausted or you still have a lot in abundance?
I have lots of ideas; it feels as if the ideas fight themselves on my head. I multi-task, I do a lot of things aside movies and photography, I act once in a while, and sports also so, talking about ideas they fight for attention most of the time, if it’s sports, I play lots of sports (laughs).
Have you gone professional in any of the sports?
Yes, badminton, I had an award for that in secondary school, shot-put also, and when I travelled to Cyprus for my master’s degree I participated in a basketball competition for Nigeria which we took third place at and I also received a medal for that. I played in the FUTSAL competition, that’s indoor football. I also participated for Nigeria and we took third place and I have a medal for that as well.
Can we have an insight into the potentials that are not yet revealed or tapped?
Presently movies, I can’t really say….I can’t say right now. I can’t let it out (laughs). It is supposed to be a surprise.
Have you had any movie to your credit?
Yes, ‘The Secret’ and ‘Eji Gbojo’.
Sports, acting which one would you say is more challenging?
Film making and directing is actually more challenging but with Divine support, things are got eased.
Why the choice of Funke Akindele as your role model?
Oh my God! Since I was in primary school I look forward to seeing her on the screen in the series “I Need To Know”. I practically love and adore her.
Have you ever met her?
I have never. It’s my wish to meet her though. I really do hope to meet her.
Can you tell us about yourself?
My name is Halima Jumoke Abdulwahab A.K.A Jumshanty and that’s also my production name. I’m from the Balogun Ajikobi family of Ilorin.
Yeah, I grew up in Abuja before moving down to Ilorin and my studies up till secondary
level were in Abuja. I read Mass Communications at Al-Ikhmah University and later left the country for my Masters Degree at the Eastern Mediterranean University, North Cyprus. I just graduated last month. I’m back home in the country and instead of relaxing, (laughs) I have been working on this particular movie ‘Parental Laxity’. Formerly, it was called ‘Parental Device’ but I thought about portraying the movie from the title for better understanding. It would be out soon. I plan releasing it via YouTube so that people can easily source it and learn some lessons from the film particularly the youth. It is not really for monetary gains, it is a kind of giving back to the society.
