The transformation of Bosede Olufunke Ogunboye aka Lepaious Bose from a big African woman to a slim lady with 18 -waist size was a development that demanded discipline and consistence.
From mid 2015 to the end of that year, the only thing bothering Lepacious Bose was her prophetic pronouncement of being a Lepa. During that year, she worked assiduously to achieve a weight loss in this part of the world without medical or surgical remedy but purely with a combined exercise and dietary control. The media was awash with how she lost 70kg in a year. GBENGA AGBOOLA spoke with the comedienne and she spoke on her plan for 2016 and the prospect of comedy industry in 2016.
What should your fans expect in 2016?
I don’t know. Every day, new things come up and I have just been nominated for African Magic Viewers’ Award in two different categories. In 2016, my fans should expect more acting and more movies. I am glad that I was nominated in different categories – one was in comedy and the other was purely in acting, drama. So, I will want them to look out for a new Bose, different from the comedienne but a multi-talented person, who can do other things apart from comedy.
Were you really bothered about your weight then?
Well, I was bothered but it was a blessing. So, I took advantage of the blessing for as long as I could and when I knew I have played this card long enough, I decided to do something about it. I don’t think there is any fat person that is never bothered; no matter how you carry yourself, no matter how beautiful you are, no matter how well dressed you are, you will always see other people with average size and you will think about it. You will worry about it sometimes. Yes, I was worried, I was bothered and at the same time it was a blessing, it depends on which side of the coin I was looking at every point in time.
What was your most memorable day in 2015?
I don’t know but I think it was the first day I tucked-in. I wore a skirt and blouse. I tucked-in and it looked normal. For me, everyday is memorable; it’s a blessing to be alive. Every day, something good happens, something different happens, something that makes you appreciate God more. I don’t have any particular memorable day because if I tell you one day is memorable, by the time I drive out there, I will remember another day. I have a lot of memorable days. A lot of beautiful experiences and memories, like the day I was in the plane and I used the seat belt for the first time without an extension. That was a memorable day for me. So, it depends on what I am looking at and where I am coming from. The first day I sat and crossed my legs was memorable for me. All my life, I could not cross my legs because my legs were too fat, I could not lift one over the other. So, the things you look at everyday as normal for other people are not normal for me. So, when I experienced them, it was a memorable moment for me.
You move around with a group of upcoming comedians, what is it all about?
They are just young comedians trying to have their own platform as well as doing their own things. They need somebody to take them out and do their own thing. It is not necessarily that we are a team or anything. They are just young guys who want to get to the next level. And, God has given me that platform, so why don’t I give them the privilege to use my platform to rise up. These are things we don’t have people to do for us but I do for them. God has been good, you might take them to a place and someone called you later to say “Lepacious Bose, I have an event and I can’t afford you but send one of your boys”. And like that, they can have their own platform and rise to stardom. So, that is what I am doing, I am giving them opportunities to express themselves and invite other people to see what they can do. It also gives me the privilege to be a boss for a little time, to just sit down and take a back step and see how the things go. It also gives me the opportunity to also learn from the younger people.
What is the prospect for comedy industry in 2016?
The comedy industry is going to be more competitive in 2016, because the younger ones are hungry, these guys are desperate, these guys are talented and ready. You know, they have nothing to lose but everything to gain. They are determined to give it all their best. All I can say to the older hands is to watch out. The young ones are not joking, they are not smiling. These guys are eager to come out. The older ones too will want to pay bills, so they will not sit down. The industry will be more competitive and I look forward to it. I work better with guys; that is why I have these guys.
