popular Actor,Saidi Balogun Set To Re-marry His Ex-wife,Fathia balogun,After Nine Years of Marriage Crash

In interview with Encomium. He talked about his fiancee,
relationship with ex-wife Fathia Balogun, See below;
2015 has just begun, what are your plans for the year?
My plan is to expand my bu
siness, repackage myself and move forward.
Saidi Balogun's children
Do you subscribe to the fact that there is poverty in the industry as some
people are saying?
Yes, that’s why you see some of our people running helter skelter,
campaigning for all these politicians. But there is one question we have
all not asked and that’s what makes American artistes donate to
politicians and what’s making we the actors asking from politicians here
in Nigeria? I must tell you the truth, that’s the main issue on ground
unaddressed.
Every member of National Assembly has not made any reasonable law on
piracy which has devoured the industry. So, there is poverty in the
industry, I won’t lie. If there is not, you won’t see our people flocking
around all these politicians, campaigning, singing and dancing for them. I
saw a candidate being surrounded by some of our colleagues, I now said to
myself, “If this man eventually wins, how many actors or musicians will
he remember?”
Although, some are doing it, to make ends meet. And it’s sad because
we’re stars. I think we’re supposed to be worshipped, not worshipping
others. Even if a governor holds your hand, he is supposed to be happy.
But now, the reverse is the case. If you have been following the trend
concerning me as a person, I have campaigned for many governors.
Just to talk of South-West alone, and not other parts of the country. I
campaigned for Kwara State governor, Dr. Abdulfatah Ahmed, he won. I
campaigned for Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, he also won. Equally, I
campaigned for Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, he won as well. Yet, I am still
hustling. I think you can decode something from the point I am trying to
make. And I am one of the old-young guys, we have been following
politicians for long. Old in the sense that old in the political scene, I have
been into that for more than 20 years, but age wise, I am still young. Even,
the new actors are still coming in joining the train, I still remain an old
guy doing the hustling thing.
That means you are also doing it to make ends meet at times?
No, that’s not true. Let me give you an example, Dr. Abdulfatah Ahmed
and I were close before he became the governor of Kwara State. I know
the way he thinks and acts. He was in PDP. Also Mimiko was in Labour
Party, I followed him. And Aregbesola was in Action Congress which
later became All Progressives Congress (APC), I also followed him. And
Dr. Ahmed came out as APC candidate in Kwara State, I was also with
him. Any moment they change the vision I know them with, I won’t
follow them again. But thank God, Aregbesola has not derailed, so also
Dr. Ahmed.
But you can’t say your romance with them has not earned you anything at
all…
(Cuts in) Definitely, if you meet them, they will help you in their own
little way and no matter how small they give you as an individual, you
don’t complain because the money belongs to the state. It’s not meant for
you alone. Let me give you an example, every other governor I have
campaigned for knows that Aregbesola is like my father, and I love him so
much. Mimiko and Ahmed know this very well. So, if you and I go to
Aregbesola for a favour, he would attend to you first. He would say Saidi,
sit down, you’re my son, let me attend to this guy first. If I even get N10b
now, I still have to consult him. They all help me the little way they can
but not as rosy as people expect. You too can imagine all the big names I
have just mentioned, I think I should have been a billionaire now but I
believe you know part of my story.
That means I don’t identify with them for their money. Let me give you
another clear example, everybody knows that Governor Ajimobi of Oyo
State and I are from the same family lineage in Ibadan, Oyo State. The
day he saw me, he said you have a choice, it’s either you follow our elder
brother or you follow me. But to be honest, Ajimobi has done so well in
Oyo State generally. He is the first politician that would always say, “I
am a professional in politics but not a professional politician. I mean well
for my people. This campaign or elections shouldn’t be a do or die affair.”
 And he also made a very salient point in his campaign, he told the crowd
that if he is giving them money how will he be able to embark on all the
projects they are enjoying today?
 So, they should not complain if he doesn’t share money like other
politicians may be doing. And those who saw me with him concluded that
I am only working for my brother, and not about money. So, if I should
go to him and ask for N5m or whatever, he would ask if I am stupid
because he expects me to understand that he is working for the entire
people of Oyo State, not for the family.
His estranged wife, Fathia
Would you say piracy is the only thing that has contributed immensely to
poverty in the movie industry?
Yes. Let me give you an example, I produced You or I, which gulped
millions of naira. Thanks to all the companies that supported me one way
or the other. They were all there to take the movie to that level. Banks
were there, we still owe them…and they pirated the movie. We can’t even
pay back the banks till now. I am dying, I must be honest. So, if I cannot
afford to pay the banks for the flick I shot, how would I be able to donate
to politicians? That’s why I constantly advise my colleagues campaigning
for those vying for the Senate or House of Representatives to drum it to
their ears that if they eventually win and even elected into a committee of
culture, they should help pass a law against piracy so that we can all make
it, instead of collecting peanuts from them.
So, what you’re saying now is that despite the kind of publicity You or I
enjoyed, you didn’t make any profit at all on it?
I can’t deceive you, my brother. No profit at all. As co-executive producer
of the movie, I can tell you authoritatively we didn’t make any profit.
How much did you spend on the movie?
We spent about N18m and we didn’t recoup N1m out of the money spent
because the movie was pirated. So, how will you survive in that kind of
situation? And You or I is first of its kind. I am the only black while other
cast are all white, which made a lot of statement in the industry. How will
you now be encouraged to invest your money in any movie again? I
wanted to release the movie on a Monday, they brought pirated copies to
me on Saturday. I almost ran mad. My mom brought it home for me to
see and she was crying. Now, I have another movie, The Rider, the
executive producer of the movie has been on my neck but afraid of
releasing it because of the nefarious activities of pirates. I told him if he
has another person that can sell it well so that he can make his money, he
could discuss with me. I have learnt a bitter lesson about You or I, and
can’t allow such a thing to repeat itself.
Let’s digress a little, what’s the truth about a social media report that you
and your estranged wife are planning to reconcile?
All I know is that bloggers just write whatever they like. That’s their
style. I don’t care and that can’t bother me at all. It’s people like you that
practice investigative journalism, not because I am with you, that’s why I
am saying that. You ask before putting your pen on paper. And that’s the
kind of professionalism we need if you want to know the truth. Some
bloggers would just post anything on their blogs to gain more traffic
thinking they can push people like you aside. But that’s not possible
because you’re a professional. I, Saidi Balogun, my vision and mission
are different this year. All I am after now, is how I can move my career
forward, not one woman or the other. My marital issue is private and I
don’t discuss it publicly. I don’t know where they got the information.
But a lot of your fans are expecting that you should have remarried, what
is causing the delay?
They should just let the issue rest. I have said it, I have gotten someone to
marry and they should let the issue end there. It’s my private life and
should be treated as such.