Popular Nigerian actor, Deyemi Okanlawon, has revealed that he is yet to receive any of the ‘serious awards’ in the country despite being in Nollywood for a long time.
Okanlawon said that although he is not being recognised by award organisers in the country, he remains focused, as he is fond of encouraging himself.
The seasoned thespian who spoke in a recent interview with Hip TV, noted that if an award eventually comes, he would accept it but won’t allow the validation of awards to define him.
According to the actor, if he were the type of person who feels hurt by such developments, he would have been self reflecting and questioning why he is yet to receive a significant award.
He said that with all his achievements, he can comfortably look in the mirror and congratulate himself. He also said he has learnt to appreciate compliments instead of deflecting them.
Okanlawon said: “I have never won any of the serious awards in Nigeria. I have been around [in the entertainment industry] for long enough that if I were the type of person to feel a certain way, I would have been like, ‘Why had I not been awarded this or that?’
“The truth is, I can look into my mirror and congratulate myself. I have done this all my life. And if recognition or validation comes from somewhere else, I will take it graciously. In fact, I had to learn to take compliments instead of deflecting them. Validation shouldn’t define you. If anything, my presence should validate an award, not the other way round.”
