Prioritise mastery over validation, Gabriel Afolayan advises actors

The increasing visibility of Yoruba-language films is a natural result of sustained effort, according to popular actor and singer Gabriel Afolayan. He stated that the industry's consistency, hard work, and dedication are finally yielding the expected dividends.

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There is nothing strange about it because we have put in the work. If one works hard, one should get the dividends for it. If we are seeing the feedback, it’s worth it.

"There is nothing strange about it because we have put in the work. If one works hard, one should get the dividends for it. If we are seeing the feedback, it’s worth it," Afolayan said, emphasizing that the positive reception is a deserved outcome of their labor.

Explaining his nickname, Gabbylucciii, the actor shared that 'Lucci' signifies leadership, ambition, and being at the top, while 'Gabby' is a shortened form of his name, Gabriel. He views his nickname as a reflection of both his identity and his aspirations within the entertainment industry.

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Lucci means leader, Luciano, boss…someone at the top. And Gabby is coined from my name, Gabriel.

Afolayan also touched upon the challenges of his roles, noting that each character presents unique demands and creative pressures. He approaches acting as a continuous learning process, with different roles requiring distinct mindsets, research, and approaches. "All the roles stretch me... I am a student of the art and I am still learning as well," he remarked.

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All the roles stretch me. Maybe I don’t take things to heart too much. I see it for what it is and do it for what it should be. I am a student of the art and I am still learning as well, so for me everything is quite challenging. Different roles have different landscapes of approach. The thoughts, the mindset, the research; they are always on different levels. So you can’t really say this is above the other. I put myself through everything I have to go through to achieve every role.

He advised fellow creatives to prioritize mastery over external validation. "Just love what you do, you can’t be scheming. Understand what you are supposed to do and do it. Let the audience give you the feedback. Yours is to get into the character, give it what it needs and let the audience feed you back on that," Afolayan concluded.

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Just love what you do, you can’t be scheming. Understand what you are supposed to do and do it. Let the audience give you the feedback. Yours is to get into the character, give it what it needs and let the audience feed you back on that.