How Coronavirus Pandemic Lockdown Benefited Omotola Jalade
The coronavirus pandemic has changed the world and affected life as we know it. In fact, as at 2nd June, 2020, there are 10819 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Nigeria although 3239 have been discharged. However, 314 deaths have been recorded, according to the NCDC. In a recent interview with City People’s Senior Editor, WALE LAWAL, Omotola Jalade shares her pains and her fears of the dreaded virus. The actress also disclosed she benefited from the lockdown.
Omotola also said the lockdown gave her the opportunity to bond with her family even though they were only three together. Omotola also said for the first time in years, she listened to her own music.
When quizzed on the benefit of the lockdown to her, Omotola Jalade said;
Yes, I will admit it did afford us the opportunity to spend more time together, unlike before when we didn’t have the luxury of spending that much time together. So, with the pandemic, you have to be around each other whether you like it or not. We bonded more, we did more stuff together, I just wish the whole family was back home, it would’ve been more fun. It would’ve been a really good holiday. But it was just the three of us and we made the best of our time. We are still making the best of it and bonded, even more, I would say. I think one of the greatest things that have happened to me out of this bonding time has been my return to music. You know, you might think about it and say you want to go back to music, but the truth is you have to be in the vibe, you have to feel the magic, it has to happen to you. You have to feel excited again. And even though I’ve always loved music, and like I always say, it’s always been my first love, but I must confess I just wasn’t inspired to go back to music even though I’ve always been thinking about it. But during the lockdown period, from the minute I did that live with my son, Captain E, it changed a lot of things in me which I didn’t even realize. See, for the first time in years, I was listening to my song. He played my song on that live and the feedback I got was awesome.
I think I’m going to start doing more of live now. Back in the day, I used to a lot of live performances with my band. I had my own band back then. But I allowed myself to forget all of that. The live I did with Captain E that day brought all of that back. And since that day, the passion for music has returned. And after that, I did another session with my band and then I realized, oh, my God, it’s my 25th year anniversary. So, I’m glad my music is coming back and with my 25 years anniversary just around the corner and my son has started helping me to put my music online. Before now, I didn’t care much about putting my music online. He, my son, is a guru. Captain E is a guru, that boy is a genius. He’s a music powerhouse. He promotes his songs, he distributes them, he writes them. He’s always working. It’s either he produces music, or he’s behind the scene like handling the distribution, talking to international agents around the world. Watching him work just inspired me and I asked him if he could distribute my song online and he did that. And as soon as he did that, everything just started coming together. So, musically, I’m back, which is doing my music the way I want to do it.
That’s really great to hear. Now, looking back the last couple of months, what would you say is that one big lesson that Covid-19 has taught you about life?
Covid-19 has changed the way we all look at life forever, whether we like it or not. One of the biggest lessons for me is the rate at which it happened and on the scale that it happened. We are talking about an enemy that you couldn’t see. I mean, I lost my cousin in February, I did my birthday in February and my cousin was at my birthday in London. We had a very amazing time. He didn’t have Covid, but he died as a result of Covid. And it just brings to the fore how very fragile life could be. Who would’ve imagined that something like this would happen and the so-called first world countries would be the most affected? Everyone was thinking, oh, they would stop it before it gets to America, they’ll stop it before it gets to London, but see how things have turned out. So, it’s also taught me that everything you think you know, maybe you don’t know. I mean, till now there’s still no cure. It has taught me that, at the end of the day, we are truly at God’s mercy. As much as we think that we’re much advanced, we’re so in charge, we’re really not that much in charge, that’s the truth. And it is such a privilege to be here because, really, anyone who has survived Covid, it’s not because we’re so careful, we’re just fortunate. Presidents were affected.
People who had great money have died. People who could’ve bought their lives over have died. People who are more intelligent, more important, more powerful, have died. At the end of the day, you just realize that there’s really no safety blanket. Now, I’m beginning to see life in a really different way. Right now, I feel like, you should do whatever you want to do because you just may never know what happens tomorrow. Life and chance happens to us all. If you have that great idea, don’t wait, give it a shot, you just can never tell. Do what you want to do, give it your all and be thankful for today that you have. The same breath that you breathe today, people are paying a lot of money just to take one sniff of it. People were paying a lot of money looking for Ventilators to buy. Seriously, it was weird, the whole world was looking for Ventilators. America, the most powerful country in the world, was looking for Ventilators to buy for people to breathe. If you don’t get the magnitude of the situation we’re faced with, then you can never get it. People were looking to pay any amount of money to just breathe. So, for me, it’s a privilege to still be here, to be able to breathe this free air and life that God has given us and to not take things too seriously, to be less judgemental and to just be you. Cherish the people around you and the moment that you have.”
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