On this week’s of Bold & Beautiful, Akinmoyeje Precious interviewed Toluwanini Oni, a pulchritudinous thespian-in-training and model. She spoke to us on people, phonography, life, and the concept of change. Enjoy!

Hello. Can we meet you?

Hi, I am Toluwanimi Adeyeni Oni, a 300-level student of Theatre Arts, Faculty of Arts, University of Ibadan. I’m an aspiring photographer, a face model and a music lover.

Oh! All your engagements seem to be geared towards arts, what motivates your interest in the arts?

I would say everything does. I love reading novels and I saw the arts as a way of reading more books, then photography came along and Theatre called me. I just felt arts had a beautiful way of portraying life and I went for it!

Alright! What major changes have occurred in your life that is worth mentioning? Maybe in your identity, religion, anything? 

Okay, I do not know if this is worth mentioning but I think the most important life-changing decision I have made in my life is communication with people; building relationships with people. I am someone that went to different schools while growing up and it kind of like you know dulled my relationships with people, I had no expectations; I had no interests in knowing people because I felt why should I bother if I can’t maintain the relationship. I wasn’t using a phone or was on any social media; I started using social media when I entered UI. So like I wasn’t on any platform where I could continue my relationship with these people. When I got to school in 100 level, I still had issues relating with people because of the way I had always been doing but it just got to a point, I was like babe! This is like 4 years and these people are there. I just had to build relationships. Career wise, I am in a place where I need people. I think the realisation of the fact that I need people and that people are such interesting creatures like interesting.. I think it was “good” actually for me. (Laughs) I don’t know if it’s significant but yeahhh that and also viewing the world through the lens of a camera.. Damn!! Like, it’s a beautiful thing. Yes o, I think that’s it. Thank you.

And yeahhh, I remember now… when I got to be a creator for Creative Mortal – a page on IG – where I create phonography (taking pictures with my phones). It was there I knew that, as I said, people are amazing, there is no idea, there is no thought that other people have not thought of. It’s like anywhere you just need help, you need to do research or anything just go online and you would see them. For instance, I am really passionate about photography and I have not gotten a camera yet, I had not started anything on it, I was sure there were people like me that are actually interested. So, what exactly are they doing to fuel their passion? Then I came across another gadget which is the phone. Then, this page came up – Creative Mortal – and told me to be a creator for them and I got to meet people, like big phonographers and it’s nice like Oh my God!! I am very excited.

How did your circumstantial introverted behavior affect you initially?

I am trying to process this. I think it affected me …because, I can’t ….I channelled most of my thoughts to myself. Everything was just to me alone, and like I said I love reading books. Everything I did was like books, music, movies and that was it then. If I had any new Idea, anything I wanted to say, anything I wanted to do, I’d just go straight to my mum and my younger brother and just talk to them instead. But for me to talk to someone….. I don’t know if I am interpreting this question well but It did not really affect me per say apart from my relationship with people. I just can’t open up well to people and I keep it inside until I forget about it or explode sometimes.

Moving away from the “introverted” you, what major projects or brands have you worked on or with?

I am the social media manager for BlackNGrey. They are wonderful filmmakers. And I’ve got this brand called Creative_Mortals on IG where I post about Phonographs. Oh! And every makeup artists I’ve modeled for.

So, moving on, do you think Male Privilege is a thing?

Yes, I think it is a thing.

Has it in any way affected you as an individual? Do you have any experience with it?

It has not. I want to be known for my worth.

So, if you have the opportunity to change anything at all, what would that be?

Right now, I’d scrap online classes.

Why is that?

Learning from the comfort of your home would have been a dream come true but with poor electricity, terrible network… it’s just ridiculous.

Alright, where do you see yourself in the next five years?

In the next five years, the name Toluwanimi Oni will be a household name as a creative director and a photographer.

Finally, you have anything you want to say to people out there?

Be your biggest fan. Hype yourself. Always make a toast to yourself. Tell yourself well-done and that you will do better. Never downplay any of your achievements. And always make time for chocolates!

If people wanted to reach you, how best could they do that?

I’m Toluwanimi_Oni on Instagram and my WhatsApp number is 08090523048.