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By Rita Okoye
From oil and gas engineering to reality television, art, fitness and social media influencing, Adeolu Okusaga, popularly known as Saga, has continued to reinvent himself since his stint on Big Brother Naija.
In this interview with Sunday Sun, Saga opens up on his journey beyond reality TV, his passion for hyper-realistic art and fitness, the pressure of life in the public eye, and his ambition to take his art to the global stage.
You are a fitness expert, artist and social media influencer. How do you balance these different interests and pursuits?
Balancing my different interests and pursuits requires careful prioritisation and planning. I make it a point to go to the gym six times a week, and during those dedicated hours, I focus solely on my fitness routine without allowing other distractions.
For my social media activities, I plan my content. I usually brainstorm about five pieces of content at a time and dedicate a day or two, often one of my gym rest days, to shooting everything I have planned. This helps me manage my time efficiently and ensures that I consistently create valuable content for my followers.
For my art, I usually reserve my evenings before bed for painting. I dedicate about three to four hours to the creative process, put on music, set the mood, and let my imagination flow onto the canvas.
After that, I make sure I get at least six to seven hours of sleep because I understand the importance of adequate rest, especially for muscle recovery. It is a very tight schedule, so there is not much room for leisure, but I genuinely enjoy what I do. I find fulfilment in my work, and I try to stay positive and have fun while pursuing my different passions.
What are your plans and goals for your art, fitness and social media career?
With my art, I am already working towards sending some of my paintings for international exhibitions. My goal is to move beyond being known simply as “Saga of BBN can draw” and become known as “Saga, the world-renowned artist.”
Eventually, I want to establish my own gallery to showcase the work of Nigerian artists. I also want to develop courses that help young artists build their skills and, ultimately, give them a platform to showcase their work.
For fitness, I am currently working on my YouTube channel. I want to help people understand that they can burn fat and lose weight from the comfort of their homes. Fitness shouldn’t require access to an expensive gym or complicated equipment.
How would you describe your journey in the entertainment industry so far?
My journey has been a rollercoaster ride, filled with highs and lows. Moving from being an engineer to reality television star has been particularly challenging.
When I worked as an engineer, only my boss or colleagues assessed the quality of my work when I submitted a report or completed a project. Now that I am in the public eye, the whole world has an opinion about what I do. That brings an entirely different level of pressure, and I am still learning to navigate it.
I believe every step I take has to be carefully considered because I want some control over how I am perceived. I strongly believe that a good reputation is more valuable than material wealth.
So, I try to leave a positive impact through my social media posts and the energy I bring into different situations. I don’t necessarily conform to the stereotypical image of a typical Lagos boy. I want to make a difference and be remembered for the positive contributions I make.
Your hyper-realistic style of art is well known. What techniques and materials do you use to achieve that effect?
One fundamental technique I use is layering. I build up multiple layers of detail and texture to create depth and realism. It requires a lot of experience, patience and attention to detail because every layer has to be carefully applied to achieve the desired effect.
In terms of materials, I primarily work with charcoal and acrylic on canvas. Charcoal lets me capture intricate shading details and create realistic contrasts, while acrylic gives me vibrant colours and a smooth finish.
For blending and refining details, I use different tools, including cotton buds and paintbrushes. These help me achieve smooth transitions and seamless colour blending.
How has your Nigerian heritage influenced your art and career path?
My Nigerian heritage has profoundly influenced both my art and career path. The richness, diversity and creativity of Nigeria, as well as the wider African culture, are constant sources of inspiration for me.
One thing that particularly stands out in my work is my celebration of black skin. I am fascinated by its beauty and uniqueness, which is why you will rarely find me painting or drawing white people. This comes from my deep appreciation of the beauty and essence of black skin.
I also try to incorporate elements of African culture into my work. Beads, for instance, have a significant place in African culture and can be associated with royalty, spirituality and tradition. Incorporating these elements allows me to tell distinctly African stories through my art and celebrate our heritage, traditions and spirituality.
My Nigerian roots have also influenced my career direction. They have encouraged me to explore and promote African art, culture and identity through my work. I want to help preserve and appreciate African artistic expressions while representing and uplifting my Nigerian heritage.
As an artist and influencer, how do you see your role in shaping conversations around fitness and wellness in Nigeria and beyond?
As I mentioned earlier, my role as an influencer is, first and foremost, to share light and positive energy. The world can be a dark place, and if I have been privileged to occupy a position of influence, I want to use that platform to touch lives positively.
I am not the typical influencer who posts simply for the sake of posting. I try to make most of my content inspirational, relatable and real. I want to create things that the average person can connect with, learn from, or look at and smile.
Ultimately, I want my influence to mean something beyond numbers and followers. If something I share can encourage someone, improve their mood or inspire them to take better care of themselves, then I believe I am using my platform the right way.Do you think the transition from DVD to streaming platforms has affected actors and filmmakers?
Absolutely! YouTube has made it possible for almost everyone to do so. Back then, marketers controlled a large part of the industry. Many movies were being produced in different locations; demand was high, and filmmakers were making movies back-to-back.You cannot compare that period with what we have today. Things have changed significantly. Now, almost everyone is doing YouTube, and there is no centralised system controlling the platform.
You have to invest your own money, and there is no guarantee you will recover it. Back then, we had investors and marketers investing in productions. Today, many creators have to finance their projects themselves. So, yes, the transition has brought significant changes.
You run your own YouTube channel while also featuring in other producers’ projects on the platform. How do you balance your productions with working for others, especially when they could be considered competitors?
I have always believed that we all need one another. This is a business where nobody knows what tomorrow will bring. I could decide to work exclusively for myself, make more money and give all my attention to my own projects. But what happens tomorrow? You cannot remain at the top in one particular space forever. Collaborating with others and working on their projects allows me to build relationships and expand my network. Some of these people are my friends, and the tables could turn tomorrow. Someone who is not as big today could become a major player tomorrow, and I may need that person’s support or collaboration.
For me, it is about exchanging energy, hard work, time and opportunities. YouTube has also made things very demanding. Some people no longer pick up calls or even have time to socialise because everyone is focused on producing their own content. Sometimes, when your phone rings, you almost assume someone is calling to ask you to work for them.
I also shoot between Nigeria and London, so managing everything can be challenging. If I have two months available for work, I still need to dedicate some of that time to my own projects while other people ask me to work with them.
It is a lot, but I try to organise my schedule. I may work with three or four other people while still ensuring that I give more attention to my own brand.
Are you married?
Of course, I’m married.
How long have you been married?
I’ve been married since 2015, so it’s 11 years this year. We have three children.
Is your marriage also the reason you shuttle between Nigeria and London?
Yes. My family is based in London.
The entertainment industry is often associated with controversy and scandals. How have you managed to stay away from major controversies throughout your career?
First of all, I have to thank God. I also want to give a huge shout-out to my wife. When we got married, I told her about something I had observed in the industry. At the time, there was this perception that married actors did not go as far because people believed marriage could reduce your fan base. Some people would tell you not to get married because you needed to maintain a certain lifestyle.
I told my wife, “If this is true, please allow me to be free. I’m not going to misbehave, but where my mates are having fun, allow me to have fun too. If they are travelling, let me travel. If they are hanging out, let me hang out.”
I wanted her to understand that marriage should not prevent me from doing my work or living my life responsibly. I have a very supportive wife. There is hardly anything I do in the industry that I don’t tell her about. In fact, anything you see about me online has, in one way or another, been discussed with my wife.
Even now, I sometimes send her pictures and ask her to check or edit them before I post them. It may sound funny, but that is the kind of bond we have built over the years. Marriage has no universal manual. What works for one couple may not work for another. In my case, it works because I understand the kind of person my wife is. She wants to understand what I do. The only person I really need to explain myself is the woman I have chosen to build my home with. Once I have her understanding and approval, I am comfortable. That is also why many of my female friends have relationships with my wife. I believe that is one of the ways I make her feel comfortable and secure.
Some of your content can be quite suggestive. While some people find it entertaining, others frown at it. How comfortable is your wife with that side of your content?
The suggestive content is something I have always done for fun. Even behind the camera, these are the kinds of things I do naturally, and my friends around me usually laugh about them. I wanted to stand out. I am in a field with so many talented people, and I kept asking myself: “How do you separate yourself from the crowd?” I didn’t want to be known only as an actor. When I started doing that particular style of content, I knew some people would frown at it. But I’m not doing it to pursue women; I am married. I genuinely enjoy creating that kind of content. Most of the expressions and catchphrases I use are things I come up with myself. I wanted to create something distinctive that would work across different platforms and help me stand out from the crowd.
It has worked for me, and I have remained consistent with it. As long as it adds value to my brand and helps me pay my bills, I am comfortable with it.
What role are you still waiting for—the kind of role that if a producer called you tomorrow and offered it to you, it would genuinely excite you?
For the world to see another side of me, I would love to play a dual role, particularly twins with completely different characters, mannerisms and personalities.
I would love to do that in someone else’s project. Perhaps one day, I will also create such a project myself. I want people to see another side of me. Some people knew me when I started as the cool guy, while others only know me from the comedy side of my career. Some people don’t even believe I can play a serious, straight character without trying to be funny because they have already stereotyped me in their minds.
So I would love an opportunity to play two completely different characters in the same project. It would really challenge me as an actor.
Which of your recent projects should your fans look out for? You recently released a movie with Sarah Martins.
Yes, Sarah Martins is a fantastic actor. We recently worked together on a movie titled Couple in Power.
Everyone, please watch it and support the film. It is an amazing project, and the chemistry between the cast is great. It is available on Nosa Rex TV.
What advice would you give someone who is starting out and hopes to achieve as much as you have in the industry?
First, I would tell them to hold firmly to God. Then, they must believe in themselves and never hold back. There are many talented people who are afraid to put themselves out there. Some don’t even know how to use social media to their advantage. If you want to be an actor and I visit your social media page, I should be able to see something that shows me what you can do.
Record yourself. Create content. Do something different and post it. Tag producers and industry professionals. If you don’t sell yourself, nobody else will sell you.
That was how I started Baba Rex TV. Nobody was giving me comedy roles, so I created my own platform. I started it to prove to the world that I could be funny. That was all.
My advice is simple: don’t hold yourself back. Leave your comfort zone. If certain friends are holding you back, distance yourself from them. They will eventually understand because there are dream killers everywhere.
Once you believe in yourself, go after your dreams. Surround yourself with the right people and bring out whatever talent you have. Like I always say, “Na wetin you sabi do go put food for your table.”
