Mr Macaroni surprised me with ₦1m after our film — Peter Fatomilola

File: Chief Peter Fatomilola

Veteran Yoruba actor, Peter Fatomilola, has recounted how skit maker and actor, Debo Adedayo, popularly known as Mr Macaroni, surprised him with ₦1m after they worked on a film together.

Fatomilola said the payment came despite the fact that he had not negotiated a fee with Mr Macaroni before taking part in the production.

He disclosed this in an upcoming interview with African A-List, also known as AfricanaList, while speaking about his experiences in the entertainment industry.

The veteran actor recalled an earlier encounter with Mr Macaroni at a film location in Fiditi, Oyo State, where he had completed two scenes.

According to him, he was paid ₦50,000 for the job, while Mr Macaroni gave him ₦200,000 for fuel as he prepared to leave the location.

Fatomilola said, “Help me greet Mr Macaroni, Debo Macaroni, Daddy Wa. Since I started working in the industry, for example in Oyo, at a Fiditi location, I finished quickly.

“He asked, ‘Uncle Fat, are you done?’ I said yes, and that I was leaving.

“It was just two scenes. He escorted me to the car and said, ‘Let me give you money for fuel.’ The money wasn’t less than ₦200,000. The person I came to work for paid me ₦50,000.”

He said the gesture stood out to him and was followed by another invitation from Mr Macaroni to work on a project in Lekki, Lagos.

Fatomilola said he travelled to Lagos and waited to be called on set, only to discover that he would be acting alongside another veteran actor, Pete Edochie.

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He said, “He contacted me and said, ‘I’ll be expecting you in Lekki tomorrow for a job.’ So I had to go.

“When we got there, I was waiting for them to give me a role, to call me on set, not knowing I was only called to play one role.

“What I saw was Peter to Peter — Pete Edochie and Peter Fatomilola. We both did the film, and he said we were done. He said I had satisfied him. I said okay.”

According to Fatomilola, Mr Macaroni subsequently gave ₦100,000 to his son and ₦50,000 to his grandchild.

He said the payments made him suspect that he would also receive money, although he and Mr Macaroni had not agreed on a fee for his role.

“Then he called my son and gave him ₦100,000. My grandchild, the other person’s child, he gave him ₦50,000. That was when I became suspicious that I’d be given money. That I’d be given money,” he said.

When asked whether the money given to his son and grandchild was part of the payment for his work, Fatomilola said they had never negotiated a fee.

The actor said he only discovered the amount Mr Macaroni had sent after they left the location in Lekki.

He recalled asking, “How much did he send?”

According to Fatomilola, the response was ₦1m. “₦1m!” he said.