This is the concluding part of Queen John’s Off The Court basketball moments with Femi Adekanye, who plays for Kwara Falcons
• So are you passing a message across that you might not play in Nigeria next year?
*laughs* I am not sure yet but if I am around, I’ll love to play for Africa Basketball League, ABL. Last season I saw some of their clips and I love what I saw. I think it is more challenging though I am not saying the NBBF is not doing a good job.
• You have an 8 or 9 Months break between seasons, what Do You Do During This Period? I Am Curious To Know What Basketball Players Do With Their Time During The Off Season
For me I do a lot of stuff and I think outside basketball I love photography and I love looking good which brings me to modelling,
For these past months, I have been doing more of modelling outside basketball. When I used to play for Mark Mentors, some group of people came up with an initiative called “Basketball Meets Fashion” BMF, influenced by a basketball player turned fashion designer named Raphael.
They signed me up as their brand ambassador to showcase how basketball players dress outside the court. From there, I went to Lagos for a job with a magazine called 247 after they saw my pictures somewhere and loved it.
• How did You Start Modelling?
That was… let me see….. I finished from the university in 2011 and I didn’t go for national service immediately… I went for my youth service program in 2012 so I started modelling in 2011. I have done lots of runway but not as much as TV commercials.
I was attracted to modelling and photography at a very tender age. I love striking different postures on the mirror. My sisters and friends even people I meet do talk about how I look like a model, my charisma and I was encouraged to go into modelling by a friend of mine who is also a model. At the initial time, I was reluctant or may be shy and just to stop her from encouraging me, I told her I could not afford to pay for my photo session. To my greatest surprise, she paid for my photo session, registered me at Black dove modelling agency and since then I never looked back.
• What was your first official job?
My first job was a Glo Tv commercial, it was done with Psquare
• How Much Were You Paid?
Two hundred and fifty thousand naira
• Which Is More Lucrative Basketball Or Modelling?
Both have their advantage and disadvantage. You get paid for a modelling job for a day which is a month salary in basketball but basketball is on a salary basis.
I think Modelling pays more than basketball but it depends on the period. For basketball, apart from the salary you get bonus, traveling allowance so that brings you money which is for a period of time as well.
• That Means You Were Doing Basketball And Modelling. Didn’t It Affect Your Basketball In Any Way?
Yea it did……. ……. I just started modelling again after I stopped in 2012 because I had to go for service and then play for Oluyole Warriors and you can’t mix basketball with any other thing because every now and then we are always on the road, the stress and the rigorous training and as a model you need to look good at all times and not looking stressed. So it was difficult for me to combine both and I found myself playing basketball and leaving modelling.
• What Are The Challenges You Face In Modelling?
In the modelling world you have to be gay friendly and we were made to understand that most fashion designers are gay so you have to tolerate them for a good working relationship, they even hit on you sometimes but if you cannot condole them it will be a big problem for you.
• But do you get advances from them?
Yes I do, a lot. The good thing is that I am a friendly person so I have a good interpersonal relationship with people so I have found my way around them.
Like my first experience was with a well-known fashion designer who is gay. Sorry I can’t mention names.
Okay go ahead.
The guy who introduced me to him , is also a well know runway model warned me to be gay friendly so I’ll know what to do if he hits on me which actually happened when I went to see him in his office. “It’s either you are in or out, either it’s a yes or no”, and when I said no, he didn’t give me the job and walked me out of his office. That was enough reason to give up on modelling but I didn’t.
• What About Advances From The Opposite Sex?
Yeah I think I have experienced some but most times I work with the male folks.
Another challenge is that modelling jobs are spontaneous. They expect you at the venue or event or photo shoot and location as soon as possible. And sometimes when you get the job, you don’t get paid immediately till weeks or months after the job.
• What About Your Acting Career?
I was in” Okon Goes To School” produced eight years ago and the recent one I did was a TV series called….” This Thing Called Marriage” I was in the second episode.
• Is There Anything You Can Place Your Hand Into If It Is Not Acting, Modelling Or Basketball?
I would probably be teaching; may be creative studies. *laughs*
• Where Do See Yourself In The Next Few Years In All Your Profession?
I see myself acting in Hollywood. I’m not looking at Nigeria. I have a very big dream and when I tell people they laugh about it. I like things that challenge me and it’s only the music industry that is doing really well in Nigeria.
For basketball, I still want to play ABL. And one regret if am going to end basketball now, is that I did not represent Nigeria .I might still play in the Nigerian league next season and I believe if I work so hard I might get the opportunity to play in the national team.
And for modelling, I see myself getting to that level where you look around you see my picture, billboard, poster, calendar that’s how passionate I am.
• What Will You Advise People Who Want To Do So Many Things Especially The Basketball Players?
Education is key. I think first things first you have to educate yourself. If I was not educated I won’t have gotten so many jobs because you get a job through interaction with people, interviews and have a mind-set to know what you want to do.
QUEEN JOHN CHALLENGE
I just want you to pick one of the options I will give to you.
Basketball or Football? Basketball
Basketball or Modeling? Basketball
Lebron James or Kobe Bryant? Lebron
DSTV LEAGUE or ABL? DSTV
Kano Pillars or Kwara Falcon? Kwara Falcons
Hilary Clinton or Donald Trump? Hilary
APC or PDP? PDP
Nollywood or Hollywood? Hollywood
Polygamy or Monogamy? Monogamy
Girls or Money? ………. *laughs* Both! But Money more
Stay glued to this space for the next chat with another basketball player.
You can follow Queen John on twitter via @QueenJohn04
• So are you passing a message across that you might not play in Nigeria next year?
*laughs* I am not sure yet but if I am around, I’ll love to play for Africa Basketball League, ABL. Last season I saw some of their clips and I love what I saw. I think it is more challenging though I am not saying the NBBF is not doing a good job.
• You have an 8 or 9 Months break between seasons, what Do You Do During This Period? I Am Curious To Know What Basketball Players Do With Their Time During The Off Season
For me I do a lot of stuff and I think outside basketball I love photography and I love looking good which brings me to modelling,
For these past months, I have been doing more of modelling outside basketball. When I used to play for Mark Mentors, some group of people came up with an initiative called “Basketball Meets Fashion” BMF, influenced by a basketball player turned fashion designer named Raphael.
They signed me up as their brand ambassador to showcase how basketball players dress outside the court. From there, I went to Lagos for a job with a magazine called 247 after they saw my pictures somewhere and loved it.
• How did You Start Modelling?
That was… let me see….. I finished from the university in 2011 and I didn’t go for national service immediately… I went for my youth service program in 2012 so I started modelling in 2011. I have done lots of runway but not as much as TV commercials.
I was attracted to modelling and photography at a very tender age. I love striking different postures on the mirror. My sisters and friends even people I meet do talk about how I look like a model, my charisma and I was encouraged to go into modelling by a friend of mine who is also a model. At the initial time, I was reluctant or may be shy and just to stop her from encouraging me, I told her I could not afford to pay for my photo session. To my greatest surprise, she paid for my photo session, registered me at Black dove modelling agency and since then I never looked back.
• What was your first official job?
My first job was a Glo Tv commercial, it was done with Psquare
• How Much Were You Paid?
Two hundred and fifty thousand naira
• Which Is More Lucrative Basketball Or Modelling?
Both have their advantage and disadvantage. You get paid for a modelling job for a day which is a month salary in basketball but basketball is on a salary basis.
I think Modelling pays more than basketball but it depends on the period. For basketball, apart from the salary you get bonus, traveling allowance so that brings you money which is for a period of time as well.
• That Means You Were Doing Basketball And Modelling. Didn’t It Affect Your Basketball In Any Way?
Yea it did……. ……. I just started modelling again after I stopped in 2012 because I had to go for service and then play for Oluyole Warriors and you can’t mix basketball with any other thing because every now and then we are always on the road, the stress and the rigorous training and as a model you need to look good at all times and not looking stressed. So it was difficult for me to combine both and I found myself playing basketball and leaving modelling.
• What Are The Challenges You Face In Modelling?
In the modelling world you have to be gay friendly and we were made to understand that most fashion designers are gay so you have to tolerate them for a good working relationship, they even hit on you sometimes but if you cannot condole them it will be a big problem for you.
• But do you get advances from them?
Yes I do, a lot. The good thing is that I am a friendly person so I have a good interpersonal relationship with people so I have found my way around them.
Like my first experience was with a well-known fashion designer who is gay. Sorry I can’t mention names.
Okay go ahead.
The guy who introduced me to him , is also a well know runway model warned me to be gay friendly so I’ll know what to do if he hits on me which actually happened when I went to see him in his office. “It’s either you are in or out, either it’s a yes or no”, and when I said no, he didn’t give me the job and walked me out of his office. That was enough reason to give up on modelling but I didn’t.
• What About Advances From The Opposite Sex?
Yeah I think I have experienced some but most times I work with the male folks.
Another challenge is that modelling jobs are spontaneous. They expect you at the venue or event or photo shoot and location as soon as possible. And sometimes when you get the job, you don’t get paid immediately till weeks or months after the job.
• What About Your Acting Career?
I was in” Okon Goes To School” produced eight years ago and the recent one I did was a TV series called….” This Thing Called Marriage” I was in the second episode.
• Is There Anything You Can Place Your Hand Into If It Is Not Acting, Modelling Or Basketball?
I would probably be teaching; may be creative studies. *laughs*
• Where Do See Yourself In The Next Few Years In All Your Profession?
I see myself acting in Hollywood. I’m not looking at Nigeria. I have a very big dream and when I tell people they laugh about it. I like things that challenge me and it’s only the music industry that is doing really well in Nigeria.
For basketball, I still want to play ABL. And one regret if am going to end basketball now, is that I did not represent Nigeria .I might still play in the Nigerian league next season and I believe if I work so hard I might get the opportunity to play in the national team.
And for modelling, I see myself getting to that level where you look around you see my picture, billboard, poster, calendar that’s how passionate I am.
• What Will You Advise People Who Want To Do So Many Things Especially The Basketball Players?
Education is key. I think first things first you have to educate yourself. If I was not educated I won’t have gotten so many jobs because you get a job through interaction with people, interviews and have a mind-set to know what you want to do.
QUEEN JOHN CHALLENGE
I just want you to pick one of the options I will give to you.
Basketball or Football? Basketball
Basketball or Modeling? Basketball
Lebron James or Kobe Bryant? Lebron
DSTV LEAGUE or ABL? DSTV
Kano Pillars or Kwara Falcon? Kwara Falcons
APC or PDP? PDP
Nollywood or Hollywood? Hollywood
Polygamy or Monogamy? Monogamy
Girls or Money? ………. *laughs* Both! But Money more
Stay glued to this space for the next chat with another basketball player.
You can follow Queen John on twitter via @QueenJohn04
