How Antar Laniyan escaped early death

Yoruba actor, Antar Laniyan, has said at a time he wanted to settle for the military over pursuing a career in the theatre arts. But, according to him, he is happy he didn’t later become a soldier because he would have planned a coup and being killed.

Speaking in a new interview, Laniyan said, “I had the desire to become a soldier at some point in my life because I’m a disciplined person. I think the desire to be a soldier made me who I am today. To be honest, I think I would have taken part in a coup if I had joined the military, and I would have been arrested and punished accordingly.



“You know once you are armed with a gun, it is easier to plan a coup. And in the military, you know the implication of planning a coup, especially if it is an unsuccessful one,” he said.
He explained that he abandoned the military for acting after talking to his principal.

“When I was in secondary school, my principal called me and asked me what I wanted to become in the future. I told him I wanted to become a soldier. The old man shook his head and advised me to study theatre arts. He showed me all the awards in his office and said I won them for the school. He said if as a little boy I could win all these for the school, it meant I had a bright future in the theatre.

“Though the man is not alive today to see what he had predicted for me, he was instrumental in my decision to pursue a career in acting. I thank God I listened to him. I am not rich, but I am fulfilled that I have done what I love to do.”
Also, he opened up that his wife didn’t mind if he shared deep kisses in the movie and she would happily tell him when he didn’t do it well.
“My wife knows who I am. Whenever I play a romantic role and I don’t do it well, she would criticise me. I get good support from her and it gives me the peace of mind to go any length while playing a romantic scene.
“My wife is a very shy person and she avoids the limelight. The only thing that can bring about a fight is when I don’t remember her and the children at home. But that will never happen because I am always with them at home. I hardly go out; I don’t go to parties. I just go to my office, home and locations. Anytime I attend a function, she knows it is very important to me.”