Seasoned Nollywood Actor Oluwole Cole, popularly known by his stage name Baraka, is a seasoned Yoruba Nollywood actor who recently set the record straight about his personal life, distancing himself from the negative behaviors often associated with the tough characters he portrays on screen.
Speaking in an interview on the official YouTube channel of Talk2Dunnis TV, Baraka explained that although he is frequently cast as a thug or streetwise character in movies, his real-life personality is quite the opposite. Known for his compelling performances as rugged and street-smart figures, the actor revealed that he does not smoke cannabis (commonly called ‘Igbo’) or cigarettes. He further clarified that he abstains from alcohol, despite it being a common trait of many roles he plays.
Baraka emphasized that while his acting may be convincing, it has led to misconceptions about his lifestyle — assumptions he insists are far from reality.
The veteran actor, whose career in the Yoruba film industry spans several decades, revealed that he has never even seen cannabis in real life, let alone used it. He attributed his ability to convincingly portray gritty characters to his strong dedication to professionalism, which enables him to fully embody roles without adopting the behaviors often associated with them.
During the interview, Baraka also addressed lingering rumors and misconceptions about his appearance—particularly the color of his naturally dark lips. He clarified that his lip pigmentation is hereditary and not the result of smoking or any form of substance use. To support his point, he referenced fellow actor Afeez Eniola, who has even darker lips, emphasizing that such features should not automatically be linked to unhealthy habits.
In his words; “Looking at me like this, I’ve only heard of Cannabis (Igbo); I’ve never seen it before, and I don’t know how to smoke or drink alcohol. No! I don’t smoke cigarettes. As for my lips being dark, it’s natural. Even my colleague, Afeez Eniola, has darker lips.”
The reality is that some actors and actresses are dating each other in the movie industry, which I see as something normal. I used to have a girlfriend in the movie industry, but I never considered getting married to an actress. I’m not condemning those who are dating each other in the movie industry, and in fact I always praise them because it’s not an easy thing to do because not all men can endure seeing their wife having an affair with different men. I would be stupid to marry an actress, and I will rather not get married than marry an actress. Some of the actresses in the movie industry are in relationships with our bosses, and it’s impossible for someone like me to compete with them, and I’m not the type of man that can endure seeing my wife having an affair with different men, especially in the movie industry
Watch interview below;