RMD Shares Lessons on Discipline and Punctuality from Wole Soyinka and J.P. Clark

Veteran Nigerian actor Richard Mofe-Damijo, known as RMD, recently spoke about how Nobel Prize winner Wole Soyinka and late poet J.P. Clark shaped his values of discipline and punctuality. He shared these insights at an event where he also honored the lessons from his mother during his upbringing.

RMD recalled that his mother often reminded him of his roots, saying, “Don’t forget whose child you are.” This message taught him that individuals represent more than just themselves at various points in their lives.

He credited his education and the people he worked with for reinforcing his commitment to discipline and punctuality. RMD emphasized that he was fortunate to have learned from both his schools and mentors, who instilled the importance of being responsible and timely.

Reflecting on his experiences with J.P. Clark and Wole Soyinka, RMD noted that their dedication to being on time made a significant impact on him. He first met J.P. Clark in 1984 while working at the J.K. Randle Centre. He described Soyinka as someone who valued punctuality, stating that if a meeting was set for 4 PM, he would already be there by 3:30 PM.

RMD expressed that being on time is crucial to him. He believes that if someone is asked to be somewhere at 8 AM, they should arrive by 7:30 AM to be prepared and ready.

He hopes that those who interact with him can learn from the values he has embraced throughout his career. RMD also shared his insights from serving in government for eight years, where he recognized the potential for positive change. However, he warned that individuals entering the system need strong values to resist negative influences.

He concluded that his time in government reinforced his belief in staying committed to one’s principles. RMD advised that if one cannot change the system, it may be better to leave and create positive change elsewhere.