I left public eye to build my brands — Tayo Sobola

Actress, Tayo Sobola, popularly known as Sotayo Gaga, has said she deliberately stays away from the public eye because she values her peace and prefers to maintain her personal space.

Sobola made this known in an interview with Saturday Beats, where she spoke about her time away from the spotlight.

The actress explained that her absence did not mean she was idle, noting that she devoted the period to self-reflection, motherhood and expanding her business interests.

“Those periods I was off the scene were for personal reflection and growing my brand. By the time I was ready to return to acting, motherhood set in, and I embraced it without distraction.

“Truth be told, motherhood didn’t stop me from doing other things. I am a serial entrepreneur and run several businesses, so while I was busy parenting, I was also working on brand positioning, creating new designs for some of my fashion brands, and developing movie scripts, among other projects,” she said.

According to Sobola, staying away from the spotlight also gave her the opportunity to build her businesses and develop new ideas.

“Although I wasn’t very visible in the public space, I was extremely busy strategising. Simply put, I am still very much relevant in the industry,” she said.

Sobola also revealed a lesser-known side of her personality, describing herself as an emotional person who prefers to keep a small circle of friends.

“We all have our personal struggles because no one is born perfect. The ability to rise after every challenge is what makes one strong. I am a loner who loves to keep my circle very small. One thing many people don’t know about me is that I am an emotional person,” she said.

On the relationship between her real name and her popular stage name, Sotayo Gaga, Sobola said both identities complement each other.

“The brand and the name have always worked together. They are like Siamese twins that benefit from one another. Many people identify more with the name Sotayo Gaga, but in reality, neither of the two names is bigger than the other. I simply know when each is most appropriate,” she said.