opera, Alinco’s face is one that keeps them glued to the programme, all of the time. Since 1990 when he started acting, the Obafemi Awolowo University graduateof Dramatic Arts, had brought laughter into different homes of movie buffs. However,
Can you tell us about yourself and your educational background?
I was born some years ago at Ebute-Meta, Lagos State, but I am from Ogun State. I grew up at Ebute-Meta. I had my primary school at African Church Bethlehem Ebute-Meta, Lagos. I later moved to St. Timothy College,Onike Iwaya, Yaba. Because my result was not good, I had to travel to Akure, Ondo State. I registered again at Oyemekun Grammar School and came out with a better result. I didn’t get admission into the university immediately. I enrolled at the Nigerian Railway Technical School, Loko, Ebute–Meta, studied Aviation Airconditioning for three years and worked briefly with Radio Nigeria before I eventually gained admission into Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife, where I studied Dramatic Arts.
Can you give us a picture of your childhood and its effect on your adulthood?
My childhood, to a large extent, has a great effect on my life as an adult. I grew up being very timid and under a very tough father. So, that made it very difficult for me to mix up. He also made it difficult for me to be what I loved to be. I love to be free. As old as I am now, I am still timid, I always find it difficult to express myself. I only react when I am pushed to the wall, but I thank God for my profession, it has helped so well at bringing me out from my shell and in expressing myself very well. For instance, I get emotional and passionate whenever there is a discussion on the situation in the country. I think my growing up has been a part of what contributed to my being emotional. I grew up with my grandparents who had so much feeling for anybody around them.
How have you been coping with the acting career all these years?
I have been coping well. You know life itself is all about struggle and the struggle of man begins at birth. So, since it is like that, man will continue to struggle for a living but God in his infinite mercies, will always make a way where there is no way. Even with the Papa Ajasco’s incident, God has been faithful. It might not be as expected, but I know that with time, things will take care of itself.
So what are you doing now?
I am still acting and I have been trying to do some projects on my own. It has not been easy because all boils down to money and this has not been flowing in as expected. Money to really get the project out is just what I’m working towards. I have two projects that I have done but in partnership with some people. I do talk shows and I still have a movie that I produced, which I am still discussing with the marketer. The title of the movie is Oloja Ere. It is a Yoruba movie, very soon, and by the grace of God, it will be out. There are still some other ones that I and some friends are working on.
What were you doing before you joined the Wale Adenuga’s crew?
I was acting. I started my career as a professional actor in 1990, and that was even before I went to school. The National Theatre, being at Ebute- Meta, is not far from my house, so, often times, if I don’t have anything doing at home, I would trek from my house at Ebute-Meta, down to the National Theatre. We were always there rehearsing, doing plays under the tree, group production, teach productions and from there we would go to Radio Nigeria to do some radio drama. We were not being paid, but we did it just for the passion we have for the job. We were always happy at the end of each production and that was how I got trapped in the business. Along the line, when Chalk Mike started the performance studio workshop, I was fortunate to be part of it from the beginning. So, I went for the auditioning. Chalk Mike,a Nigerian based in American, came around for the theatre workshop that started with seasons of plays. We started it together; that was in 1991 to 1992. I was part of the movie titled Eda which was a huge success. It was the success of Eda that led to the role I played in Owo Blow, a movie directed by Tade Ogidan which I will say was my first movie and the biggest. As fate would have it, the success of Owo Blow got me the role of Boy Alinco in Papa Ajasco. Then, Wale Adenuga was frantically searching for someone to play the role of Boy Alinco. I was then at Ile-Ife, but I used to come to Lagos every weekend for a soap opera production titled Magnet produced by Tayo Ogundipe. Tayo Ogundipe was with Niyi Oworola who produced Owo Blow.While together, Wale Adenuga discussed the issue and he was directed to look for me. Tayo Ogundipe told him I would be coming home during the weekend for recording. Wale Adenuga dropped his card for me, I went to see him and that was how I became Boy Alinco.
How would you compare yourself with the current Boy Alinco?
No, I have tried several times not to compare myself with anybody. I will say he is trying his best because he wouldn’t do beyond his ability. I have played the role for nine good years, so, I have been able to play the character then, in my own style. I guess he has been trying to study me for a very long time. But, I would have advised that he be allowed to create his own style and his own character. It would have helped him out. Even if he is doing the work perfectly well, he cannot be me and I can’t be him. I will say he has really tried compared to other characters that came in after the original characters left. It’s either they see him over reacting or they see him down playing. But I had a good impression of him the first time I saw him.
Do you have any regret having to leave the crew of Wale Adenuga?
Everything that comes a man’s way is predetermined. So, one does not really have to regret it. It is basically destined to happen and maybe that is the way God wants it. If I say I regret it and something good happens tomorrow and I’m back, how would it have sounded? Basically, I don’t want to say anything more than what I have said now because God knows best.
Did he not call you when he was calling others back?
He called only Papa Ajasco back. He did not call me.
What is your relationship with Wale Adenuga?
Before the incident, the relationship was that of an uncle or let me say Master and a servant,it was that of a mentor, because while I was there, I leanrt so much more even of the profession. Wale Adenuga is a man you will be with and you will gain a lot of knowledge. Whenever you are with him, he tells you what life is all about, things one needs to know about life. He opens up especially when there is a relationship between the two of you. He is very creative and he will always create out humour in every work to make the audience happy. Since the incident, we never had any encounter. It was just recently that we talked on phone.
And what was the discussion about?
It is personal.
Are you married?
Yes, I am married with two lovely children.
What got you attracted to your wife?
I can’t explain because she is precious, very precious to me. I can’t really fathom what got me attracted to her; words cannot explain it.
How would you compare Nollywood to Hollywood?
We cannot compare the two industries. The reason is simple. Hollywood has been there for many years. They have moved on gradually to where they are now. We all know they have gone far. Nollywood as our own industry is concerned, is building up gradually too. I know the time for our own revolution is now. The revolution will come and things will change for the better. The problem we are having now in the industry is greed, selfishness and not being passionate about the industry. The Americans are passionate about their industry; Hollywood is very passionate about their business which is one of the things that an actor must possess. Even in creating your character, you must have the passion. If an actor does not have passion for what he does, he would end up being stupid. Acting in itself, is stupid, it is crazy, it portends no meaning and when you go to the technical area, that is just what they want to see. They are not thinking of going beyond this thing. I was reading the interview of the Director of Genesis Cinema, where he said he would not allow local movies. I tell you these are people that are still owing their people. You see this guy is making a name for himself, Afolayan. He puts a lot of passion into his work, he’s not just doing it for doing sake, he’s not just doing it so that he will make N200, 000 as a profit, he is doing it so that he will have a name that will ring bell beyond the shores of Nigeria. This is exactly the way the Americans operate. Over there, the name is important to them. If the Americans are doing their films and their names are getting down here, who says we cannot get to that level. If the Indians are doing it and people cannot forget the names of their old actors, why can’t we also do the same, create a good standard and go beyond mere thought of money. The money comes after the production. In Nigeria, the Actors Guild’s issue is another thing, it is being run by buffoons, that do not know their right from their left.The directors are not creative and not passionate about their work, there are some good ones among them, some great directors that do perfect jobs, not those who don’t know their right from their left. They make do with what they have, they will neither create effects with their senses nor set particular colours for their artistes. Some of them are not trained, they just do whatever they like to make money. These are some of the problems we have in the industry. We really need a re-orientation. We need people that want to do business and people that have passion for the business. It is not as if in Hollywood they don’t do low budget movie. They do, it’s just that they are well organised. Nigerian population is enough for the industry. If the banks can come out and say they want to support the industry through corporate social responsibility, it will be good. At least, the producer will be happy and even the marketer will also be excited about the business.The problem we also have in the industry is that of no support from the government and well-meaning companies. The Actors Guild came up with several issues ranging from tribal to academic. This is one unique industry that accomodates more people everyday and allow their talents to work for them. There are the Igbos on one hand saying they have taken over the English movie on one side and the Yorubas fighting for ANTP on another side. There is again the problem of proliferation of association and others like that. Where is the voice? Who wants to talk to the government? Who wants to present the bill to the National Assembly? The Yoruba are on their own, so who is representing the industry. The Igbo will say they want to invest on their people and the same goes for the Yoruba too. The problem continues like that, no progress. The video clubs are also there recking their havoc. They will not buy the film because the video club is cheap and affordable. The producers are producing the film without thinking of what the audience will benefit from the film. Movies are everywhere in the market like Agege bread because everybody wants to be a producer. Nigerians prefer to sponsor football than investing on actors. The actor is taking okada; sometimes the actor will be seen in Mushin market. Tell me what value the actor have? But when the actors are placed well by the investors, that is when the actor can be valued. They cannot value your work when the actor is not valued. The actor does not need to go and package himself. It is what you package for the actor that determines what the actor gets. I want to live in Aja, Ikoyi and Lekki; somewhere that is secluded where I will come out and I will be appreciated. As an actor one will want to step into Shoprite and everybody will want to take your picture and try to find your secret. These are what really built Hollywood and that’s what we don’t have here in our country. It’s not all about sitting down at Winnies or at the National Theater where you see actors and actresses sitting without job. I pray and hope that someday we will get there.
How fulfilled are you with this job?
I am highly fulfilled.
What other plans do you have for your career?
I want to see myself on the top of a big movie dynasty. I want to sit on top of a conglomerate that deals with everything movie. I want to have the biggest studio. Going to people’s house to inconvenient them all in the name that we want to produce a movie is not always the best. Some producers will record on the street and everybody passing will be recorded. You go to Ikoyi to record and the man comes and says no, I don’t want and after recording he sees himself on the screen. The next thing is to go and sue the producer. We use the people’s house depriving them of their security. No citizen has ever thought of having a studio where everything can be done. If we want to record sometimes the generator will be making noise because there is no light. On Sunday morning, you can’t record because the churches are on service. But we can’t blame these people because that is the society for you. The actors too can create their own conducive society by looking at the Hollywood system while creating their films. 20th Century Fox studio is one of the biggest studios in the world. You go to India, they have their film village. Nobody is thinking of that in Nigeria. I must tell you the dream I have, and that is to be finacially strong enough to create a studio or cinema in all the states where recording and everything concerning production, can take place. Actors can go there, record their movies whether local or international ones.
What are the challenges you are facing in the industry?
Life has not been easy I must tell you the truth. I pray to get over it because so much is expected of me at this moment. It’s not really a regret, I left the Papa Ajasco’s crew when I was about to put one or two things together. But I know it is well. I know all these things do not really come easy and my prayer is that God will send me a supporter. Life itself has not been easy, the challenge now is getting that self realisation.
How do you handle your female admirers?
They come in their numbers but one must be very careful. If you want to act the way they come, it might be disastrous. One may lose his priority and living. The female admirers can make you and they can also destroy you. So, once they come, you give it to them at that moment. The street hug, lovely handshake, lovely smile and the winking eyes.
What’s your advice for the upcoming youths?
Education is the only key. Go to school before you join the movie industry, because it will help you a lot. Study a course, so that when they are talking you can raise your head high.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment