What sparked your passion for theatre, and how did you begin your training?

It was by chance, really. It started immediately I finished secondary school. I was not sure what exactly I wanted to do with my life or what I would become in life. Around that time, I was invited to a church, and I became born again.

The direction then was that as a new convert, you must join a department in the church. The natural department in the church I find comfortable then was the drama department, so I joined.

After several months of attending rehearsals on Saturdays, it happened that someone who had been cast for the role of a mad person did not come this particular Saturday and the performance was supposed to be the following day in church.

Not seeing anyone, I was reluctantly cast. I played the role during the rehearsal with the guidance of the drama coordinator. After the performance the following day, I became ans instant star.

Everyone loved my performance, even the pastor’s wife approached me and said I acted well. Everyone was greeting me. From that obscure member, I got attention and subsequently, I got cast in every performance in the church.

It was basically the first time I felt super happy with myself that I got acceptance and so much affection. Because I had faced a lot of rejections in my life, growing up as an orphan.

Dropped out of school in form two and living on the street for seven years, became an apprentice as a welder and all. Returned to school after seven years into SS2 (Senior Secondary 2). I felt very happy and, for the first time, saw a light at the end of the tunnel that I can do something meaningful with my life.

So my interest and passion for drama rose. I was always the first person to arrive at rehearsal, and I never miss any meeting for anything. I was really enjoying it and having fun.

Though no payment, it was like I was getting paid for it. It was a funky church of sort at Iyana Ipaja called Solid Rock Assembly. The Church is no more but a lot of people found purpose there. It was around that time later Omotola Jalade finished secondary school. We were in the same church.

How I became a member of Elites Productions

So one day, my brother came and told me he saw a poster in our neighborhood saying actors are needed. I traced the location and copied the address on it. There was no mobile phone then.

I went to the address and instantly the guy liked me and ask that I join them in their production company. It was a children theatre outfit called Elites Productions. They got approval from the Lagos State Ministry of Education to be staging educational plays in public schools.

Two people owned the company. We were seven persons in all. So the remaining five are staff of the two owners. Was paid then N200 per show. It was a mobile production, which, as I learnt later, is called professionally a travelling theatre.

We go from school to school performing and entertaining children. For several years, that was all we were doing. We have been to over 500 schools several times and performed for over a million children.

So after school, we tied the curtain, the backdrop, use the teachers tables joined together as stage and the children sitting on the school field. No microphone. That was how my voice became loud after several performances. It was exciting, energy draining and fun.

I think due to money sharing, the two owners started having conflict amongst themselves as one claimed he should get more as the owner of the script and also playing lead role while the partner felt it does not matter they should share proceeds equally after paying us the cast our daily N200. It got to a point the group split.

Birth of Ancient Theatre Company

So we all met and they both agree none of us should be working for any of them again, that we all should go form our own group and none of us should work for them anyone. It was like I got freedom.

I never imagined it would get to that level and that’s the only meaningful job I know in my life. I was sad. It was when I noticed one of us Abbey had gone to set up his own outfit, that I got the courage to do mine which led to me forming The Ancient Theatre Company in 1998.

Since these guys have saturated the public schools, I decided to also process approval from the ministry of education, co-curricula department. The office was inside Igbobi College then.

I just thought to focus on private schools. If they are convinced without ministry letter, you can perform. I began to focus on schools within the highbrow areas like Ikeja, Ikoyi, Victorial Island. It was like magic. In public schools, it’s stated in the approval letter that you cannot charge more than N20 per child.

But private schools I was charging N50 and they pay easily. It was then I understood why my former bosses were fighting. I was making money. Never broke. We only rest during holiday. Monday to Friday, we had shows lined up. My greatest break was Grange School, Ikeja.

It took me two years to be able to perform at that school, but they reluctantly allowed me to perform. I went with my photographer. They just counted how many children they have, the school paid 100 per child which amounted to N15,000 then.

I was so happy. The breakthrough was not the money I was paid but that if Grange can allow me to perform in their school, others too wanted me. To cut the story short, the moment I go to any school and said I performed at Grange and show the pictures, they give me a date.

Corina schools Apapa, Gbagada, VI and Ikoyi, CTC, Chris land school, Avi Cenna, st Saviour Schools at Ikoyi, Greenwood House Ikoyi. My perspective began to change. I was performing only for the rich schools in Lagos.

What I started doing free of charge has become an enterprise for me. I saw white skin children ans got thrilled, I began to see another life and assured myself I will not be poor in life. I can never forget this episode of my life. It was a rebirth.

Staging recommended literature texts

Later I began to develop contacts with National Theatre actors. So I moved into performing for secondary schools students by staging recommended literature texts to enhance learning and understanding of literature text.

I staged the ‘God’s are not to blame’ by Ola Rotimi, ‘King Emene’ by Zulu Sofola, The Lion and the Jewel, Childe International and Jero’s Metamorphosis by Wole Soyinka, Macbeth and Merchant of Venice by Williams Shakespeare.

I got funding from Cadbury, Nestlé, Unilever, Coca Cola etc. I began to move away gradually from children to student shows.

‘Woroko’ for National Troupe of Nigeria Play Reading Session

Then in 1999, I had written a play, a full fledged play for my church titled ‘Woroko’. It is the story of a man who sold his soul to the gods in exchange of power. I gave it to my friend I know at the Theatre, Ahmed Aliu to read for me and critique.

Ahmed went ahead to submit the play for National Troupe of Nigeria Play Reading Session. All the people whose plays have been read previously were either a professor or a Doctor in the University.

I was shocked to learn that my play was selected for the 5th play reading session. It was another milestone in my career. That event shot me to another level. To cut the long story shut. After the play reading. A woman approached me ans gave me a card to come to their office the following.

The name of the woman is Aida Opoku Mensah, a Ghanaian. I can never forget that woman. She was the Programme Officer at Ford Foundation. The office was on the top floor of the AIB building at Victoria Island, her assistant name is Angel Pariola.

They told straight that they are willing to fund me to study anywhere in the world. They began to deliberate about me saying if I can achieve this without a university degree, it will be a waste of time sending me abroad to spend four years in the University to be trained on what I was already excelling at.

They could not decide and told me to come back in two weeks. The woman kept emphasising that what I need is international exposures. That I should just go abroad and come back and if I don’t come back fine.

Road to University of Edinburgh in Scotland

When I returned in two weeks they gave me a letter stating I will be going to University of Edinburgh in Scotland to study Drama and on completion go to Felix Meritis Foundation of the European Centre of Arts, Culture and Science with the University of Amsterdam in Netherlands to attend a special course of The Business of Creativity.

All expenses fully paid. For example, what I learnt of the street of Edinburgh was more rewarding than the classroom of being taught about the cultural, political and spiritual Shakespeare, or Christopher Malowe or Samuel Becket.

I was in Edinburgh during the International Theatre Festival, Jazz Festival, Fringe Festival etc. I was stunned, it was a cultural, social, and intellectual shock. I returned back to Nigeria a different person ans would have none to do with children or students shows again.

Not long in 2001, The British Council funded me to attend a training at the University of Leeds on Promoting Rights and Development Through The Arts. My thought has been elevated. I have more global understanding about issues in health, education, migration, human rights especially children and women’s rights, reproductive rights and how arts can play a role.

It’s been a remarkable ans rewarding experience for me in the arts. I am grateful to God.

What has been your most memorable performance or project to date, and why?

My most memorable project was in 2014 when I was contracted by the British Council that my company the Ancient Theatre Company was selected to participate in an international exchange programme in Manchester tagged Contacting The World.

It was a year long project. My brief was to identify 15 young Nigerians who have never been to the UK, to train them and prepare them to perform with other 12 countries all coming together in a week long event in Manchester.

It was very very tasking for me. Over 100 young people applied. I was dealing with British Council Nigeria, British Council London, Contact Theatre, our partner theatre Theatre Royal Stratford East, all at the same time for a year, aside writing the plays for performance, managing the artiste and all.

It was very challenging. Because the plays I wrote are traditional African settings ‘The 3 Omugo’, I got Yomi Oyekanmi to help me direct, and ‘Ija Esu’, which I gave to Segun Adefila to direct. I needed someone who can chant.

So Segun told me about a boy called Akewi, his real name is Lekan. I selected him only because of that irrespective of his very limited education. Out of the 15, 13 are based in UK till date. Doing very well.

I saw the power of transformation and how one opportunities can lift someone who is dejected and rejected to become a household pillar.

I witnessed the impact of these international agencies work in Nigeria. How it has impacted lives that would have been miserable and ended in ignominy.

What should your teeming fans expect from you next?

I am always working. I left theatre for a while after I left the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library as Artistic Director and Business Development Manager to set up a school with my wife in Abeokuta.

Lyceum Montessori School, Lyceum College, Lyceum Special School with four campuses. I am presently working on an online television station, ‘Yow Television’, registered in Nigeria and New York. I plan to do a stage play in December. I am busy generating content. Let’s keep our fingers crossed, several projects are in the pipeline.