Seasoned actor, Chika Okpala, aka Chief Zebrudaya Okorigwe Nwogbo alias 4.30, shares the highs and lows of his 62 years on earth with OZIOMA UBABUKOH
Don’t you think it is about time you quit acting?
That is exactly what I should have done, but for the economic situation in Nigeria. If not for lack of money, I shouldn’t be moving about at this old age and thrilling people with my jokes. But what can a man do? I just have to survive. I have to feed my family and train my children to the best of my ability. I have to make sure I have a place to live in. That is why I’m still in active service.
Some of your contemporaries have made money from acting. Why is your case different?
Some of my contemporaries got into show business much later than I did. Even at that, they broke out at certain times to be engaged in other things because the money wasn’t forthcoming. They returned when the film industry began to enjoy a boom, just to make money and nothing more. They cashed in on the opportunities provided by the advent of Nollywood to make money. Their activities and programmes were geared towards making money. In my own case, I couldn’t have made money because I was consistent in show business, even when there was nothing to take home. I did not break off to go to anywhere. I did not break off because I wanted to give it the impact in order to push it to the public and make people realise how drama or films could change their lives and transform society. The other people you mentioned were initially afraid to leave what they were doing to come into show business. I think the time is ripe for me to make money. I am still in show business because I have not made the money. I need it to train my children because they are still in the university. I need the money to train them. Yes, I have the MON national award, but it is time to add EY to it.
Some actors have been lifted from poverty by the governments of their respective states. How come you haven’t enjoyed assistance from the government of Anambra State, where you come from?
It depends on their priority. I don’t think those that have ruled or are still ruling Anambra State see entertainment as a priority, let alone to have actors from the state origin in their government. For these Anambra State governors, past and present, it is work, work and work. They don’t create time for pleasure. Things would certainly change only when we have a governor in the state that sees entertainment as a service of life and to life. I have just organised the Aghalieaku Cultural Festival in Ozubulu. We thank God that the Anambra State Government showed concern by giving us a place and provided security during the festival. Anything happening in the state requires some entertainment to keep the people in a lighter mood.
You are one of the few surviving actors in your generation. Has the Actors Guild of Nigeria officially recognised you in anyway?
It is good to leave the stage when the ovation is loudest. On the other hand, it is good to remain on the stage so that the younger ones will know there is light on the stage. The AGN must not officially recognise me, but I’m aware that they appreciate the light I still bring to the industry. My own kind of entertainment is not for money, but I see it as a means to keep making the people happy. For those who go into it for money, fine. For those who go into it to show that entertainment is part of their lives and what they want to live by, fine. I live by entertainment because the little money I have made so far I invested in building a studio, which is already helping my business of entertainment. Someone like Victor Uwaifo made money and put it into building his Joromi Studio and later government recognised him. I also hope that one day government will recognise me through my works. Most of my works are in advertising, but people say I’m pro-government. I’m not pro-government but only propagate government programmes and policies which tend to better the lot of Nigerians.
You must be quite healthy to remain in active service after many years of appearing in the New Masquerade. What is the secret of your good health?
I owe everything to God. He still wants me to go ahead and achieve something in life before taking me away. I always give thanks to God for keeping me healthy every day. I am happy that at this age people still ask me to do stuff for them and I could just jump up, carry my briefcase and attend to them. I don’t know why God keeps me healthy and strong each day.
In spite of your experience as a leading dramatist, how come you haven’t been invited to teach in any higher institution?
The general notion is that I don’t speak good English. I have heard people say that I am a product of little education and that is why I don’t speak good English. They will continue to think that I didn’t go to school and that I don’t have any qualification. Well, I hold a Masters degree in Mass Communication from the Enugu State University of Technology. Before then, I obtained a diploma in Communication from the University of Nigeria Nsukka.
I still want to keep people in doubt about my education and qualifications. I want them to keep thinking that I have never seen the four walls of a secondary school classroom, not to talk of a university. I think this is partly why nobody has invited me to come and teach in his institution. Every day I think about how to make a new commercial. I do mostly commercials here and it’s quite tasking.
Tell us about your background and how you got involved in drama
I was born into a poor family in 1950. At the outbreak of the Nigerian Civil War, my family moved from Awada in Rivers State to our hometown, Nnobi, in Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State. I recall that I was in class four in the secondary school when the war started. After the war ended in 1970, my father said he could no longer continue to fund my education. My siblings and I were eight in number. By that time, only two of us that had gone far with our education: my elder brother had graduated from a college of education and I was stuck in class four. There was nobody to pay the school fees afterward. Still, I managed to sit for the West African School Certificate Examination. Then I started searching for a job, but in vain. During that period, I came across the late James Iroha (aka Giringory Akagbogu). He was organising big shows and his theatre group was known as the Hill Theatre at the time. The members of that club were highly-placed people, including state commissioners, and senior producers in the Central State Broadcasting Service. I was the only small boy in their midst. But I was learning. I had always shown interest in acting. Back in school, I belonged to the dramatic society. I was actually the head of the dramatic society. James Iroha encouraged me to join the Hill theatre. Initially I was reluctant to accept his invitation to join because I felt that the people there were far ahead of me. But he told me not to be afraid. He said that since I studied literature in school, I had no reason to be discouraged. So I went with him to attend the rehearsals. What sustained my interest in the group was the production of a play titled, Sons and Daughters. It was a very hilarious and interesting play. We performed it for the then Administrator of the Eastern State, Ukpabi Asika. During the Army Week in Kaduna, the entire cast and production crew were invited to perform in Kaduna. I made the trip. I had looked forward to a ride in what we called the ‘white train’ in those days. I knew we were going to travel by train. For me, the big deal was that we were going to be in a white train. But when I entered the train, I did not see anything white there. Later, I learnt that the administrator of the state always travelled in a special coach known as the white train. Still, I had an exciting journey. Before then I hadn’t boarded a train in my life. From Enugu, we travelled down to Kaduna where the Army Week was held. When we arrived in Kaduna, it was very cold. We were checked into a five star hotel, and people came at intervals to knock on my door and ask what I would eat. I recall vividly that as soon as I gave them my order, the food arrived within a few minutes. I didn’t know how to select food in those days and those who had been to London and the United States in the group laughed at us. It was another experience for me. After the performance, gifts were offered to us. Then I said to myself that if drama could take me this far, give me the opportunity to shake hands with the head of state and take me to a five star hotel, then I must make a career out of it. When we returned, we continued with other productions.
What is the origin of New Masquerade?
In 1972, we started another play titled, In a lighter mood, which James Iroha produced in CSBS. At first, he said to me, ‘You are going to play the part of Natty.’ I was very slim at the time. That was the picture that Iroha had about Natty. He said I should play that role. Sometimes I played odd roles. I played the role of a security officer, sometimes other roles. I combined these roles with the role of Natty. It was possible doing so because it was broadcast on radio. We were doing that until we were privileged to have somebody like Obi Egbuna join the group. In fact, Asika travelled abroad and met Egbuna and then, brought him back to Nigeria. We were rehearsing regularly and going from state to state to promote unity between the East Central State and the other states in the country. Obi Egbuna and late James Iroha scripted many of the plays that we produced. Even as a small boy at the time, I began to see that we could use drama to transform the society because of what happened during one of our performances in Port Harcourt. After the play ended, members of the audience came and hugged us. I was surprised. When we returned to Enugu, a television station had been established. So the management of CSBS transferred Iroha’s ‘In a lighter mood’ to television. Since it would no longer run as a radio play, the producers were asked to choose a new title for the drama series. They decided to rename it Masquerade. With the new name came a few changes. For instance, successive episodes of the drama series were performed live, not pre-recorded any more. It was not an easy task for everybody that was involved in the production at that time. You had to work hard on your lines and memorise them. If you missed your lines, it would affect the other man, because he wouldn’t know where or when to come in. We had to memorise our lines and take proper cues or the next person would become confused. We had to study our scripts for each week. Iroha wrote the scripts every week until he fell ill and was diagnosed with brain tumor. Asika, who was very sympathetic and enjoying what we were doing, decided to send him to England for treatment. When Iroha left the country, all the members of Masquerade family had to take up the responsibility of writing the scripts. All of us were involved. I started writing and then, Davis Offor (Clarus) started writing. We were able to sustain the drama series during the period that James Iroha was away. When he returned, he continued to handle the scripting. Every time we passed a busy place, people waved at us and said nice things. Such things encouraged me to go on acting. I kept telling myself that there must be some untapped gold in the industry. So I continued. Eventually, in 1976 the Nigeria Television Authority, Aba was created as a branch of NTA Enugu. Most members of our group, including Iroha and Offor, were natives of the present Imo State. I was the only one from Anambra State and so, they couldn’t do without me. When the states were created and they moved to Aba, they requested me to go there every week. I went down to Aba every week and spent three days. Then I returned to Enugu and spent four days. Before we switched to television, the man who was playing the part of Chief Zebrudaya in the drama series was reassigned to another programme by Obi Egbuna, who was then the director. In his absence, Iroha asked me to try the role. I did and he said, “That is it. But the problem is that you are too small for the real Chief we are looking for. But your voice is okay.’ The movement, the lines and delivery were fantastic, but the stature was not working. So we designed how the character should look like. I was padded up to look like the Chief Zebrudayah we had in mind. Till date, when people see me they keep asking how come I looked so old in 1970. Some even doubt that I am the same character. But I always tell them to listen and watch properly.
Did you meet your wife on the set of Masquerade?
I met my first wife on the set of the Masquerade. She was a part-time lecturer at the Alvan Ikoku College of Education. She was mad about me. I couldn’t but just succumb and we decided to get married. But just one month after I paid her bride price, she died. It was very unfortunate. Bless her soul. We did not make any children. We did not even make love. The relationship ended just like that. It was after she died that my father said, ‘Tell me the kind of girl you want to marry. You tried your luck the first time and it didn’t work. This time, let me give you good luck.’ My father brought my present wife, who is also a teacher, and that was how I got married the second time. We have been moving on ever since. I had three children: two girls and one boy. We lost our first daughter when she was about to enter the university at the age of 17. She fell ill and died in 1997. I got married at 28 years. My first marriage took place in 1978 and the second marriage was in 1981. My son is 28-years-old, while his sister is about 21.
How did it feel losing your first daughter?
It felt terrible. The most painful part of it was that the girl had already begun to write scripts. She was actually writing components of my scripts for me. Whenever she saw me on air, she would correct what I had done wrong.
Was she planning to study theatre arts?
She probably would have studied theatre arts if she had been alive. Before her death, she was already producing for her class.
What ailment killed her?
It is called Lynphomia, a kind of cancer. There were lumps on her face. She couldn’t bear the pain anymore and she died. There is nowhere I didn’t take her in search of a cure. I took her too many hospitals in the country. I was disappointed when I took her to the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital. The girl was dying and we couldn’t get anybody to attend to her. It was either the doctors or the nurses were on strike. There was nobody to attend to her and she died. It was very painful. I don’t want to remember it anymore. I would have sent her overseas for treatment, but it just wasn’t possible.
Do you think that the likes of Ashley Nwosu and Enebeli Elebuwa would have died if government had come to their aid when they were ill?
The thing is that the federal and state governments behave alike. They do not think that the artistes have something to contribute to the society. So when the latter are in penury, the government doesn’t come to their aid. This government should recognise that artistes have a place in Nigeria. It should realise that artistes could help government achieve many things in Nigeria. Let us assume that I’m shooting a 60-second TV commercial here and we have a production crew of about 20 people. You will have to feed them, pay their fees and transport them. Now considering the number of artistes that will come, you will have to pay them. If you add it up, you will discover how much you have made for those people in a week. You would have made their day. Imagine such a thing happening in different parts of Nigeria every day; many people will be taken care of. I feel that artistes have a lot in common. They have a lot to give to the society. They have a lot to change inside the government. If you involve and respect them, they will co-operate with you. The only time that government ever comes to their aid is during their funeral.
How would you describe the death of James Iroha?
It was like a master going home. I really felt sad that my mentor was gone. Well, I was the chairman of the burial committee and I’m glad he was given a befitting burial. But it was very painful. Now, I have no ‘human encyclopaedia’ to consult any longer. Most of the time, I consulted him on whatever I wanted to do. He always gave me advice. He would tell me go about it this way or that way. It is sad that the younger generation doesn’t listen to us. I succeeded by listening to Iroha and heeding his advice.
How come those of you that claimed to be his close friends couldn’t raise the funds to give Iroha proper medical attention before he passed on?
All we did was to appeal to the government for help on many occasions. Those of us who were his close friends, and I think the Abia State Government, came to his aid somehow. But it was too late. In his own case, everybody pleaded that well-meaning individuals, government themselves should give him attention. I am aware some individuals came, but I don’t know about the government. I single-handedly went to the TV show, ‘Who deserves to be a Millionaire’ which is sponsored by MTN and pleaded with them to give him the money. They found out that the glaucoma could not be cured and there was no other thing they could do for him than to give him money to sustain himself. Four days to our going to the show, he gave up. They had agreed and asked me to bring him up. They were about to send money to bring him to Lagos, but he gave up four days before the time.
What about Clarus and Natty. Where are they?
Clarus is in Aba, sick. Natty is in Enugu. He is down with partial stroke.