He is a prince from the Kosoko family in Lagos Island. An actor cum producer. And also a gentleman. He played host to AZUH ARINZE, and commented on his life as a polygamist, his incursion into the world of make – believe, the problem with Yoruba movies as well as the movie industry generally. The session can best be described as Jide at his best. Read on…
You just finished playing in another English movie, Highway To The Grave (Soniacaccus). Can you tell us about the role and maybe one or two things it entailed?
Actually, I played Chief Takon, a rich man, who is flamboyant and very arrogant. He uses his money to seduce young girls, even though married. He indulges in extra – marital affairs. He used to be born again until he fell off and started dating girls of different shapes, sizes and…
What made you agree to play such a role considering the fact that it may not go down well with some people?
One, I’ve heard of other productions by Evangelist Helen Ukpabio. I’ve been following her works and I think they are aimed at correcting social ills. So, when the opportunity came, I decided to play along. Moreso, because Teco Benson is the director. I’ve worked with Teco before and I know he values quality. Another reason is that I like the story line.
Personally, how do you see the movie, Highway to the Grave (Soniacassus)?
It’s one of those things that do happen regularly. Men should be careful. I want to believe that kind of thing must have happened to several people. Chief Takon is even lucky to have a born again wife who eventually succeeded in having him delivered. Before him, other people did and never succeeded. The bottom line is that fornication and adultery are not good. Personally, I am a Muslim and a polygamist also, but I can assure you, I don’t fornicate. I don’t mess around.
If I may ask, why did you opt for polygamy instead of keeping to just one wife?
It’s by God’s desire, as far as I am concerned. And you see, as far as I’m concerned again, an average African man is a polygamist by nature. And that is why you see majority of those who claim to be legally married to one wife still fornicating.
Do we then assume that you are into polygamy to avert having to fornicate or what exactly are you saying?
Well, according to the doctrine of Islam, you don’t mess around with anybody you don’t feel like marrying. Especially, when you think it cannot work out between you two or be able to cater for her need. Though I’m not saying that polygamy is the best, get me right o, after all, there are still numerous Nigerians who remain faithful to their wives.
Okay, is God in support of polygamy?
You see, it all depends on the angle you are looking at it from. But as far as I’m concerned, it is one’s destiny. Yes, it is possible that one can pray against what he doesn’t want, but God still knows the best for everybody.
Okay, does God have any hand in your becoming a polygamist?
(Laughs) – I don’t want us to overstress this. But what I am saying is that God has designed something for each and everyone of us.
So, how have you been coping as a polygamist?
I’m coping by God’s grace. I have just two, so don’t think I have many. They are my sisters. They help me a lot in everything I do and…
You mean you don’t have any regret whatsoever having two women as wives or mothers and sisters like you put it?
There’s no way you will not have that. But like I said, polygamy is not the best. But when it becomes God’s desire for you; you implore the Almighty Allah to give you the wisdom to cope. There are advantages of polygamy.
Can you tell us some of the advantages of polygamy?
The advantages which I may want to mention might not augur well with others. So, I will rather keep them to myself. But there are disadvantages too.
Like?
I don’t want to mention all those things now, but there are, quite alright.
Did you really set out to become a polygamist or the thing just happened?
Let’s leave this. You are overstressing it.
Okay. How does it feel enjoying the best of two worlds, being able to act in Yoruba movies and at the same time English movies. How do you feel being able to do that?
I feel happy that people are appreciating me. But personally, an actor is an actor. The only difference is the medium of communication. But then an actor should still be versatile.
Apart from you and maybe a few others like Binta Ayo Mogaji, Olu Jacobs, Joke Silva and Adebayo Salami, why do you think that others have not been able to combine both?
I don’t know, but I think they have not been given the opportunity. Oga Bello, Papi Luwe, Antar Laniyan, etc have done that. It’s just that I’m the most prominent or seem to be. All the others need is the opportunity. And let me tell you, there are so many fantastic Yoruba actors out there.
You just mentioned Bello, Aluwe and co. What kind of relationship do you enjoy with them?
Ah! Ah! (Exclaims) We are colleagues. We’ve been together for sometime. I was, in fact, once a guest artiste in Awadakerikeri Organisation (a company owned by Bello and Aluwe).
There is this incessant complaint about Yoruba movies thriving so much on voodoo, ritual, magic, etc. Will you want to comment on that, having produced so many Yoruba movies on your own and also having taken part in dozens of them that are not yours as well?
(Laughs) – You are reversing the whole thing. The voodoo thing we did several years ago is what the English films are doing now. We’ve since dropped that. Haba! (Exclaims again) Yorubas, in case you don’t know, have the best stories, anywhere, anyday. We actually started with voodoo, but we have since dropped that. You know that we know the problem…
What are the problems?
I will say it has to do with the orientation we had, the way we started. You will recall that we started not with formal education, but by training in different theatre groups. We did a lot of stage performances from where we now graduated to T.V productions. So, we were all moving together like that. Everybody, believing that he must be able to sing, dance, compose and do every other thing that is involved in the practice of theatre. So, it is this notion that we carried along when we graduated to motion pictures. And you know we are the pioneers? We first started producing films on celluloid, you remember? And that is why we have been able to maintain the cinema culture till date. So, everybody in the Yoruba theatre believes he should be a producer. A handful of us got the opportunity to do that before we went into home video.
Another grudge people bear against Yoruba movies is that they are not properly – packaged, they are done haphazardly and all that…
(Cuts in) – That is not correct. I will tell you what the problem is: Money plays a very prominent role in every production. The investment, the budget of most Yoruba movies is on the low side. We source for the funds individually and in most cases, the sponsors or investors don’t come. So, it is not as if they don’t know the right thing to do. If you have enough fund, you will not hesitate to employ the necessary professionals to work with you, even right from the production stage to the post – production. But there is no doubt about it that it has got to a situation where everybody believes he must be a producer. One thing with us, Yoruba actors, is that we help ourselves a lot. A lot of other actors, known or unknown, have in one way or the other helped us, top Yoruba actors, and producers, by way of receiving token amounts as fees because we all believe that we are still developing. Therefore, when such a person wants to produce too, he will now rely on those he had earlier helped.
What is your impression of the industry generally?
The movie industry ought to have improved beyond this level. I wouldn’t say we are doing too badly, but you see, there is something I want to say; I agree, actors can take N10 million as fees, but we haven’t gotten to that stage yet. All of us should have stabilised gradually instead of this current trend. When we started, people were receiving N50,000, etc. If that is true o! So, for the industry to improve and fast too, all hands must be on deck. The producers must be given the opportunity to invest more on the quality of their productions. I am not saying that artistes should not be well paid. No! What I am saying is that they should consider the quality of jobs they do too.
You have done productions upon productions. Has there been any that while work was going on, you forgot your lines?
Ah! Ah! On several occasions.
And how did you cover up?
The director will cut, of course, and we will start afresh. That is why I say it is only on stage that a real actor is known.
Sorry, for how long have you been acting?
From 1964 till date.
How did you start?
Well, I used to live then at Queen Street in Yaba (Lagos), a stone throw from late Hurbert Ogunde’s house. Ogunde was then living on Noble Street. I was so close to some of his children. I used to go and watch their rehearsals and luckily for me, there was this day that I went with one of our neighbours, Dele Toyinbo, a member of the Ifelodun Travelling Theatre. He told me they needed someone to play a role (Alabi). The title of the production was Makanjuola. And that was how I started and how I had my first television appearance on NTV in Bar Beach, Lagos.
How much were you paid for that debut role?
Paid ke! There was nothing like that then! They just bought me something to eat, finish.
Let’s take this final question. How will you describe yourself?
Ah! I don’t know how I can describe myself other than to say I’m a career actor, easy going; I’m always ready to help, contribute my own quota to the development of this industry. What else?
(NB: This interview had earlier been published)