Breaking: Veteran actor Jimmy Johnson aka Okoro in Village Headmaster dies at 80

- The Nigerian film industry has experienced yet another loss of one of its movie veterans - It has been gathered that veteran actor, Jimmy Johnson, popularly known as Okoro in Village Headmaster, has passed on - The actor reportedly died at the age of 80

The year 2020 has come with a lot of ups and downs. The entertainment industry in particular has experienced the loss of a number of great talents. The Nigerian film industry recently suffered a great loss after it was gathered that one of its movie veterans has passed on. According to reports reaching Legit.ng, veteran actor, Jimmy Johnson has died.

Johnson was popularly known for his role as Okoro in Village Headmaster, a well-known TV series on NTA in the 80s. He is said to have been 80 years old at the time of his death.

Johnson reportedly passed on in the early hours of July 8, 2020, at Garki Hospital in Abuja after a brief illness.

May his soul rest in peace.

naptu2:
The Village Headmaster

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The Village Headmaster was the longest running series on Nigerian television. The original series (The Village Headmaster) ran from 1968 - 1984. The second series (The New Village Headmaster) ran from 1985 - 1991. There has been talk of doing a third series since c2001, but it has not been done.


The Village Headmaster introduced a lot of words and phrases into Nigerian English and some of these words are even used by people that were born after the series ended. A gossip is known as Amebo, a bald headed or close-shaven person is known as Gorimapa, an Igbo shop owner is known as Okoro and people still use Chief Eleyinmi's catch phrases like, "immediate effect and automatic alacrity", "nonsense and ingredients", etc.


The show was so popular that it was talked about by presidents, coup plotters and newspaper columnists. The Village Headmaster was General Gowon's favourite show and it was rumoured that the NBC often showed repeats when he was out of the country, so that he wouldn't miss new episodes of the show. Major Adewale Ademoyega (one of the January 1966 coup plotters) referred to the show in his book "Why We Struck" and President Olusegun Obasanjo requested for copies of the show when he visited the NTA to commission some facilities (c2001). Obasanjo's request led to comments by some NTA officials and former members of the cast and crew of the show that a third series would be made.

The Village Headmaster was first produced as a radio play for the Western Nigeria Broadcasting Corporation WNBC, Ibadan, in 1958. Most of the people that produced the radio play eventually worked for the Nigerian Television Service (NTS) in Lagos and they decided to turn the radio play into a tv drama series. It debuted on tv in 1968. The original tv series ran from1968 - 1984. I had an uncle and an aunt who worked on the original series (I didn't even know my aunt's real name until I became an adult. Everybody called her by her screen name).

The theme music was composed by Kehinde Okusanya and it was one of my favourites. It was done with a gong and several talking drums. Incidental music with a similar melody was later done with a saxophone.

The show was stopped in1984 and was off the air for almost a year. Then it was revived in1985 as The New Village Headmaster (the NTA had a habit of reviving old series and attaching the word "new" to their titles, eg New Masquerade). Some of the old characters were removed (Ife Araba, Bassey Okon, Fathia Okon, etc) and some new characters were introduced (Cosmas Aderibigbe Ali, Dagbolu, Okoro, etc). The second series ran from 1985-1991. It was originally a one hour show, but its time slot was reduced to 30 minutes and the programme was moved from Monday to Tuesday c1989. The NTA stopped showing new episodes in 1990 and the programme was taken off air completely in 1991.

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The Oloja (on the throne), Gorimapa (at the foot of the throne) and Chief Eleyinmi.

naptu2:
Characters

1) Kabiyesi, The Oloja of Oja, Oba Adelende the 2nd (played by Dejumo Lewis). Early 1970s-1990. He was the king of the village. I loved the way that he said "Moi People" (my people) and the way he ascended the steps to his throne. He would climb up the steps, reverse back down, climb up again, reverse again and climb up a third time before sitting on the throne. He often settled disputes in his palace and was the main authority figure in the village. He was a very wise King.

2) Headmaster, Mr Gabriel Fagade (played by Ted Mukoro) 1968-1972. He was the first village headmaster.

3) Headmaster, Mr Ife Araba (played by Femi Robinson) 1972-1984. He was the second village headmaster (and my first village headmaster). He often had to clear up the misconceptions of the people, especially about new government policies, technology or new developments in the town. He was always a voice of reason and he was often the one who helped to restore sanity after Amebo's rumours had caused confusion in the village. There were many episodes that ended with the headmaster explaining to the Oloja how the crisis in the village was started and advising him on how such problems could be avoided in future.

Femi Robinson later hosted Shopper's Guide on NTA2 Channel 5 (1984-1987).

4) Headmaster, Mr Cosmas Aderibigbe Ali (played by Justus Esiri) 1985-1990. He was the headmaster throughout the second series. I remember the first episode in which he appeared. The storyline was that Mr Ife Araba was transferred to Jebaco and Mr Cosmas Aderibigbe Ali was transferred from Jebaco to Oja. He had a wife (whose screen name I can't remember, but, in real life, she served as a minister in Goodluck Jonathan's administration), a very beautiful daughter called Laraba and a relative called Doyin. One of the first episodes of the second series (New Village Headmaster) revolved around friction between Laraba and Doyin. Laraba also got a lot of romantic proposals from the teachers in Oja, especially teachers Garuba and Oghene, but she wasn't interested in any of them. I think Mr Garuba had an affair with Doyin, but I can't remember for sure.


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Mr Aderibigbe Ali and Chief Eleyinmi.

5) Chief (Nicodemus Ologbenla) Eleyinmi (played by Funsho Adeolu). Early 1970s - 1990. This was one of the most interesting characters on the show. He was the second in command to the Oloja (sort of like a prime minister or vice president of the village). He was also the president of the customary court. He had a lot of bombastic catch phrases like, "with immediate effect and automatic alacrity", "konkobility", "nonsense and ingredients", etc. He also created nicknames for many of the characters in the village (some of which were not very flattering).

He was a force for good and often helped the Oloja to solve the problems of the village.

Funsho Adeolu later became an oba in real life.


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Chief Eleyinmi.


6) Councillor Balogun (played by Wole Amele). Early 1980s-early 1990s. Councillor Balogun was an over-ambitious politician, whose ambition usually led to crisis in the village. He was often at loggerheads with the palace, but often ended up apologising to the Oloja.

He was fond of challenging Chief Eleyinmi's position (because he felt that he was more important than Eleyinmi) and whenever Councillor Balogun was pleading with the Oloja for mercy, Eleyinmi would advocate that Councillor Balogun should be punished severely for the problems that he caused in the village.

Councillor Balogun was also probably the richest person in the village.

Wole Amele, who played the role of Councilor Balogun, later became an oba in real life.

7) Amebo (played by Ibidun Alison). She is the village gossip and bar owner. Chief Eleyinmi often called her "Radio Oja". She is usually well intentioned, but she's not well educated and she often stumbles on information that she doesn't quite understand, misinterpretes it and spreads her misinterpreted story all over the village. This often leads to crisis and confusion.

Amebo would often quietly enter the palace while an important discussion is going on and she would sit down unnoticed. Then, after a while, Eleyinmi would notice her and immediately stop speaking. He would call her "Radio Oja" and rain his humorous and indirect insults on her. She would protest to the Oloja, who would stop Eleyinmi from teasing her. Then Eleyinmi would suggest that they continue their discussion later (when Amebo is not around). But it's already too late, Ambo has already heard and misunderstood part of what's being said.


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Amebo's bar.

8 ) Sisi Clara (played by Elsie Olusola). 1968-1988. Clara Fagade was the wife of the first village headmaster, Gabriel Fagade. She was Amebo's friend, but she was much smarter than Amebo (she had native intelligence). She would often rebuke Amebo when she starts gossiping. Sisi Clara was a businesswoman, but I can't quite remember what her business was (I think she was a seamstress).
I was in awe of this woman. She proved that what teachers and parents said was not true. Parents and teachers often tried to stop kids from speaking pidgin English, because they believed that it would impair the child's ability to speak proper English, but Chief (Mrs) Elsie Olusola spoke the sweetest Waffi when she was in character and spoke flawless Queen's English in real life.

9) Gorimapa (played by Albert Olayemi). Gorimapa was the palace servant, messenger and town crier. He was known for his close-shaven head and he often sat at the foot of the throne. Chief Eleyinmi called him, "Gorimapa Adorin Sahara Desert" (while rubbing Gorimapa's shaved head).

10) "Dr" Bassey Okon (played by the great JAB Adu). 1968- c1984. He was the first owner of the village chemist/supermarket. He was a dispenser in Burma during World War 2. He was called "Doctor", even though he wasn't actually a doctor. I loved the way that he exclaimed "Chai! Chai! Chai!"

JAB Adu was one of my favourite actors and it seemed like I had been watching him on TV all my life. I first got to know him from the Village Headmaster and Adio Family in the late 1970s and early 1980s, then he played the lead role in The Turning Wheel on OGTV in the mid1980s. He did a sitcom on a private tv station in the late 1990s (I can't remember the name of the sitcom), then he was on Story, Story - Voices From The Market Place on BBC World Service Radio in the late 1990s and 2000s. He then acted in a few episodes of Tinsel, where he played the part of Fred Ade Williams' doctor and then he acted in Livin' In Lagos (a sitcom) in 2010.

11) Okoro (played by the great Jimmy Johnson). early 1980s- c1988. Jimmy Johnson was the second owner of the chemist/supermarket. He was very fond of his snuff box and people can easily remember the very loud sneezing that accompanied his sessions with his snuff. He also had a short temper.

12) Boniface (played by Asuquo Ukwak). He was the sales boy at the village chemist. Chief Eleyinmi called him, "Boniface, Boni-nose, Boni-mouth". He was unhappy because he felt that he was better educated than his bosses (Bassey Okon and Okoro). An arranged marriage was once organised for him, but he fled when he discovered that his bride to be was a little child.

13) Kokonsari (played by Leke Ajao). He was the village chief priest.

14) Dagbolu (played by Dan Imoudu). I'll use the first episode he appeared in to describe him.

Councillor Balogun was up to his usual mischief and the Oloja and Eleyinmi tried to call him to order, but he brought a powerful socerer called Dagbolu to the palace. A mystic battle ensued between Dagbolu and Kokonsari. Unbelievably, Dagbolu was able to overpower Kokonsari and the Oloja fell ill at the end of the battle.

The Oloja was ill and nobody was allowed to see him. Ambo overhead a conversation about the Oloja's illness, misunderstood it and went to the streets to spread a rumour that the Oloja was dead.

There was confusion in the village. There was a rumour that the Oloja was dead, but palace officials insisted that he wasn't dead, yet nobody could see him. Who would lead the village? Who would provide direction?

Councillor Balogun returned to the palace with Dagbolu , disrespected Eleyinmi and was about to sit on the throne when the Oloja came out of the inner chamber. Dagbolu tried to recite his incantations, but he fainted and then we were reminded that the Oloja was the igbakeji orisa (lieutenant of the gods).

Apologies for any errors. I wrote all of that from memory.

15) Teacher Garuba (played by Joe Layode). He was a pompous, but grumpy teacher, who was unhappy about his position in life (he felt that he deserved better). He often drank away his unhappiness at Amebo's bar.
Teacher Garuba competed with Teacher Oghene for the affections of Laraba and later Doyin.

16) Teacher Oghene (played by Melville Obriango). He was known for his white shirt, tie, shorts and cane. He was a more cheerful teacher than Teacher Garuba and he often got into conflicts with Garuba (who was much older than him). Teacher Garuba was grumpy and did things by the book. He had an exaggerated sense of his own importance. Teacher Oghene was more cheerful and approachable.

17) Policeman (played by Enebeli Elebuwa). I can't remember his actual name in the show (he was always addressed by his title, Inspector). He was the policeman who came down from Jebaco to resolve problems in Oja.

Enebeli Elebuwa was typecast as a policeman in my mind, because he also later played the role of a policeman (Inspector Ben Alamu) in the Turning Wheel.

18) Fathia Okon (played by Roseline Birch). She was "Dr" Bassey Okon's teenage daughter, who helped him in the shop.

19) Lawyer (played by Albert Egbe). I also can't remember his screen name, but I think he handled cases in Eleyinmi's court.

Albert Egbe later acted in Jagua Nana's Daughter and was the first Basi in Basi And Company.

20) Lawyer Iyanda (played by Sam Agbebi). He appeared many years after the first lawyer. The Oloja and Chief Eleyinmi often called him "Baby Lawyer".

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Lawyer Iyanda arguing his case in Chief Eleyinmi's court.

21) Chief Afilaka. I've been trying to remember his screen name, but I couldn't until someone reminded me a few days ago. That's because I remember him by the name that Eleyinmi often called him, "Chief Tain Tain".

Chief Afilaka was never seen without a toothpick in his mouth and Eleyinmi labelled him Chief Tain Tain, mimicking the sound that he makes when he is picking his teeth. Eleyinmi didn't like Chief Afilaka because he was richer than him.

22) The Prince (1989-1990). In order to compete with the very popular soap operas like Ripples, Supple Blues and Behind The Clouds that debuted in the late 1980s, producers of Village Headmaster introduced the character of the Prince. He was the Oloja's son who had been in the US for a very long time and suddenly returned to Oja.

23) Mrs Ali (played by Patricia Akwashiki). She was Cosmas Aderibigbe Ali's wife.
Patricia Akwashiki was the last minister of information in the Goodluck Jonathan administration.

24) Lakunle Ojo (played by Layi Ashadele).

There are other people whose names I remember, but I don't remember the roles they played.

25) Iluyomade. There was a character called Iluyomade. I'm certain of it. I remember the Oloja saying the name Iluyomade, but I don't remember what his role was.

26) Chief Aribabu. I also remember that there was someone called Aribabu and that he was always in conflict with Councillor Balogun, but I don't remember anything else about him.

Ishilove:
Eyah... Even though I don't think I know him. His name reminds me of that psycho who led a mass suicide in Guyana.

Dexter07:
Who is this abi whuch one is village headmaster again