Nollywood Blues


It was in the mid-90s in Lagos and Nigerian actors who were flocking to the TV stations some years back were now flocking to auditions in Surulere, Ikeja, Akoka and other parts of Lagos city. Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen was busy directing scores of older and younger actors and actresses thronging the Wazobia rehearsals at a venue off Ojuelegba Street in Suruelere. Emeka Ike, Emeka Ojukwu, Emeka Enyiocha with his regular companion Omotola Jolade, Nnamdi Ogwunze and his Volvo car and their buddies turned the neighbourhood into a regular meeting place for most of the young turks and green horns of Nollywood. I was already in the cast for those playing senators in a Nigerian National Asembly. It was a political soap opera to be directed by Lancelot.

"Zeb dey do audition for Aguda oh!" One of us would announce and that would lead us to Zeb Ejiro's joint in Aguda, Surulere. Some took public transport Danfo minibuses, hitched a ride in Nnamdi Ogwunze's Volvo or took the Okada motorbikes to the destination. The pretty and sexy actresses could flag down any of the posh cars on the street and always had a jolly ride from kind car owners. Hitchhiking was common, because most of the actors and actresses had no vehicle and many were really poor. But not only the poor without vehicles are hitchhiking, because even in America, the famous billionaire, Howard Hughes was seen hitchhiking in his life time.

Zack Orji, Hilda Dokubo and others were already there before we joined them.
There were calls for different auditions on the notice board.
Saint Obi was coming from Jos and they said he would replace RMD who was bluffing many producers and directors. Saint Obi was walking tall in a grey suit and had all the looks of a film star. But he was yet to prove his mettle. I made the cast of Bleeding Heart with Zack Orji, Hilda Dokubo and Saint Obi.

We trooped to another audition for Cover Up at Kings Motors by the Idi Oro Bus Stop in Ilupeju, Lagos.
Emeka Ike was one of the production managers. Segun Arinze came with his sexy girlfriend Anne Njemanze, Rachael Oniga, Ejike Asiegbu, Williams Adim, Chike Brian, Enebeli Elebuwa, Chudi Mokeme, Emeka Enyiocha, Regina Askia, Omotola Jolade and other wannabes joined the crowd.
We were all happy until some actors and actresses were removed from the cast after a week of daily rehearsals. Emeka Ike's brother-in-law was removed and he blew the cover of Cover Up and the movie was never produced. That cost me a role and also informed me that some actors including Segun Arinze had a clique and in camaraderie favoured their buddies. Emeka Enyiocha who did not make the cast of Cover Up was glad when the cookie crumbled. So, we left the Kings Motors venue for another audition.

Ramsey Nouah and other notable young stars and green horns were at the audition for Bottle Neck. Bob Manuel Odogwu, Charles Okafor, Ernest Obi and several actresses made the cast. I was given the role of a police officer. A bloody waka pass role, but I accepted it. We shot many scenes at the International Trade Fair Complex along the Lagos- Badagry Express Road. I played my role and collected half of the chicken feed of N5, 000 from the Equitorial Trust Bank on Victoria Island, Lagos. But the producer JBM Merchandise never paid the remaining Artiste fees of many members of the cast.

Emeka Enyiocha's uncle wanted to produce the Last Hope and Zack Amata was playing a lead role. My friend from the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) Tunji Adeshina was the director. He gave me a prominent role as a police detective. But Zack did not cooperate with me to rehearse our roles. He was dating a much younger actress, Anne Akpose and she was now seeing me. So, there was a cold war between us. I made mistakes and after the third take, I woke up Chuks Solomon to play my role. Solomon played it perfectly.

I left the Nollywood circle to become the Editor of Affections International magazine.
And Emeka Enyiocha continued. He brought Reginald Ebere and John Uche to stay in our uncle's Marco House on Kalejaiye Street, off Bajulaiye Road, in Shomolu. Many actors and actresses, including Darlene Benson loved the cozy apartment that was turned into a production office.

Artiste fees and welfare were better than the days at NTA, but many poor actors were not well treated at the auditions and rehearsals. There was a time, Emeka Enyiocha and Chuks Solomon were starved during rehearsals. But Nollywood was born out of necessity during the June 12 political crisis in Nigeria and necessity is the mother of invention.
As the Latin poet, Pesius Flaccus expressed, "the stomach is the teacher of the arts and the dispenser of invention."

Omotola Jolade became a household name and married Captain Ekeinde and Darlene Benson married Cobam. Chuks Solomon made his own movie, but later left Nollywood to become a successful business and got married. And Emeka Enyiocha moved from one lead role to another until his major role in End of the River with Julius Agwu made him a Nollywood star.

The rest is history.

Nice tale but it's time these so-called Nollywood directors stop churning out trash and learn to tap their creative juices

Moved to Movie/TV Production section