TOYIN OSHINAIKE POPULARLY KNOWN AS BAKABULA
E.P : Many people are addicted to this face on television but to those who don’t know you , can you introduce yourself?
Ans: My name is Toyin Oshinaike, am a theater director, an actor and an experimental artist.
E.P: (cut in) But your incursion into writing surprised me having known you as an actor and good role interpreter.
Ans: Yes, the major thing I have done is “what is this all about” which is a Nigerian street version of “Woza Albert” written under the siege of apartheid in south Africa several years ago and it contributed to the fight for freedom in south Africa. It is classic, the theme of the play is about a saviour coming through a disgruntled people just like our situation in Nigeria now, in our nation, we are not happy financially, socially educationally, and economically which is why the play was adapted and people say I have written the play (general laughter).
E.P: Your involvements in writing many people don’t know about that but with your involvement in acting which production bring you to the limelight.
Ans: To answer your question subsequently, I will say the first professional production we had in 1990 with Chuck Mike that was on a professional level. It was “Crucible” in 1990 although I was still working in the bank. “Crucible” which made me to leave the bank I was working with then because I believe theater has reached a professional level and self substance, so my first production was Crucible by Chuck Mike but my big blow was in 1994 during the 60th birthday of Prof. Wole Soyinka which became the first Wole Soyinka Festival Where I played Elesin Oba in “Death and the Kings Horse Man”. It Was directed by Jide Ogungbade , Co-directed by Ben Tomoloju, Jahman Anikulapo was in the production and you know what he ( Jahman) can do in such plays of course, he was still working in the Guardian Newspaper that was the beginning.
E.P: Give us a summary of some plays that you have taking part in.
Ans: I think the notable once are, first was “SANGO” where I played Oluode. Oluode was a General to Sango, others have been FOOTPRINTS, WAITING DAY’S etc. am talking about the notable ones I had done. If there is any eighty percent production, I think I have been part of seventy percent.
E.P: What is your position on government attitude to the arts?
Ans: My position is highly revolutionary, doing play series that has to do with ills of the society. But I have become more matured and discovered even the arts has a role to play not only the government but also what is the role of the arts. The arts has a significant role to play because if the society goes down, non of us will survive if we want to be stars, to be known, but if what happens in Syria happens in Nigeria. They won’t be able to survive it. If I am in Syria, I won’t say I have a production next month, we Nigerian artist, it is our honour, our place just like the doctors, engineers knows how to do their work if giving the opportunity. What is our own work? Is it to be role models and stars that should be worship? My brother (to entertainment parrot) there are no role models in Nigeria, I can count them on my fingers what we have is character models not role models with the way it is. I don’t say we should be doing things to incite people. Art is a great weapon not for inciting people but for the greatest sense of patriotism, we should make law abiding citizenry, our focus through our films. We don’t have role models in our films what we have is Rich house, cars, father love children, father protecting children, then something happen and there is juju which they can’t explain how it comes about. We want rich patriotic films laden with a lot of comedy. Like they do in American Films and all other developed film industry in the world.
E.P: What is your reaction to the decline in stage production?
Ans: There is a death not even a decline but like in all desert there is still some growth an oasis because so many people grow up to know that there is a growth in stage production. I start to catch a piece of theatre then as a theater rat at the national theatre. When I said, I started as a theatre art what I mean is that I don’t have money to pay to watch films at the national theatre and would sit on the floor to watch films in halls packed with five thousand people, there was a whole lots of traffics up to the national stadium there was light in Nigeria I grew up, where there was light in Nigeria we were so happy because we bad boys cannot do bad things around Nigeria was great
Good schools were the public schools come and look my face and read my mouth, only Olodo’s attend private schools then, the private schools grew on Olodoism, but everything is the reverse now, so I saw theatre during it greatest movement and also saw through during its decline and dearth what we are seeing now is the culture been revived and lots of people are getting involved in this and am happy about the rebirth.
E.P: Any new production by you at the movement?Ans: I will talk about my baby, the baby at hand now is the park theatre, this is freedom park like in most developed countries in Africa like Rwanda, south Africa e.t.c. where the park theatre takes place, so we perform at the park theatre and at the freedom park not only because of that we have our offices here oxygen concept and one six productions which is a platform for us and our companies production. which will result in a theatre festival, we have been in existence for the past eight (8) months which is resident here at the freedom park and through it we have lasted over 10,000 people here with over 49 productions, so it is a baby that we are thinking of what is next for the 2018 semester what we have is a whole lot of motherhood that has lots of babies inside.
E.P. For those that may want to watch your production at the park theatre here at the freedom park in Lagos Island when is the time for the next edition?
Ans: This month of November we are starting on November 19, the time is 7:00 pm-8:00pm (1 hour) for our performances.
Saturdays and Sundays.
E.P: What is your connection with oxygen concept?
Ans: About four years ago oxygen concept and two six production we had what we call an accidental collaboration until the British council now came up with their own festival and said they would give access to those who have collaborated, that enhance our collaboration and we have our offices here, it is called oxygen concept been the frontal image of our collaboration and that is what has given birth to the park theatre.
