" I thought I could join my journalist Experiences with my Artistic Talents to get personal fulfillment" says Edmond Enesiri Enaibe ,Journalist,veteran actor, director and first Director of Jenifa'' s Dairy...EP/ Introduce yourself to our highly esteemed readers .Edmond .E.Enaibe / My name is Edmond Enesiri Enaibe.I am just an actor beyond been an actor I also do some television productions,I produce and direct but before I could use this skills I have to first go to school so I got trained at the University of Ife( now O.A.U) in Dramatic Arts set of 1982 and ever since I have been a class room teacher, a journalist after ten years of journalism practice decided to be a full time theatre practitioner before now my activism in the arts as whole had not only been on stage but also getting governmental recognition for theatre practice and it's practitioners.So I was in the forefront of those that arrange for the formation of National Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners ( NANTAP).In my journalism years I was a very active member of the NUJ and also saw me becoming organising sec of Lagos Nuj after Lanre Arogundade between 1991/ 92 .EP/ I know you as a journalist then and when I started seeing you on television i said that is another aspect of your artistic brand .Now that passion for the arts after spending ten years as a journalist ,how do develop it .Edmond .E.Enaibe / Well motivation is personal fuilment _ really I wanted to express my talent on stage and television,In graduating I had wanted to work in NTA ,it came out some how I could not get direct employment in NTA because I was fortunate to be born in then mid west ( Bendel state ) so each time we went for recruitment they will say Bendel quota Don full whereas people who do not have your potentials from other states got employed in all ministries.but we still had the opportunity of projecting our passion .So I left journalism to get personal fuilment and thought I could join my journalist experiences with my artistic talents.so when;. became full time actor I was also doing full time consultancy( Journalist consultancy for the arts ) I will consult for theatre Arts companies that had production to do and also go round on how to get publicity for these projects.One if these projects involve doing some charity things you( Entertainment parrot) mentioned FAJ ,Kunle Bakare .One of the collaboration faj and I had in early 1995/96 was with Akeem Shirts a journalist / photographer who runs Arts illustrated who had cancer we formed a committee majorly between FAJ,,Jahman Anikulaoo and I were the three names that was formed to raise funds for the treatment,I was the one doing all the meetings and contracting people and carrying Akeem to the hospital and all that .We were using Fame magazine then to raise some money for his treatment.EP/ I remember you took him to LondonEdmond .E. Enaibe /That was the major event ,when he came back from London we still have to take him U.C.H in Ibadan.The Kate Ambassador Segun Olushola too was chairman of the committee...So what drove us then was the passion instead of living other people's dream .EP/ The Arts is it paying your bills with your passion for it?Edmond .E..Enaibe /Arts pays but it's paying is not one that you will get instantly,it is something that is also planned ..Since I left journalism I have not done any other job except the arts ..The only time that it is paying is when you become a catharlist of reactions not when wait for other people to do and then call you to participate.Our narional experiences have shown that we must have a stream of income, these days I tell them to go into fish farming.Also don't think that person will take care of your interest than yourself I have not done anyother job .Since I left journalism I have written some proposals; which happily yielded some works for instance i did 13 episodes for Efcc sponsored by U.N.D.P. it was called" SCAM FILES" .I also applied like every like any other person.It was shown on N.T.A and AIT.I have also been a director ,you remember I directed " Family Ties" for AK media,I was the first director of JENIFA'S Dairy with Funke Akindele even your Tunde Laoye( to the Entertainment parrot) came to direct it later after I left,I also produced" Neighbor Neighbor" sponsored by golden chance lotto for 3 years which it was on air .shown on Galaxy tv,Sit and Tvc .Now you don't sit in one place to watch a masquerade so that you get full view of all it's actions.EP/Tell us some of your stage appearances because I remember you as "Teacher Choke".Edmond .E.Enaibe/ Yes that program brought me my breakthrough as " Teacher Chike" in "After the storm" it was so popular was on network between 1996 and 97.It was popular people forget the name of soap saying they can't to watch Teacher Chike fortunately LEGEND OF NOLLYWOOD gave me an award at their first ever awards.i have won an award at Basit Theatre awards in Abuja in 1999/2000But the first recognition for Teacher chike ( I got 3:awards) was the inaugurall award for NTA .I have traveled out which is part of what making us to remain..In 1992 we toured Italy with Ben Tomoloju play "Mujemuje".In 2012 we went for cultural Olympiad with two plays Soyinka ,s " The Lion and The Jewel".The second play was Fred Agbyebe's play " The must Dance Naked" all these under Lufodo productions of Olu Jacobs and Joke Silva it was sponsored by Bank of Industry ( BOI) The ultimate for all actors is to work with the National Troupe,I have work with the national troupe with four productions..