NOLLYWOOD IS A CHILD OF CIRCUMSTANCES SAYS CROSSOVER ACTOR YEMI SOLADE.

NOLLYWOOD IS A CHILD OF CIRCUMSTANCES SAYS CROSSOVER ACTOR YEMI SOLADE.

E.P: Your educational background?

ANS: My first degree is in dramatic arts and i have three other masters in sociology, Public Administration and Anthropology. That is as far as reading for certificate is concerned.

E.P: How did your acting career started?

ANS: My forage into acting, i will tell you this is my forty years in acting, i started acting in February 12 1977 we started with Stage play that is during festac 77 i have done lots of Stage Production, Radio Drama, Television Drama and has i speak to you am on location of a T.V Soap Opera.

E.P: Your view of Nollywood?

ANS: Nollywood is a child of circumstances it came out of nothingness but there was something on ground the cinema culture in Nigeria spans over sixty years for those of us who were of age we know some names like Chief Hubert Adedeji Ogunde, Moses Olaiya ( Baba Sala), Adeyemi Afolayan ( Ade-love), Dr Ola Balogun that was the good days of cine-culture we go to the cinemas to watch good movies later Foreign exchange became a tug of war then the experiment was carried out the Late Mujideen Alade Aromire even Chief Sunday Akinlola ( Feyikogbon) experimented, they recorded their drama play on video tapes using domestic cameras. There was no name to it, it was purely the journalist that gave it the nomenclature of Nollywood just like Hollywood in America and Bollywood in India but it has come to stay although it has become an all comers affairs.

E.P: In terms of what?

ANS: I mean untrained hands even when the masters ( professionals) are still on ground not just Nollywood entertainment is the biggest employer of labour we are moving on.

E.P: What is your reaction to Government attitude towards the arts?

ANS: Government Patronage is still a little bit discourage for instance if the President wants to visit Lagos State what they do is to get the State art council troupe to dance on the airport tarmac under the scorching sun to welcome the President to Lagos or any state, that is government idea of arts and culture for us in the Practitioner

within the segment of the industry, what we want is for the government to give us a regulatory body so that what happens in the industry presently can be avoided.

E.P: Like what sir?

ANS: What am saying is that with government regulatory body it won't be for retired area boys, prostitute, retired garage boys e.t.c.

The present government is doing a lot for the creative industry, the creative industry is been giving attention.

E.P: What is the name of the T.V series you are shooting now?

ANS: I am shooting Family Puzzle Season 2.

E.P: What would you tell your fans as you clock forty years on stage in February this years 2017?

ANS: I thank them for been there for me, keeping faith with us, we are doing Nigeria story the way we want it even though we are not there yet.

NSCDC deploys 70 official to man UTME centres – Commandant

Students writing UTME. File photo

Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Niger Command, has deployed 70 personnel to provide security in all the 14 computer-based centres for the conduct of Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination in the state.

The state Commandant of the Corps, Mr Phillip Ayuba, made the announcement on Friday in Minna in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria.

He said that five personnel would provide security in each of the 14 centres spread across the state.

He said that the corps would work with Joint Admission and Matriculation Board  to ensure security at the centres before and during the computer-based test.

Ayuba urged prospective candidates to be law abiding, adding that the NSCDC personnel would be professional in carrying out their mandate to ensure hitch-free examination.

He said that monitoring team had been constituted to monitor the conduct of the exercise in the state.

It is reported that JAMB had registered 1.7 million students across the country to sit for the 2017 UTME computer-based test.

It is the highest figure in 39 years of the board’s existence.

(NAN)

Senator Larissa Waters performing legislative and motherhood roles at the same time. Photo: @larissawaters.

Opinions vary when it comes to the propriety or otherwise of breastfeeding a baby in public.

However, Australian senator, Larissa Waters, returned to work from a 10-week maternity leave and decided to bring her daughter to the senate chambers, where she breastfed her during a vote.

This singular act makes her the first woman to do so — ever, reports claim.

Last year, the Australian parliament had passed a rule, allowing members to breastfeed during meetings, according to The Courier Mail.

Larissa celebrated the history-making do by tweeting: “So proud that my daughter Alia is the first baby to be breastfed in the federal Parliament!”

As expected, her action generated national and international interest.

She told the BBC, “Well, I think it’s slightly ridiculous that feeding one’s baby is international news—women have been breastfeeding for as long as time immemorial.

“But in another sense, this is the first time this has happened in our Parliament in 116 years, so it’s definitely world history-making.”

She added that the ground-breaking moment was more than just feeding her baby.

“It is also to send a message to young women that they belong in the Parliament, and that they can be both Parliamentarians and moms,” she deposed.

Larissa later took to social media and shared a photo of her history-making-moment and was overwhelmed by the positive feedback.

See the tweet:

View image on Twitter

 Follow

Larissa Waters 

✔@larissawaters

So proud that my daughter Alia is the first baby to be breastfed in the federal Parliament! We need more #women & parents in Parli #auspol

7:28 AM - 9 May 2017

 
•  2,3282,328 Retweets
 
•  6,4786,478 likes

“Lots of women thanking me for doing it, not just for normalising breastfeeding, which is itself an important issue because there’s still a little bit of stigma in some corners of society.

“But it’s been lovely to hear from the young women and the other moms who’ve said, ‘This is a role model for my daughter or for myself, to know that we can aspire to this sort of occupation.’”

An incestuous father, Folorunsho Oluwaseun, who allegedly turned his 17-year-old daughter into a sex object,  was on Friday granted a reprieve by an Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court.

Oluwaseun was released on N300,000 bail with two sureties in like sum after he pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The 51-year-old electrician, who resides at 40, Popoola St., Offin in Ikorodu,  Lagos State, is facing a charge of rape.

Police Prosecutor Clifford Ogu told the court that the accused committed the offence between Aug. 8, 2016, and April 2017 at his residence.

Ogu said the accused, who has separated from his wife since 2013, was awarded the custody of his three children including the girl.

“The accused started abusing his 17-year-old daughter sexually since August last year.

“The girl wrote in her statement to the police that any time she refuses her father’s sexual advances, he would not give her and her siblings food,’’ he said.

“The girl narrated her ordeal to her mother when she visited them.

“The woman reported the case to the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team at Ikeja and the case was brought to the Police station.”

The offence contravened Section 259 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised).

The Chief Magistrate, Mrs. Taiwo Akanni, adjourned the case until June 5 for a mention.

(NAN)

MY LOCALLY INVENTED AMPHIBIOUS CAR CAN MOVE ON LAND, SEA AND AIR SAYS NIGERIAN INVENTOR. 

INTERVIEW WITH MR. DUROJAIYE KEHINDE OBASANJO

E.P: What is your name sir
ANS: I am Mr. Durojaiye Kehinde Obasanjo, Nigeria renowned inventor, i invented the aero amphibious car locally it can move on air, land and sea out of this i have achieved two of this which is that it can move on land and sea but due to financial constrains the third part that is flying on air has not being accomplished.
E.P: Have you made enquires to government agencies like the Ministry of Science and Technology and Ministry of Aviation to take a look at your innovative amphibious car and assist you to produce it.
ANS: Yes, i have made enquires even when i was very small then President Babangida was the first President to visit me in 1990, you can see the picture here we took pictures together when he came and saw the smaller model i displayed then with a lot of promise but that was the end.This very one too you can see it when i put it on the sea in your presence here, you can equally see foreign visitors who came to visit me and inspect it from different countries.
E.P: How did you get the talent for this innovative work
ANS: It is the urge for creation.
         I wanted Nigeria to be among the high technology countries in the world and this prompted me to learn about it, locally we have built it and it works perfectly on land and sea as you can see, i want Nigeria to be the first country to mass produce it, go to the net you will discover that no country has built something like this, America and Germany are trying to build something of this nature, hence we call on our government to come and assist us.
E.P: Have you made enquires to the Minister of Aviation
ANS: For now am yet to meet the Minister of Aviation but Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Transport and Education I have informed them even the governor of Lagos State Akinwummi Ambode sent me a documentation and urge me to continue you see there was a specially designed one for President Buhari that was destroyed by officials of Ikotun Igando Local Government Area.The destroyed one was to move on land, sea and under the water they told

me they have help me to destroy it this is the picture (shows me the photograph of the destroyed car). So we are trying to make sure that the law takes effect in that aspect.
E.P: The materials that you used how did you get them
ANS: There are locally sourced at least 60% is locally sourced.
E.P: In terms of individuals and agencies who may share in this your laudable dream for Nigeria how can they contact you
ANS: Thank you very much Sir through my phone number 08033384619.          

WOMAN ARE THE SALT OF LIFE SAYS PA JAMES OF PAPA AJASCO & COMPANY

INTERVIEW WITH MR.JAMES OLUKAYODE OLASEINDE POPULARLY KNOWN AS PA JAMES IN THE AWARD WINNING TELEVISION PROGRAMME PAPA AJASCO AND COMPANY
 E.P:Where were you born and  schools you attended?

ANS: I was born in Lagos Island although my parents are from Kwara state but lived in Lagos for several years, they are from Patako in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State. I started my primary education in Saint Patrick primary school in Jankara Lagos Island but left in primary two to continue my primary education in Kwara State which i finished in 1957 but there was no money to send me to Secondary school.

E.P: What trade or vocation did you learn?

ANS: I started as a houseboy, i later worked in several companies as a factory worker like Matchco in Ilorin before coming back to Lagos in 1975, it was when working with U.T.C hardware that i joined Olarenwaju Ali theatre group in Badiya Lagos before we form our own group which deals only on comedy.

E.P: Why did you join the theatre group while working with U.T.C and later left?

ANS: I left U.T.C due to the fact that i have learnt the dynamic rudiments of theatre and enjoyed the way it was played in those days by the theatre leaders like the Late Ade Afolayan(Ade love) and chief Moses Olaiya Adejumo(Baba sala). When ever i see this people am always carried away and felt comedy was the best for me.

E.P: Can you tell us the number of home videos plays that you have acted in?

ANS: I can't count them.

E.P: Your son Samuel is also into acting but lately not much has been seen of him

ANS: He is at a stage in his life where i can't decide for him, he studied Law at O.A.U although he still acts when invited.

E.P: How do you handle advances from female fans?

ANS: There no profession without women where the women folk are missing then something is wrong with that profession, women are the salt of life they make things sweet.

E.P: How rewarding is the profession?

ANS: I am grateful to GOD(smiles) i wish to tell you that all the good things of life without being in modest GOD has given me through acting children, a good wife, house of my own, car and several plots of land.

E.P: Have you produce your own film?

ANS: Yes i did with my son Samuel several years ago people loved the film but to continue with another one has great financial implication for me except i have a sponsor for the project.

E.P: How was the transition from a purely Yoruba Actor to an English Actor especially to continuously feature in the popular television serial Papa Ajasco by Wale Adenuga Production 

ANS: I am extremely grateful to GOD and wish to thank Mr. Wale Adenuga our producer, when we are about to start the programme i didn't know it's something that will last like this, it is simply amazing. He(Wale Adenuga) just called me and said if you perform well we may continue with the programme because it is expected to be continuous programme and here we are today.   

   

My entry into village headmaster is a divine arrangement by dejumo lewis (oloja)

Interview with Mr. DEJUMO LEWIS the OLOJA OF OJA in the rested VILLAGE in VILLAGE HEADMASTER which ran national network of NTA, Nigeria longest running soap opera.
Ep: sir how did you get involved in village master
Ans:       It was a divine arrangement I just came out of the seminary where I was studying to be a catholic priest and had no idea of what I wanted to do, not a single idea of what I wanted to do but right from my first training in the seminary, my secondary school even my primary school, I was into drama but I didn’t know if I wanted to get involved with it professionally.
Ep: your impact occasioned by your incursion into the village head master was overwhelming. The fame you had how did you manage it that up till now it is still untarnished.
Ans:      Thank you for that,
      Well I give GOD the glory because it not just my image also my integrity people have tried to battered it right left and center, colleagues, friends even family members but I remain undaunted because I release I got into fame without any preparation for it, I got into village head master out of sheer interest, curiosity and passion that I have it got to a point I could not walk on the street of lagos. Just because I was playing a role people like and a programme that was socially relevant giving out messages the society needed to be patriot, I sat my self down that I will not be a recluse or hide from the that I belong to because the society gave me admiration even when I started buying cars I go out of my own to acknowledge the acknowledgement, I go market, bukas to mix with them the seminary training help a lot
Ep: Not much is seen of you in home movies these days
 Ans:   Yes it is deliberate in some quarters for the so called nollywood which I really detest and which has been accepted all over even by the academicians which should question it just because there is Hollywood in America and bollywood in India so we have to copying the America and Indians there is not good in copying what we should have is naijamovies or movienaija we have to stand up for our identity and the world will accept the way they accepted nollywood which is senseless there is Hollywood in America where is nollywood in Nigeria so I don’t feature in it although the other reason is ideological for 15-20 years now I have been writing books on culture and communication and I hate to leave it just like when we were shooting ‘AGOGO  EWO’ at a location in Abeokuta I have to abandon my writing for 3weeks to shoot the film .

I LOOK AT SOCIETAL ISSUES BEFORE THE PRODUCTION OF MY FILMS BY FIDELIS DUKAR

EP: How do you choose your targeted audience and give them what they want?

Ans:  I think there are several factors to it, right from when I started I look at the environment, I look at what the audience want I look at relevant issues to the society. Most of the time I look at topical issues that are relevant to the society, my films ‘king of money, Dr Ben, Blood brothers e.t.c. most of time I look at the challenge we are facing because it is a medium through which one can pass a message faster to the society just like we now the power of social media where you can just post even not the dramatic ones but reality ones. When we do films we must consider what the society wants like the issue of morals which is lacking, and our culture

EP: Sir, in terms of humility you don’t see your self as a superstar or looking for publicity,why?

Ans:   For me it is your work that comes before you. Your work supercede you, your work should go before you. I came from a very humble background when I came to into this industry I work through the ranks , so when I saw any young man in the industry my prayer for them is to be greater than me, my humility is in born there is noting to be proud of.

EP: what are you involved in presently?

Ans:    You know I have been involved in this industry since 1990 and I have got to a stage where I have to encourage the younger film makers because I know what I went through when I see young film makers who are facing this challenges especially funding so in the last four years have done that even collaborations with them and looking at where we can work together.

EP:  What is your impression of nollywood?

Ans:    With Chief Hubert Ogunde, Eddie Ugboma, Dr. Ola Balogun and others we who were lucky to be born then we know that nollywood has grown both locally and internationally I think there is hope for the industry. You see much younger people now who have gone to the university in the industry even the cut-off marks for Theatre Arts is high now because everybody wants to study theatre arts our films are doing well even winning awards both local and foreign awards . it has moved from what the Yoruba’s called ALARINJO.

EP: Can you elaborate on the ABUJA FILM FESTIVAL?

  Ans: The Abuja film festival is not new this is our fourteen years, it was a pace setter for all this awards that are been given in the entertainment industry before then there was no independent awards but we are happy we have done it for fourteen years. Last year we screened over 200 films where RMD, Segun Arinze, Patrick Doyle were resource persons

    We made bold to say that its  ABUJA FILM FESTIVAL that gave birth to all the awards we have now.

EP: How do you maintain the integrity of the festival especially from outside influences?

Ans:      The beauty of it is that the ABUJA FILM FESTIVAL is independently run devoid of government support it is private sector funded, it is our own way of contributing to the sector, the government is to provide an enabling environment for film makers to converge and network, it is a platform where we discussed ways of moving the industry forward.

EP: In five years time where do you see yourself career wise?

 Ans:      Yes I want to build new talent in building new talents not recycled ones and I want in 5years time to say in every year I should be able to impact on 50, 30,20 people in different sectors, success is a product of faith.

EP: Finally what is your message to your fans?

  Ans:     They should have as their core value humility, they should dedicate their time and work hard then success is assured.      

I WANT TO MAKE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON MY VIEWERS BY YVONNE ENAKHENA

EP:    Can we know you.

Ans:    My name is Yvonne Enakhena a theatre and media arts graduate of Ambrose Alli University in Ekpoma Edo State

EP: How many movies have you acted in?

Ans:  Oh quite a few

EP: The T.V serial you are shoot now what is the name and your role in it

Ans: It is named Family Puzzle, am play the character named Beatrice

EP: What is your projection for the next five years career wise

Ans: To make a name for myself and create positive impact on my viewers

EP:   What motivate you in choosing acting as a career?

Ans:  The fact that acting is a universal language and it is understood by all, to me personally as advocate for growth and development i see acting as an easy and quick means in which information is passed across to a large number of people at the same time who will understand. So then it dawned on me that I could use my acting skills to help bring about change and growth not only to my people but also to the world when the opportunity arises, and that how my passion grew for me it is not just about the glitz and glamour, It about been a positive role model to the masses especially the youth.

EP:      What is your message to your fans?

Ans:     My number one message to all my fans is never give up, be positive and always work hard.