I STARTED ARTS AT A TENDER AGE IMITATING MY TEACHERS SAYS MIKE OKORIE.
Entertainment Parrot Interview with Mr. Michael Okorie (Secretary Eko
Gond (Guild of Nigeria Dance)
E.P: Let’s know you
Ans: I am Michael Okorie, am a theatre artist, I have a B.A in Creative
Arts from the University of Lagos and an, M. A. from the same institution, Am a
versatile artist, I dance, I act and choreograph, I direct an also involved in
project management, am also a radio presenter with, Unilag Fm, we have a radio
program on Unilag Fm known as “KONKERE EXTENSION with Tunji Sofimirin. And “ON
STAGE” it is a one hour program it’s thirty minutes based on theatre, music,
visual arts and the remaining thirty minutes we discuss things that germainue
(that affects) theart and the environment.
Also in “ONE STAGE” brought back things that are related to the arts to
the radio weather you have perform as a dancer, musician etc we bring you back
on stage, we have a section which we call book reviewed where I have to review
a book every week also a radio drama sketch where me and my team do radio drama
sketch presentation. Also I and my friends set up Trouper’s Arts Production
myself, Tobi Odunsi, Wahab Babatunde, Olumide Ogunfowora, Wale Ayodeji (Yaro)
we came together in 2008 before Wale left to form the Kings and Queens Concert
in Bariga and he always says it is an off shoot of the Troupers arts production.
E.P: The radio program on Unilag Fm with Tunji Sotimirin what is the name?.
Ans: The radio program is KONKERE EXTENSION and the time is every
Sunday from 2:00pm to 3:00pm.
E.P: With your vast experience in the arts does it really pay your
bills?
Ans: Arts em, it is difficult to really answer that, Arts as it is in
this, clime, you do a show and put all your energy into it, but it does not
give you the desire pay, yet you keep doing what you are doing people would
come and see it and it would open bigger doors you understand you do a show
they pay you ten three naira after several months of rehearsals some or two
people would invite you to other production after watching in the last one and you
could collect like two hundred thousand like my Oga Segun Adefilla always says
that “Art is the selector of its own. If you are for the art you are in it
whether no money or there’s money but certainly am sure it pay bills.
E.P: The passion for the arts where does it come from?
Ans: I think I started arts from a tender age, I starts in the class
imitating my teachers, it grew from there to when I was in secondary school,
1996 I joined a group called STANLITE theatre group from there I and my guys in
1998 joined the Crown Troupe of Africa led by Segun Adefila I was there for
another ten years training yes the passion keep growing by the day because as
youth we serve as mirror to the society. If our arts does not speak what we do how
does it now effect the change we desire, you perform today at the street.
People see you and adore you tomorrow you go to the state house or palace
people see you perform you can imagine when I join the Crow Troupe of Africa in
1998, in 1999 we perform for Obasanjo during his immigration and over forty
presidents watch us perform- that is what. The acts can do for you.
E.P: Any new project by you?
Ans: Last year I was the project manager for FELABRATIONS.
E.P: Is it for the entire FELABRATIONS both of African Shrine and
Freedom Park?
Ans: Yes the entire Felabrations Festival because I was project
Manager, the job was too much, it was over whelming but, this year we are two
now in fact the meeting we had today was on Felabrations; so basically I am
into project management I don’t depend on one aspect of the arts. I am involved
in Multi-casting. So for anybody that have a difficult project at hand they
should call me I will set up a team and handle it successfully if I am not on
stage I occupy myself doing project management for people.
E.P: In terms of concert, stage management e.t.c.
Ans: Yes, yesterday I was at museum centre after my radio show to act
in a play called” Queens for Domingos” written by Abioiwa Ikomu and directed by
Victor Essien so you have to show off your time to attend rehearsals and to all
those thing am involved in artistically of course you know am the secretary
Guild of Nigeria Dance Lagos State Branch (Eko Gond)
E.P: How do you see government altitude to the arts?
Ans: Ah government altitude is appealing you know been privilege to
travel to foreign countries, if only our government acts so nobody would ask us
if acts put food on our table or pay our bills because in normal clime, there
are certain many devoted to the arts, so what you do is write a proposal take
it to there and get it done but it is not so here only the rich have access to
funds you knows if you don’t have money you can’t do the theatre they have forgotten
the rudiments of theatre you know theatre is about instilling discipline into
our society, in fact theatre is next to the military in terms of discipline. It
is a item discipline professional to be, so our government need
E.P: It is said that theatre mirrors the society they are with good
collaborative effort govt. can use the theatre as a collaborative way to a
re-orientate the society?
Ans: (Cut in) Yes but for the lack of commitment by the government you
know the politic and always bring own in order to take the money.
E.P: So what is your appeal to the govt.?
Ans: My appeal to them is that they should please o, for example the
money for campaign has not been circulated as expected because you package it
and give it to one company instead of the smaller production companies who
would have benefited from it but because of man know man my husband know one
minister, my husband is a Lawyer, I know the president e.t.c. and they show
change those of us that are nobody, so my appeal is that they should look
inwards, the government of Lagos is trying by building Six theatre halls in Lagos.
He is Ere swaying the young production compassions but he alone can’t do it,
his effort is like a little drop of water in an ocean. I am appealing to
everybody to rally him and put the necessary amenities in place we can forget
about oil. If production is going on in the country every week like we have
recently after the Ogun Drum Festival we load the Lagos Dance Festival another
art festival in Osun State we went to another one in Imo State with this
engagement people any the society would be vibrant. People would return to the
80’s after Festac when theatre was at it peak, theatre halls were filled up but
the halls are empty these days – theatre people are leaving the job because of
lack of government support and the enabling environment. The private ones are
trying like the Oxgen Concept, the Troupers Arts. E.t.c but it is not easy.
E.P: In five years time where do you see yourself artistically? We know
everything is in the hands of God.
Ans: In five years time things been equal although am not a Nollywood
fan but with my experience in the theatre (20years) now. I want to give it a
try because unlike stage productions where you do three straight in a months of
serious rehearsals- it is only you do one show if you do three in a months. You
must take that show around, so in the next five years I want to be in one of
the top movies and everything been equal I would like to start my Ph.d.
EP: What is your Message to your fans?
Ans: I want them to be positive, to be positive about our country not
to lose hope about this country do is going to take the wicked ones our, think
positive in everything you do
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