ADIEU! , COUNCILLOR BALOGUN

Hi everyone, hi y’all doin? Not doing too fine at all, just read in the papers of the demise of one of Naija’s finest, one of the pioneers and a veteran in the field of Acting: Chief Wole Amele. (Its been just 2 months of his wife’s death). Councillor Balogun as he is fondly called in the popular sitcom “Village Headmaster” (created by Chief Segun Olusola) was one of the most influential characters who had the ability to pass his views across in a humourous and radical manner. Those were the good old days of acting and real entertainment; you don’t have them that good anymore. I must confess that Nollywood ( the Nigerian Movie Industry) has made remarkable improvements in recent times, but its not just all about home videos, our inability to create innovating and captivating soaps, sitcoms or series has left a huge vacuum in the integrity of the industry and its practitioners.

Even in Holly wood, series or sitcoms are the bomb, they sell more and keep the actors in shape, but in naija these days, you can’t have soaps lasting more than a few months before crash-landing probably as a result of funds or lack of creativity. Which is why we are more familiar with Mexican tele novellas, Hollywood series like 24, prison break, desperate housewives, friends, everybody loves Christ (I call it that way)Lost, which is common in both our local television channels and cable channels.

The only time we have sitcoms these days is if its Mnet sponsoring. Is Nollywood trying to tell us that they have not reached that level? Veterans like Chief. Wole Amele and his friends had millions of Nigerians addicted and glued to their screens for almost a decade (if not more), yet they didn’t have the opportunities the younger generation has, the exposure (thanks to Africa Magic) and the resources, yet they still achieved such success. Nolly wood should learn from our past, from these veterans and step up the quality of soaps they are putting out.

Truth be told, even if they produce ten million home videos daily, they will never be able to attain the height am talking about. The true test of a movie industry is its ability to produce captivating sitcoms or series that will last for a long time and still be entertaining, am talking about creativity not technology. People relate more to sitcoms, because they watch them longer and develop a certain connection with the characters of the particular soap, most of the mega stars you see today on holly wood chart busters were either discovered thru sitcoms or currently involved in them. How can a footballer only play for the national team and be fit, it’s impossible. You have to play in a club so that you can have regular action and attain fitness, other wise you are just wasting your time. No movie industry is built on just home videos, the next level is soaps, series and this is the level that I feel is beyond our generation of actors, actresses and movie makers.

Lets take a nostalgic look at our history in Nolly wood, the best we have produced so far all came from soaps, “village headmaster “ brought stars like Late Joe Layode, Late Chief. Wole Amele, Dejumo Lewis, Funso Adeolu, and Justis Esiri (the village Esiri) who is one of nollywood’s finest currently.
Lets come down to Olu Jacobs (third eye), RMD (second chance, Checkmate), Joke Silva (Second chance), Babara Soky (Mirror in the sun), Nobert Young (checkmate), Kunle Bantefa (Checkmate), Bob Manuel Udokwu (checkmate), late Francis Agu – one of the pioneers of home videos (checkmate), Alex Usifo(Ripples- Talab Abbas), Antar Laniyan (checkmate), Bukky Ajayi(checkmate) not forgetting the Amata family, Matt and Gladyz Dadze, Sadiq Dabba, the list is endless.
Okay let talk production, the Amaka Igwes of this world- checkmate, Zeb Ejiro –Ripples, the Charles Novia ( NTA tele movies and a lot of other soaps), chika Okpala (Zebrudaya-New masquerade), and many more that I cant even remember but you can fill in the blanks.

How would it feel like seeing KOK or Ini Edo in a sitcom, it will improve their acting a great deal, they could even start staring in foreign movies or sitcoms. It will even improve the quality of our movies and a lot of young talents will be discovered. How nice will it be for a young actor to be on the same set with Olu Jacobs or Rita Dominic, you know.

Am not trying to diss any one or to say that nolly wood is not doing well, they have improved tremendously and am truly proud of them (nolly wood), but am saying that it doesn’t just end here, there is still another level to attain, one more road to cross, and we must do it fast. I want to see something like checkmate or ripples or even New masquerade on our local channels that will stand the test of time.

Once again, we have lost a rare gem, a man of character, an actor par excellence, a true Nigerian and a son of the soil, a man loved by all, wish we still had patriotic men like this as leaders, with a heavy heart we say REST IN PEACE, we will always love you. To all those he left behind, we say take heart and to all his fans (me inclusive) – we will never forget you -Councillor Balogun, you will always live on – in our hearts.
Thanks for reading, see y’all around - Uchevelli