Many will remember watching you on the TV series ‘Comedy Tonight’. Was that how you got into acting?
John Okafor: My journey into the entertainment industry started a long time ago. And I can tell you that I won’t still be in the industry if it isn’t worth my while.
So your being an entertainer has paid off financially and in terms of recognition?
Okafor: I’d rather say that I chose a path that agrees with my personality. You could say that Nollywood and I are compatible.
What is it about acting that you love enough to say that you are compatible with Nollywood?
Okafor: I love the fact that I can be flexible. Acting gives you the chance to be flexible. I believe that with acting I can leave a lasting legacy that will ensure that I am always remembered.
You are popularly known as Mr. Ibu. Would you say it was this role that shot you into limelight?
Okafor: Yes. It was the producer of the movie that created the Mr. Ibu character. But I have always been Mr. Ibu because my grandfather was known by the same name. But the producer wrote the script and gave me the Mr. Ibu character. I always say that my grandfather is a better comedian than I am. So I did my best to play the Mr. Ibu character in a way that people will always remember the joy they experienced while watching the film.
Does this mean that comedy comes to you naturally?
Okafor: Well, I will just say that I try to give a proper interpretation to whatever character I play. I guess that’s why I look natural on the screen. I strongly believe that with commitment and constant practice, an actor or any other professional, will so master his art that people will say he is a natural talent.
Did you always want to be an actor?
Okafor: I didn’t plan to be an actor. I had the opportunity of getting on the Hotel De Jordan set in the old Bendel State in December 1980. I was an extra on the show. My face didn’t even show throughout the episode I appeared in. It was on the ‘Hotel De Jordan’ set that I fell in love with acting and I knew that it was a profession that I would like to be fully involved in.
How would you describe your life outside acting?
Okafor: I have a happy family life. I like to say that my wife and children are God sent. My wife and children love what I do. In fact, they laugh at my jokes just like my fans do. We lived happily until about two years ago when my wife and son were kidnapped. The kidnappers first made a demand of N15 million. I told them jokingly that if they can get a buyer for my liver or kidney, I would sell it to raise the money to pay them. They laughed over it. I am glad that I was able to pay what I paid and my wife and son returned unhurt. I am glad that today I can joke about that trying period in my life.
Can you tell us how much you paid the kidnappers to secure the release of your wife and son?
Okafor: Ha! Please don’t go there.
What kind of father is Mr. Ibu?
Okafor: I just told you that my wife and children laugh when they watch my films. If I was a strict father would my children be laughing at my character? I am not that kind of father that people inside the house adopt positions once they hear him horning at the gate.
Are you a romantic husband?
Okafor: I am very, very romantic. I am a loving man.
How do you show your wife love?
Okafor: I love my wife. I love and respect women a lot. Women love to be cared for and pampered. They don’t like being hurt and I cannot hurt anyone even if I tried.
You have been in the film industry since the 80s. What kind of future do you wish for Nollywood?
Okafor: For me, Nollywood is moving at a good pace. The only complaint I have is the entrance of certain kind of viruses. These viruses are deadly and they are giving Nollywood a bad reputation. These viruses are equally impeding the growth of the industry. We were careless to let these viruses into the industry. When I say we were careless, I mean that there are those who should have stopped these problems from getting into the film industry. Piracy is one of the viruses that eating deep into the industry. Piracy has made the industry unattractive to investors. It is quite disheartening that someone would invest time and money to shoot a movie and before you know it, the movie has been pirated. If the federal government can heed my call to set up an anti-piracy board just as we have anti-graft agencies, maybe we can then say that pirates will be given a good fight.
But we already have the copyright commission as well as the National Film and Video Censors Board. Both agencies have done a lot to fight piracy.
Okafor: As far as I am concerned, they haven’t achieved much. If they are effective, by now we will be hearing of frequent convictions or even arrests like we hear with agencies like NAFDAC. How can you be wrapping up production on a movie and there is already someone hawking your film on the streets? Sometimes, musicians haven’t released an album, yet they see their songs compiled and being sold at the bus stop like Gala (beef roll). Homosexuality is another virus that only God can save us from in Nollywood. (Sighs) Homosexuality has eaten deep into Nollywood. Oh my God! Homosexuals are destroying Nollywood. Even musicians too have to contend with homosexuals. These people involved in homosexuality are questioning God, who in his wisdom created us man and woman. I just wonder how a man would leave all the beautiful women and say he prefers to lay with another man. The sad thing about it is that some of our colleagues are dying from the ailments that homosexuals are more prone to.
Many times people have said that same sex relationships are common in Nollywood. But no one can name those involved. Can you help with names of those involved in same sex relationships in the movie industry and have you witnessed homosexuality in Nollywood first-hand?
Okafor: Somebody has approached me because of how much I condemn this evil act and before I could respond, he ran from where I was. God will punish all those destroying Nollywood with homosexuality. How can you allow a man like you sleep with you? What some of these guys don’t know is that God punishes those involved in homosexuality because He condemned this act thousands of years back and it remains condemned.
Would you say homosexuality in Nollywood is a fall-out of the sex-for-role phenomenon?
Okafor: However you may want to analyse it, what I know is that homosexuality is evil and we shouldn’t condone it in the movie industry. Can you imagine that somebody whose name I won’t mention, calling my personal assistant ‘baby’ on the phone? My assistant is a man like him. I asked my assistant to put him on speaker phone because he had become a nuisance. Once he heard my voice, he dropped the call.
Are some powerful individuals in the industry exploiting the young ones who want to make it in Nollywood by introducing them to homosexuality?
Okafor: It is not good to be desperate. Only desperadoes can be exploited to the point of being initiated into something evil. Some people can make any kind of sacrifice to make headway in life and it is people like that who will allow a man like them exploit them.
So you must be in support of the same sex prohibition law?
Okafor: In fact, if it is possible to enact a law to stop people from thinking about homosexuality, I will support it. If I had my way, we don’t even have to wait for a same-sex couple to say they want to wed; we should stop them from even having homosexual thoughts. For goodness sake, don’t gay men see how beautiful and well-endowed our women are?
You have enunciated the problems confronting Nollywood. What solutions do you proffer?
Okafor: I have been saying that government should stop giving actors money because they don’t know how to manage it. They don’t use the money for the good of the industry. What we need is film village run by actors. If government wants someone to spearhead the move, I can volunteer. Like they have in South Africa, I want a place where ‘Nollywood Actors Village’ will be boldly written on it gates. I promise you that people will come from all over the world to visit this village. Now, actors hold meetings in hotels. This is a big shame.
What is your assessment of current leadership of the Actors Guild of Nigeria? Do you have a good relationship with the AGN president Ibinabo Fiberesima because this isn’t the first time you’ve asked government to stop giving actors money?
Okafor: I don’t think she (Fiberesima) has regard for anybody. Her disregard for people is what motivated me to register an organisation called Screen Actors Association of Nigeria (SAAN). But I have kept SAAN in the cooler because Oke Bakassi begged me to join in fighting for the survival of AGN. If Ibinabo wants to run an AGN that is inclusive in character, she will. She can start by showing some respect to those in love with the guild and Nollywood. For me, I don’t see her as my president until she starts to show regard to others. I also have a problem with the board of trustees of the guild. They are not doing what is expected of them. The board ought to guide the president. The members of the board should be involved in sanitising Nollywood. But it’s obvious they aren’t doing anything. Instead of peace and progress, what we see in the industry is lesbianism, gay men and piracy.
One issue critics often complain about is the poor storylines in Nigerian films. Are you happy with the stories that come out of Nollywood?
Okafor: We have improved on our storylines. These days nobody will go to the location without scrutinising a movie script. Personally, I read scripts before accepting to play a role. I may not be the best but I know what I want. I will not accept a role that sends out the wrong messages. For example, I won’t smoke in the name of role portrayal. I will never accept to hit a woman in a film. I might raise my hand to buttress my point but I will never hit a woman in a film or in real life. I have so much respect for women. At this stage of my career, I want parents to watch my films along with their children. These days I only want to be involved with films that are entertaining. I want anyone watching me to be on the edge of his seat from the beginning to the end of my film. I want people to learn from my films.
How do you spend your spare time?
Okafor: I watch football and I play draft.
What team do you support?
Okafor: In Nigeria and Africa I support Rangers International FC. When you go to Italy I like Inter Milan FC. Then when you go to Germany I like Bayern Munich. For Spain, I like Real Madrid. When it comes to England, the headquarters of professional football, I support Chelsea FC. When I describe my involvement with Chelsea I use the things created by God. The sky and the ocean are blue. Even when it comes to man’s creations, you talk about blue jeans, which is so popular. My wife had a baby girl outside Nigeria and before I even saw the baby, she was named Chelsea. This is to tell you how well my wife knows me. In fact, when I heard that she named our daughter Chelsea, I was happy. Ours is a happy home.
What do you remember most about your childhood?
Okafor: Oh please don’t even go there. My family was the poorest in the village. Do you know my father was poisoned right in front of me by his best friend who did that just to chase my mother? I don’t like remembering my childhood because I could cry and I don’t want to cry this afternoon.
