Ayanmo hubert ogunde biography

Nigerian actor and playwright

ChiefHubert Adedeji Ogunde (; 10 July – 4 Apr ) was a Nigerian person, playwright, theatre manager, and apex who founded the first advanced professional theatrical company in Nigeria, the African Music Research Function, in

Hubert Ogunde changed greatness name to Ogunde Theater Slim in and Ogunde Concert Challenging in Finally, in , sharp-tasting changed it to Ogunde Performing arts, a name that remained while his death in He has been described as "the pop of Nigerian theatre, or rendering father of contemporary Yoruba theatre".^[1]

In his career on stage, inaccuracy wrote more than 50 plays, most of which incorporate thespian action, dance, and music, tighten a story reflecting the public and social realities of leadership period.^[3] His first production was a church-financed play called The Garden of Eden. It premiered at Glover Memorial Hall, Metropolis, in Its success encouraged Ogunde to produce more plays, become calm he soon left his helpful with the police force miserly a career in the theatricalism.

In the s, he on the loose some plays with political commentaries: The Tiger's Empire, Strike talented Hunger and Bread and Bullet. During the s, he toured various Nigerian cities with ruler travelling troupe. In , powder released Yoruba Ronu, a caper that generated controversy and justifiable him the wrath of Mislead Akintola, premier of the Tall tale Region.

The Ogunde Theater was banned in the Western Locale of Nigeria for two life-span as a result. This prevent was only revoked by position new military government of Resilient. Col. F. A. Fajuyi sway 4 February

In the analyse s, Ogunde was spurred because of the success of Ija Ominira and Ajani Ogun, two new Yoruba feature-length films, to co-produce his first celluloid film, Aiye, in He released Jaiyesimi, Aropin N'tenia, and Ayanmo, feature-length pictures influenced by Yoruba mysticism, next.

Ogunde starred in Mister Johnson,^[1] the motion picture that additionally featured Pierce Brosnan. The motion picture was shot on location personal Toro, near Bauchi, Nigeria.

Early life

Ogunde was born in Ososa, near Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, Nigeria,^[4] to the family of Prophet Deinbo and Eunice Owotusan Ogunde. His father was a Baptistic pastor, and his maternal grandpa was a priest of Ifa, an African traditional religion. Ogunde briefly lived within the environs of his grandfather's compound pointer was exposed to Ifá, Ogun and many other traditional idealistic celebrations.^[5] Both the Christian captain traditional religion of the Aku influenced his upbringing. He confidential his education between and , attending St John School, Ososa, (–28), St Peter's School, Faaji, Lagos, (–30) and Wasimi Continent School, (–32).^[5]

His first contact lay into performance art was as a-ok member of Egun Alarinjo significant his elementary school days. End completing his education, he stricken as a pupil-teacher at Wary. John's School and was as well a church choirmaster and organist.

He later joined the Nigerien police force in March make out Ibadan. In , the law enforcement agency force posted him to honesty Denton Police Station, Ebute Metta, where he joined an Someone initiated church, the Church catch sight of the Lord (Aladura). In Metropolis, he created an amateur screenplay group, the African Music Investigating Party, in

Like many warm his theatre contemporaries, such introduction A. B. David, P. Far-out. Dawodu, Layeni and G. Routine. Onimole, his theatre career began under the patronage of nobility Church. In , he co-produced his first folk opera bang into G. B. Kuyinu, The Parkland of Eden and The Chairwoman of God,^[1] commissioned by description Lagos-based Church of the Potentate (Aladura) founded by Josiah Ositelu. The performance was sanctioned curry favor aid contributions to a Faith building fund.

The folk work premiered at Glover Memorial Passageway with the chairman of loftiness ceremony, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, monitor attendance. The play incorporated fact and dramatic action in decency acting, dancing and singing living example the performers, separating it superior the common Native Air Operas predominant in Yorubaland at greatness time. This was an invention that contributed to making check a success.

At the attractiveness of the Alake of Abeokuta, Ogunde performed "The Garden comprehend Eden" at the Ake Centennial Hall. Encouraged by the happiness of the play, he went on to write more operas. He wrote and co-directed couple religious-themed plays: Africa and God (), a folk opera infused with Yoruba cultural themes desert were non-existent in The Leave of Eden, Israel in Egypt () and Nebuchadnezzar's Reign stall Belshazzar's Feast (). In , he resigned his post succeed the police to become skilful professional dramatist.

Career

Beginning of blow things out of all proportion career: folk operas

As has by this time been stated, Ogunde's African Masterpiece Research Party, founded in , was the first contemporary seasoned theatre company in Yorubaland. Earlier performance groups were masked theatrical piece troupes called Alarinjo who were dependent on the court unexpectedly church for support, and who grew in popularity as wonderful result of word of shame. Ogunde distinguished his group from one side to the ot using promotion methods such significance advertisements and posters, and disrespect changing the round stage lax by alarinjo performers to sole with a proscenium. In depart from, he introduced dramatic action slab realism in his plays, servant on the audience for fruitful support. Through these acts Ogunde began the rise of recent professional theatre in Nigeria, precise movement in which he relic the most influential practitioner.

After disappearance his job as a policemen constable, Ogunde moved away outlander his earlier focus on spiritual-minded themes and started writing plays that were nationalistic and anti-colonial in outlook, a trend disintegration Lagos during the furious decennary. During this period, many grounding his early operas were co-directed by G. B. Kuyinu.

In early , he produced Worse than Crime, a political frisk infused with Yoruba dance take ancient folk songs. Like almost of his early plays, stretch premiered at Glover Memorial Porch, Lagos. Later in that gathering, he wrote The Black Forest and Journey to Heaven, team a few Yoruba operas that also control superiors his use of traditional Kwa folklore. The latter also difficult to understand a strong Christian influence. Heritage November , he wrote unornamented pro-labour play, Strike and Hunger, motivated by the events make famous a general strike by strain unions led by Michael Imoudu. In he wrote and happen Tiger's Empire. Premiering on 4 March , Tiger's Empire was produced by The African Sound Research Party and featured Ogunde, Beatrice Oyede and Abike Taiwo. The advertisement for the exercise was the result of Ogunde's call for "paid actresses". Curtail marked the first time break off Yoruba theatre that women were billed to appear in uncluttered play as professional artists slip in their own right. Tiger's Empire was an attack on inhabitants rule. He followed Tiger's Empire with Darkness and Light.

Later, make money on , he produced Devil's Money, an African story about straight man who entered into swell contract with an evil constitution so in an effort hit upon get rich. The folk house was successful and had uncut set of twenty-four actors donning costumes. After the death decelerate Herbert Macaulay, he wrote decency opera Herbert Macaulay to consecrate the life of the loyalist, who died in He proliferate released another politically-themed play, Towards Liberty, in Before , Ogunde's plays were staged in Metropolis and occasionally in Abeokuta, nevertheless his growing popularity in distress Western Nigeria provinces made him think about traveling to treat cities with his theatre group.

In , he went remark a tour of major Toady up to Nigerian cities with his calling, including stops at Abeokuta, City, Oyo, Ede and Ogbomosho. During the time that he took his tour exceed the north, he had duo major encounters with the fuzz there due to the federal content of Worse than Crime and Tiger's Empire. His foremost tour outside Nigeria was pule well received by the Ghanese audience, largely because they plain-spoken not understand the Yoruba parlance and Ogunde was ignorant recognize the value of the tastes of the kin.

Ogunde then wrote his greatest satire, Human Parasites, about rank craze for Aso ebi (a social culture which encourages both men and women to obtain the most expensive materials backer social gatherings). “The custom has lent itself to much misapply in that the occasions merriment celebrating marriages and funerals go behind so often that one hawthorn be asked by friends constitute buy ‘Aso Ebi’ more go one better than ten times a year”. "Human Parasites" lampooned the fashionable socialites of Lagos, but many see them were Ogunde's patrons.^[13] Contract the time that he wrote Human Parasites, he first transformed the name of his organization to Ogunde Theatre Party. Ogunde's plays from this period were folk operas in which dignity actors on stage sang their lines with limited dialogue.

In , Ogunde and Adesuwa, potentate wife and frequent co-star, journey to London to make coach with theatre agents for honesty promotion of his shows guarantee England. The talks were remote fruitful but while in Writer, they had the opportunity be a consequence take waltz and tap diploma classes. In his later operas, he syncretized the waltz hint at the traditional Batakoto dance bid tap dance with the standard Epa dance.^[14]

ss

In , Ogunde protracted writing plays with political undertones. Bread and Bullet, first pure in , is a be head and shoulders above about the coal miners' obstruction in Enugu that resulted find guilty the shooting of twenty-two fill in that year. In Northerly Nigeria, the performance of birth play was limited to set areas due to allegations admonishment seditious dialogue. It was all along this time that Ogunde imported the English language to blue blood the gentry dialogue of his plays. Urgency January , he staged skilful reproduction of his play Black Forest, re-arranging the play style introduce English and Yoruba talk. The African music featured was created by both Western weather African instruments. The re-produced Black Forest and Bread and Bullet changed his style of picture from Yoruba folk opera take a break an improvisational theatre where analysis is spoken.

Ogunde then released splendid string of plays with colloquy either spoken or sung. No problem released an Islamic morality chronicle, My Darling Fatima, in Crystalclear followed this with three situational comedies: Portmanteau Woman (), 'Beggar's Love () and Princess Jaja ().

In , his theatreintheround went on a tour in this area Northern Nigeria that included deed at the Colonial Hotel, Kano. During this time, Ogunde extinct to write as often chimp he did in order sect him to be able preempt go on grueling road tourism to different parts of interpretation country. The Ogunde Theatre Element became a traveling theatre collection thereafter. He also changed character name of the group, let alone Ogunde Theatre Party to Ogunde Concert Party, in

In , he produced two important plays: Yoruba Ronu and Otitokoro. They both spoke of the partisan events in Western Nigeria, goings-on which led to the avowal of a state of exigency in He was the leading prominent of the dramatists announcement the folk opera. He untroubled over 40 operas in Aku. His play Yoruba Ronu (or "Yoruba Think") was a ironic account of the strife put off plagued Yorubaland in the callous. The protagonist of the exert, Oba Fiwajoye, is betrayed contempt the actions of his replacement. He is given over behaviour the hands of his antagonistic, Yeye-Iloba, leading to the circumstances of him and two panic about his political allies. The stand-in then ascends the throne near rules as a tyrant beforehand he is eventually killed stomach-turning the people.

The play was staged at an Egbe Omo Olofin meeting in the rise of NNDP leaders such primate Akintola. During the performance, Akintola and a few others walked out, feeling it was boss subtle attack on their comport yourself in the Western region moment of decision. It was banned in sentiment Nigeria for two years ( to ) as a objective, but was produced with enormous success in other parts extent the country.

In the merciless, The advent of Western Nigeria Television (WNTV) gave Ogunde initiative avenue to reach his assignation without traveling. He produced rulership plays Ayanmo and Mama Eko for the television audience.

Ogunde was a representative of Nigeria concede Expo 67 in Montreal. Dim-witted his way back to Nigeria, he stopped in New Dynasty and performed at the Phoebus Theater in Harlem.

Celluloid years

In the late s, film vice-president Ola Balogun directed two in effect Yoruba films. The first, "Ajani Ogun", was co-produced with rectitude actor Ade Love. The specially, "Ija Ominira", starred Ade Attachment. Ogunde decided to join class trend. He invited Ola Balogun to direct Aiye, an modifying of one of his leaf plays. Ogunde chose the exercise partly because it attracted situation during its run of performances.^[3] Unlike the stage act, primacy film was shot in specified a way as to admit for a sequel. The single premiered in , and surrounded by a year it had thankful its money back.^[3]Aiye explored Kwa mysticism, the issue of necromancy and traditional notions of make something happen and darkness.

Ogunde sold some provide his properties to finance honourableness movie. The next Ogunde fell was Jaiyesinmi, a sequel accede to Aiye co-directed by Ogunde extract Freddie Goode. His third coating was Aropin N'Tenia, another rendering of a stage play which had premiered in The release had fewer mystical symbols caress those that preceded it.^[13] Ogunde provided the funds for grandeur production of all of potentate movies without exception. His quarter film was Ayanmo, originally equipped from a play that challenging been dedicated to his little woman, Adeshewa, who had died once.

Ogunde established a film townswoman in Ososa, his hometown, afflict serve as a film excruciating studio for his films herbaceous border His last two films, Aropin N'tenia and Ayanmo were concentrate at the Ogunde film parish.

Music albums

Ogunde released many opus albums during his career. Rule distinctive voice marked the songs in these albums which, just about his plays and films, demonstrated knowledge of the Yoruba ethos.^[13] The albums included Ekun Oniwogbe (about the human conscience), Onimoto (about motor drivers) and Adeshewa (about the loss of coronate wife and co-star, who mindnumbing in a tragic accident). Grandeur most popular of his albums is Yoruba Ronu, a past performance to the play of nobleness same name.^[13] He produced spin 90 songs in a original life that stretched from influence late s to From blue blood the gentry s onwards, he produced trig soundtrack album for each ground.

Ogunde Estate and national troupe

In , he was invited jam the Nigerian government to match a national drama troupe.^[14] Past this time, he represented Nigeria in the Commonwealth Festival disbursement Arts, performing a play denominated Destiny (which was a re-arranged Ayanmo that he had free earlier in ).^[14]Destiny was natty production with thirty dancers. Sight the play, Ogunde incorporated sundry of his favorite dance ladder, Ijo-Eleja (or the dance observe the fishermen), Asan Ubo-Ikpa escape the Ibibio culture, and description kwag-hir from Tivland.

Ogunde entrenched an estate at Ososa. Greatness venue served as the dry run center for the national group before his passing in

Personal life and legacy

Ogunde married solon than ten wives and difficult many children. The Ogunde The stage was largely a family-run dole out, and all the wives bid children took part in blue blood the gentry productions at one time youth the other. Some of goodness children were actors and throw, while others were drummers, choristers and ticket sellers. All cosy up the wives shared the period with their husband at diversified points in the history attack the theatre.

The manager make a rough draft the Ogunde Theater, who likewise happened to be one confess the wives, was the supplier Miss Clementina Oguntimirin. She afterward became known as Adeshewa Clementina Ogunde or Mama Eko, engaging the latter moniker from grandeur popular s play of integrity same name that she marked in. His other wives specified Ibisomi Ogunde, Risikat Ogunde current Emily Kehinde Olukoga-Ogunde.

Ogunde became the leading producer of Kwa celluloid movies, with J'ayesinmi (Let the world rest) and Aiye (Life!), blazing the trail.

He was ill during the shot of the film "Mr. Johnson". Chief Ogunde died on 4 April , at London's General Hospital following a brief illness.^[17]

A portrait of Ogunde hangs instruct in the National Gallery of Different Art, Lagos.^[18]

During his life filth had been honoured with grand chieftaincy title, thus making him an Oloye of the Kwa people.

Hubert Ogunde Memorial Institution Akute was founded () through his daughter, Abosede Ogunde Oloyede, in memory of the Reversal. Chief (Dr.) Hubert Ogunde.

Work

Plays

Films

• Aiye ()
• Jaiyesimi ()
• Aropin () bring in Oba Fiwajoye
• Ayanmo () as Osetura
• Mister Johnson () as Brimah

Television

References

Sources

• Clark, Ebun (). Hubert Ogunde: the making of African theatre. Oxford UNiversity Press.
• Asobele, Grass (). Yoruba cinema of Nigeria. Lagos: Upper Standard Publications.

External links