Veteran Nollywood actor, Kayode Olaiya, has shared his journey into Nollywood in a recent interview.
The actor revealed the story behind his stage name, Aderupoko, and how he was able to navigate into Nollywood through story telling.
“The story behind the name Aderupoko is long, but I’ll share it if time allows. I started my career with Western Nigeria Television (WNTV) and Western Nigeria Broadcasting Corporation (WNBC), the first in Africa, at Agodi in Ibadan as a storyteller. It was a live program, and we went on air between 4 p.m. and 10 p.m. when the late sage Obafemi Awolowo introduced TV. Where the Oyo State Government House stands today used to be a bushy area. My friends and I often went there to pluck mangoes and hew trees. I was a student then. One day, while we were returning from plucking mangoes, a man approached us and asked if we could tell stories. We were about eight, but all my friends ran away except me. He called me over, and to my surprise, he asked if I could bring my friends to tell evening stories. I agreed and was responsible for relaying the message to my friends. Eventually, the late Hubert Ogunde came in for a stage performance called Olo ngbo Dudu (Black Cat).”
“I remember that we only drank soft drinks like Coca-Cola and Fanta during festive seasons like Christmas and Ileya. They ensured we had a bottle of Fanta or Coca-Cola each time we came so that we would keep returning. We became so happy that we hardly missed a day because we knew we would get to drink Coca-Cola and Fanta. Even my friends who initially didn’t like the idea later joined us because of Coca-Cola. Besides drinks, we were also given money. I remember we received one pound, which we shared among ourselves.
WHAT WERE YOUR PARENTS’ REACTIONS, AND HOW DID THIS NOT AFFECT YOUR SCHOOLING?
“Our parents didn’t complain because we were making money that we could use to buy some school supplies. Our parents weren’t wealthy enough to send most of us to school, so we supplemented what we got from our parents with our earnings from storytelling. Moreover, there were few television sets in Ibadan at that time, and people would search for a TV set in the evening to watch programs. Soon, I became popular among my friends and in my area, with many parents wanting their children to follow me because they knew they would see them on TV.”
On moving from storytelling to live stage performance, he said:
“As I mentioned, after some time, the late Ogunde came to the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) for his live stage drama. I realized that the rehearsals and performances of people like Oyin Adejobi, Ogunde, and Duro Ladipo were different from what we did as storytellers. They came from different parts of the country to NTA for their stage performances. After a while, I decided to join a theatre group called Edunkunle Travelling Theatre in Ibadan.”
He also said he missed classes while doing all these as he was still a student then.
“I missed a couple of classes and received serious reprimands from my teachers. I remember a day when my teacher said he saw me on TV when I was supposed to be in school. I was the band leader in school, playing the conga drum for a long time. During a school performance, Baba Ajimajasan saw me playing the drum and asked my boss, Edunkunle, if I could play drums for him in one of his shows. He agreed, but I never returned to the Edunkunle group because I was enticed with money and loved watching cinema at the Odion Cinema, where Ajimajasan held his rehearsals and shows. It was at Ajimajasan’s group that I met Jacob, Iya Ijebu, Baba Eleko, Arikuyeri, and Jegede, known as Aworawo now (Star gazer).”
“Those days, we had Baba Sala and Ogunde with programs on NTA. These people weren’t based in one place and moved around, so when they were gone for weeks, there was no one to record new episodes. The management decided to fill that space by calling for a rehearsal of jesters. I was invited for an audition alongside Baba Mero, Ola Omanitan, Ayinla Olumegbon, Baba John Bull, and Duro Ladipo, led by Lere Paimo. Papalolo, Jacob, and I got the job because of the characters we portrayed.”
Speaking about Awada kerikeri that held sway in those days, he said:
“The story is long, and I hope we have enough time to cover everything. Baba Sala had registered his episodes as Alawada, so when we came on board, they decided to remove Ala from ours and called it Awada. When Baba Mero joined, he couldn’t use Awada because we were already using it, so he added kerikeri, becoming Awadakerikeri. This is what led to the name Aderupoko.”
“When I was performing with the Ajimajasan group, I was known as Araga. As a travelling theatre group, we used a lorry called 9/11 to carry our luggage. When we started using coaster buses, we thought we could pack our luggage the same way. I was the stage manager and the driver, overseeing what was loaded into the bus. The overloaded bus moved slowly, and people started calling me Aderupoko, meaning someone who overloads a bus. That’s how the name Aderupoko came about, and I am happy with it today.”
“I thank God for my life and career. If my dad were alive when I started acting, he might not have allowed me to go into it because he was a practicing Muslim. But I was raised by my mother since I lost my dad at a young age. I believe every man’s journey is known to God.”
“There have been days of both good and bad experiences because life is full of both, but I don’t let such things bother me. In everything we do, we should try to bring out the positive aspects, and I thank God that He has never allowed the bad to overshadow the good.”
Aderupoko also said that he missed the good old days of stage acting as actors and actresses then are professional with their craft.
“Stage performance is what I miss the most. Today’s actors and actresses are not professionals because most of them didn’t start from the stage aspect. In the past, the government made money from our work through the taxes we paid from ticket sales at shows. This is something we don’t enjoy today, and I’m not happy about it. There was no piracy back then because we sold our tickets at the entrance and knew how much to expect. Each state had its own tickets that we bought at their local government offices when we traveled. Unlike today, we don’t enjoy the proceeds of our work due to piracy. Modernization has brought more setbacks than progress for theatre practitioners.”
The veteran while recalling events said there was a time his marketer and pirates collided against him and he felt like quitting the profession.
“There was a time I almost quit. I borrowed money from the bank to shoot a movie, but pirates dealt with me harshly. It was a terrible experience for my family and me. The marketer and pirates colluded against me. I couldn’t repay the bank loan, and it affected my sleep and peace of mind. It was similar to what happened to Baba Sala when he produced Orun Moru, but my ordeal was worse. I almost got hit by a car while walking down the street, lost in thought about repaying the loan. It was a serious dilemma. You know Baba Sala’s story and how that single event affected his life. My movie sold widely, but the marketer claimed he didn’t sell a copy.”
On growing up with tribal marks, especially as an actor, Aderupoko said his tribal marks compliment him and it was a source of pride to him and others who has it growing up.
“When my parents gave me tribal marks, many people had them. It was a source of pride back then, but as modernization came, people stopped marking their children. Those who appreciate my marks still compliment me, saying I look good with them. I feel great about my tribal marks because they represent something significant.”
He further said that he has been an actor for the longest time and have achieved a lot through the profession.
“I’ve been an actor since 1966. You can calculate how many years that has been. I’m happy with my journey and the success I’ve achieved. Through this profession, I’ve traveled abroad, driven my own car, raised well-placed children, and have a home. I am known worldwide, and that brings me joy.”
Speaking on the jester group of Aderupoko, Papalolo, and Jacob, the actor said:
“When we left Ajimajasan’s group in 1978, we launched Jesters’ International in 1980. Jacob, Papalolo, and I. Jacob died in 1987, and we continued for eight years before his death. After Jacob’s death, Papalolo was scared to continue.”