Segun Arinze is a prolific actor who started acting as a teenager. This teenage experience informed his zeal to impact his generation and nurture the young generation of actors. In this Interview with CHINELO CHIKELU and ANAEMENA PRISCILLA CHINENYE, he canvases increased investment in movies suitable for child acting
When did you discover your talent in acting and what inspired you?
I started acting 30 years ago. When I got to the stage for the first time, I knew I wanted to be an actor and a singer. That was in a secondary located at the outskirts of Ilorin, Kwara State. It is called Victory college of Commerce, Edidi. During one of the holidays I came back fascinated with the art and fortunately, I met Ayo Orowale. We became friends, he felt I would make a good actor and introduced me to acting after which we started something called the Palm Players. Ever since there has been no going back, in acting for me.
How has your experience in Nollywood been and was there any point at which you felt like turning back?
My experience in Nollywood, like every other experiences has been sweet, bad, sour and frightful. I have had my own fair share of controversies and scandals. This was common at the founding of the industry. I never felt like turning back at any point, I need to also tell you that though Nollywood has evolved as a brand itself, myself and few of my colleagues like Ola Balogun predate Nollywood. NTA brought succour by encouraging movies like, Mirror in the sun, Behind the cloud and Check Mate, Fortune also came up with likes of Ramsey Noah, late Pat Attah and several others but at some point NTA didn’t want their staff acting. So, they had an exodus of actors going out to try their hands on independent things. That’s how great things like Check Mate came about. Also, an Igbo man who was selling yoruba movies came up with a blast in Igbo called Living in Bondage, and another hit titled: Taboo. Gradually, movies were evolving and we came up with something called the home video, from there we progressed till we got to VCD, DVD and now we are on Cinema.
Looking at the N3billion Nollywood intervention Fund by the Federal Government, What has been its effect in transforming Nollywood and you personally as an actor?
Its injection into the industry is a welcome development. As a matter of fact, this is the first time ever in Nollywood we have had it so good; having an entertainment-friendly President in person of President Goodluck Jonathan, we don’t know when this will happen again after it comes and goes. It has taken so much note of the industry to the extent the industry is contributing to the country’s GDP. It’s interesting. The grant, if well harnessed, should move the industry forward. People from outside now reckon with the Industry, for example: Last month, Chinwetal Ejiofor was in the country to premiere Half of a yellow sun which was shot in 2012, we are having both international and local collaborations and its happening before our very own eyes. I said something in 2013 at Nigeria Film Festival Amsterdam, when we were showing Battle of love, after the movie, I was asked, what would it be like breaking into international scene? I said ‘we are not going to Hollywood, I will make my name from Nigeria and the whole world will hear about me’. What’s happening today? The whole world is seeing the likes of Genevieve Nnaji, Ramsey Noah, Mercy Johnson, Stephanie Okereke-, Jim Iyke, Sam Dede, Richard Mofe Damijo (RMD), Olu Jacob, Joke Silver and several others who would have remained in London but decided to come back. Now we see new actors like Uti Nwachukwu, Yul Edochie, Empress Njamah and others coming up, there is an evolution. Now Movie Academies and productions are funded, packaging and distribution as well. With all this going on, I want to use this medium to say a big thank you to President Jonathan, a big kudos to him because we don’t know when this will come our way again, even if it continues, he laid the foundation.
Would you say there is a disadvantage with the international collaborations, especially with films that are Nigeria-based but Nigerians not playing major roles?
Prove yourself to clarify your question
For Instance, the movie Half of a yellow sun, people were expecting Genevieve to play a lead character but apparently she didn’t
There’s always a starting point, the journey of a thousand miles starts with a step, let me tell you something, there are no small actors, only small roles. A simple role can make you big, once a producer finds a good actor, he/she will be identified no matter how small the role is and gets them for a bigger role.
Recently, we see infiltration of homosexuality in movies, how would you react to it, especially now that Nigerian law frowns at it?
I’m not going to speak on that, let me just focus on the professional aspects of it, what anyone does with their private life is none of my business. Everybody has the right to do whatever they want to do, its not in my power to judge or condemn anyone. Its when you drag it into me that I tell you my candid opinion but on a professional level it’s not my business what they do. If it’s right for them and it works, whatever floats your boat. For me, am gonna be as professional as I can, make my money, my name, impact my society and build up a generation of great actors.
Africa is known for its rich and decent culture and at inception of the industry, Nollywood movies portrayed Nigerian culture, devoid of nudity and pornography, yet communicated their messages effectively to the public. What is your take on the introduction of foreign culture of nudity, soft porn and pornography in Nollywood?
Nudity in movies is not peculiar to Nollywood alone, it is also applicable in both Hollywood and even Bollywood. The world is one global village, what is seen here is there and vice versa, there is nothing that is happening now that has not happened anywhere else before, what about Sodom and Gomorah? It’s a phase, it comes and goes, it’s like fashion, most shoes and hair style we do now, was done years ago but they keep evolving. For instance, the platform shoe of today was known as Akpola some years ago. No one can stop changes. Though, as much as things are changing, we also need to reform it and be modest, decent as Africans. We won’t say because everyone goes naked, then we should overdo ours. There is a big difference between nudity, soft porn and pornography. It depends on the director’s perspective, what the producer wants and if the actor is willing to act on it, then they come to terms of agreement, you do your contract, if it works for you, do it, if it doesn’t, pull out.
It happens that there’s a dearth of movies for children under 18 years, unlike when Nollywood was emerging and children had alternatives rather than just cartoons, what could be the reason?
Sponsorship, stories are changing, people are becoming more daring, although viewers discretion is allowed. This is why I have always canvassed for market for children. Though now, you can find some children of 13, 14 years using blackberry and gaining access to internet, no one controls what they see these days, tell me how many parents have time to look at their children’s phones and computers? There are no films that are edifying for children to see and learn from. Some people say it’s difficult to do children’s films, but who told you it’s difficult? The only difficulty is the non-availability of the market. In America they have it, they have movies for teens lovers. Also, we use to have Bournvita television in those days. Bournvita children’s belt onFridays, Saturdays and it was very interesting. But now, everybody is just in a hurry to make quick returns and no one wants to invest in Children movies. Do you notice we don’t have child actors anymore, any child actor we have now is looking timid and stupid on stage, you can quote me and it’s so sad, it’s pathetic. Also, stage plays should be sponsored especially in Abuja where they are very few.
What’s the latest for the public to know?
We are working on a reality show, myself, director Ifeanyi Onyeabor, producer Chinyere Ogbukagu. This is the first cultural reality TV show in the country and is titled: The Heroes: Back to the Roots. The audition is at twelve strategic locations nationwide and the 37 contestants that will emerge from various states of the federation, including Abuja the capital of Nigeria, will be taken into the House for tasks which will reveal their knowledge of the Nigerian culture. The show is also, aimed at finding, nurturing people with raw talent and training them to utilise their acting talents in different native languages.
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