A most prolific writer’s pen from Edo State has bled to create immortal and classic stories, from ‘Nekighidi’ to ‘Adesuwa’, ‘Queen Idia’ to Invasion 1897, and most recently, ‘Gbege’. It is a most illuminating experience to examine the thought processes of a writer and how they create magic on pen and paper in a way that the characters come to life on stage and on screen. Jack Grapes often says that it is character that drives a story, and I couldn’t agree more. A character drives a story. We had to exist and experience life before we had any stories to tell. Ossa Earliece’s approach to storytelling employs the marriage of strong and compelling characters with emotive language. Every line is golden.
The first time I watched ‘Invasion 1897’, which was written by Ossa Earliece, I was inflamed with the passionate oratory of Mike Omorogbee and his character interpretation of Oba Ovonramwen.
A writer’s work is not easy. He has to think and write dialogue for all the characters. He has to plot storyline. A hilarious thing about the term ‘plot’ is that it is synonymous with ‘plan’. Like planning a heist or prison break. Many people, most film consumers don’t know what goes on behind the scenes in pre-production. Writers often sit down and arrange how a potential story would likely be developed, and in the heat of the brainstorming session, you hear expressions like “Alright, in scene 4 we want the mad woman to start picking dirt in the bush, then a limousine should park by the roadside and a rich man will come out and befriend her, so that in scene 7 when she eventually gets pregnant for him, it will make more sense, so the audience will not be confused”. It is called plotting because it actually sounds like planning—planning a high class society wedding or Michael Schofield planning to break Lincoln Burrows out of Fox River.
Anyway, back to Ossa Earliece. So, the year was 2021. I had just met up with the actors and crew for the Adesuwa play. Easerel Wekpe kept talking about the magnificence of Ossa Earliece who wrote ‘Adesuwa – A Wasted Lust’, whom I had never met before.
During the play, Ossa Earliece and Charles Inojie of ‘The Johnsons’ were in the audience and Charles gave an honourable mention, with great regards.
Like most genius writers, Ossa Earliece can be quite reserved but is very creative and prolific.
So let’s examine a slice of Ossa Earliece’s works.
ADESUWA: This was my official starting point or professional baptism or initiation into the film industry. It tells the epic story of Adesuwa and Obi Olise of Oboro. Drama. Intrigue. Warfare. Diabolism. Enchantment. Deception. Lust all come together in the melting pot of this historical drama.
INVASION 1897: Mike Omorogbee did quite an astounding performance with his portrayal of Oba Ovonramwen. And most people would praise that but it was really Ossa Earliece who was behind the words, and behind the character reincarnated onscreen. This film as directed by the veteran Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen tells the true story which transpired in 1897 in Benin Kingdom. A most heartrending tale, which was remarkably satisfying and thoroughly engaging from start to finish.
Other written works by Ossa Earliece include ‘Nekighidi’, ‘Pride of a Woman’, ‘Queen Idia’, amongst many others.
CONCLUSION: Mr. Ossa Earliece is a poet, actor, writer, producer, director, filmmaker and university lecturer of international renown. He has worked with the most respected professor of drama, late Ola Rotimi, as a founding member of the African Cradle Theatre (ACT) in Ile-Ife, Nigeria and as Artistic Director with EarthPot Kulture Music Dance Theatre in Benin City, Edo State. Trained at the University of Port Harcourt and the London Film Academy, he taught briefly at the University of Port Harcourt. A consummate arts administrator, he has published a number of plays among which are ‘Nekighidi’, a Benin historical drama (2001), Bards Culture Company, Benin City; ‘Nun of the Above’ (2010), Dept. of Theatre Arts, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria, and ‘After the Rainbow’ (2015), Nucraft Multimedia, Benin City. Among films he has written are ‘To Rise Again’ (2001); ‘True or False: The Rhesus Factor’; ‘The Terrorist’ (2002); ‘Adesuwa’ (2009) and, more recently, ‘Invasion 1897’ (2014). He is currently CEO NuCRAFT Multimedia Systems Limited, Benin City, and Executive Director, African Renaissance Ensemble (ARE).
I have a lot to write about this great man but let me stop here. I celebrate this great Wordsmith and pay him his well deserved homage the way I can. Perhaps he could have written this article better. Especially since most writers are usually behind the scenes/camera. I deem it fit that respect must be given to whom it is due. I respect his deep comprehension and exploration of our Edo Cultural heritage. I sincerely praise his stolid devotion to his art and wish him many more blessings and prosperity in his endeavours. I am personally grateful to him for taking the unique cultural heritage of Edo To The World.
