“The role of creativity is Territory. That is all it is; that is all it ever was; that is all it ever will be. It is intellectual territory.” (Source unknown)
The above quote might look like a deliberate attempt to pour salt on an open wound, but sadly, it is the bitter truth when viewed, dissected with an open analytical mind. The film industry in Nigeria is truly an intellectual territory because of its contributory diverse role from a diverse homogeneous culture to creativity. We also know as creatives that credibility does not function in isolation. It is made to evolve into motion and appreciative acceptance by people whose minds are enclaved in every sphere of creativity.
One of such creative contributors to the role of creativity in our own territory here in Edo State, is a thespian born into the royal home of the Yusuf Abdulai of Agbede in Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State. This creative experimentalist, born on 7 April 1958, a product of the great University of Benin, and holder of many professional certificates, is Mallam, Alhaji, Yusuf Bako. M.M.
Mallam Bako is a filmmaker with many film titles to his credit. He is a Teacher, Public Officer, Comrade, Religious Leader, Public Affairs and a Marriage Counsellor, married happily to madam Rafat Bako with four kids – all graduates of various professions.
This filmmaker, now retired from the State Public Service in the Directorate Cadre, was deeply rooted in comradeship fighting a just cause for humanity. He was State Chairman of Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, former Executive Secretary, Edo State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Member Assessment and Award Committee National Hajj Commission of Nigeria; and presently Chairman Board of Trustee Edo State Artists Association of Nigeria (EAAN), former Protem Chairman Actors’ Guild of Nigeria Edo State Chapter, Coordinator JAMAAT NASIR-L-ISLAM (JNI) Nigeria and Executive Secretary Eminent Muslim Forum of Nigeria, among others.
According to Oliver Wendell Holmes, “Man’s mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions”, and when viewed against the backdrop of Mallam Bako’s tenacious hold to his ideas and ideals in relation to filmmaking, stage productions, religion and services to humanity, one would only but celebrate his continuous creative development in the creative space in Edo State in particular and Nigeria in general. He remembers vividly the day Jimoh Aliu Theatre visited his school in the year 1973 with a production “Igbo Irumole” full of drama, dance and suspense.
“The next year I wrote my first script in life and formed a group for my school that won certificates at the annual school festival for same year,” Mallam Bako recalls.
“After my secondary education in 1976, I came down to Benin City for job hunting I came across UTETE NEGIABI via the elder sister Adesuwa who was the Head girl of my set. The script I came to collect from her was taken by Utete for perusal and that Union gave birth to STARS THEATRE in 1976 November. The group had great and noble men and women of common interest.
“Ossa Earlice, Tesma Erese, Josephine Odobo, Leke Ikpanfua, Henry Ese, later Laslot Imasuen and late Kennedy Oviahon, Mercy Obaseki, among others – These fellow evolved our first major production ‘OGIUWU’ ‘King of Death’.”
Looking at the journey of most creatives, is like reading a collection of short stories with sub themes on the rich cultural landscape of chronological historical events. Their stories do often evoke within the reader feelings of Aristotle’s metaphysics, he claims that “there must be a separate and unchanging being that is the source of all other beings.” While In his ethics, he holds that “it is only by becoming excellent that one could achieve eudaimonia, a sort of happiness or blessedness that constitutes the best kind of human life.”
Gliding into those literary aeon periods, Mallam Bako Yusuf narrated how as a young school leaver, he was a regular visitor to the then Cultural Centre at Kings Square, now Edo State House of Assembly with great men like OJ Ben, Sam Uloko, Felix Odia, Omo Elegon among many other notable artists.
“I was particularly an errand boy to most of these great mentors of mine and with them I had the opportunity of being at FESTAC 77 not as an invited artist but as a Personal Assistant/Spectator.
“I was also a regular Artist with NTA play house handled then by uncle Femi Adewale working with late Flavian Okojie, O’ray Slatter among others. As a film Producer / Director, I had my first individual shot with an Esan production EBALUALU, than the first Etsako movie EMUREKO I was fully involve in the production of Evbakoe and OSEGBE prior to the above.
“Other movies produced by me are OBRIGAGO, Evbhenarue emagbon, Inuaghata etc, before producing the first ENGLIEDO film IDALA O.
“My production in English were being an Assistant Director to Don Pedro Obaseki’s EZIZA, DARK SECRET and DESTINY. Of course I will not forget in hurry one of such production were I met this great man DAVIDSON IZEGAEGBE, a filmmaker…, that experience which I will never erase from my memory is a story for another day.
“Production then was mostly analogue, though situation had metamorphosed into digital but I made bold to say that more dedication and seriousness were put to play then than now. Then script were put to text by pre-location script conference. Artist study the entire story carefully to be able to adapt to character though the pay was minimal the output was very high but today the story is far far different.”
Every filmmaker always has that film or stage production, script that appeals and stands out more than others. They always have that smile on their faces whenever they remind themselves of the reason they are in love with just that ONE. This great thespian singles out the Benin language film, “IDALA O”, because it was a different concept not too popular with Producers, Directors and Marketers/Distributors as at then.
It was a risky business decision “I made to use the normal spoken Bini Language to produce a Bini film”. His reason is simple: many marketers then rejected it but when it finally hit the market, it became a bestseller.
“For the English I will go for EZIZA. It was an experience because for some reasons best known to the Producers / Directors we were kept in location for 3 days without rolling the camera. Artist were made up, set was ready, equipment were on ground yet no shooting. “OSMEKA” who was the DOP of blessed memory approached me and said ‘Bro are you not the Assistant Director of this production’, I answered in the affirmative, and he said ‘lets get this job done’, that is how we were able to break through the forces of darkness, the rest was a success story.
“For IDALAO, it will interest you to know that, I produced, directed, provided locations, costumes and logistics, even welfare; unfortunately some evil minded individuals in the industry who are still raising their ugly head till date in the industry, deprived me of earning a dine from that production, despite the fact that the film got the highest price for that season. Hmmmm, I left them to God.
“To God be the glory, today I am glad and grateful to GOD meditating on the sacrifices made and seeing the level and height most of those I brought, influenced or mentored in the industry has attained. You can only but be bumbling in self satisfaction and I give God the glory. Many of today’s well known actors, directors, producers from this state, by God’s grace had the opportunity of working under us or with us. Though most of them hardly remember to mention us in their profile; my brothers who cares…. they do know where I picked them from or where we met and what I did to make them who they are today. Alhamdulilai. I was mainly concern with recruiting freshers, today am glad to see them excelling in all field of the film industry.
“This industry na gold mine before o, but we use our own hand kill am. The attitude of most of our producers / directors vis-à-vis the artist and all other stakeholders especially with the “Bring him down syndrome” has made us to remove food from our tables. Secondly we lack proper coordination. In this regard market women are far better than us. Take for instance their union can create artificial scarcity just to be able to add value and control prices of their products, for us hmmm, looking forward to next century before we will be able to achieve this.
“Edo films – at the beginning there was purposeful direction and motive but today, we have lost all that to greed, because of this, many viewers do not have the zeal to view our production any longer, they convey no messages nor provide moral direction nor lesson. Knowledge is continuous, for many of us in my generation, we are still holding on to our analogue ideas, even for those who are trying to excel a bit, we are caught in between neither here nor there. For the younger generation, they have no foundation to build upon, they are not ready to learn from the older generation THE GURUS, they are full of pride resulting from little achievements they mistakenly got and yet they over price themselves. My brother, they still have a long way to go. Yet you hear them say “I have paid my due”. For what? and to who? Time will tell. But make them calm down make we work together and learn from those on top of the lather, may be they will eventually find the right direction. We need to always appreciate those who pushed us to where we are – this is very necessary.”
As the first President of the then Bendel Association of Theatre Artist (BATA) 1978, and looking now at his contemporaries, living legends like ERITIO and PA ODIA among many others, cannot but regret the fact that the Artists creative industry has no insurance of any sort to fall back to in their old age. This according to Mallam Bako Yusuf is very “sad considering their individual and collective contributions to the creative industry”.
This great thespian threw light in the manner some producers treat Artist, which according to global and national standards are not acceptable in the business of employer versus employee. He recalled how he once took artists to location and while they were on location working late, the Executive producer rather than being worried about the artists wellbeing, sent someone to come and pick his camera and equipment. “I was really disappointed that I have to relief myself of that production, because It is obvious that despite the film industry monumental contributions to the GDP / economy of the country, Government is yet to give it the necessary attention it deserved.. This is very very sad. May our work and labour not be in vain……Ameeeen.”
