He was scolded for choosing to study Theatre Arts. The tides soon turned and the profession earned him fame and glory. He not only became a celebrity in his days, but a culture ambassador and former Executive Director of Bayelsa State Council for Arts and Culture. With over 30 years’ experience in the entertainment industry, Dr Barclays Foubiri Ayakoroma has remained true to his calling and an inspiration to many in the industry. Now the Executive Secretary, National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), Ayakoroma is promoting a fusion of culture, theatre and the film industry, christened Nollywood, for cultural development and national diplomacy. He speaks with EVELYN OSAGIE.
biodata
Barclays Foubiri Ayakoroma attended L.A. School and St. Enda’s College (now Agbarho Grammar School) all in Agbarho in Ughelli North Local Government Area, Delta State. He studied Theatre Arts at the University of Calabar, Cross River State, graduating with a second class honours (upper) division. This was followed with a Masters from the University of Ibadan, and a Doctorate from the University of Port Harcourt, also in Theatre Arts. His area of specialisation is Directing/Film Studies.
Ayakoroma had a stint at Prof. J. P. Clark-Bekederemo’s PEC Repertory Theatre, Lagos in 1985 before moving over to the Rivers State Television (RSTV Channel 22 UHF), Port Harcourt, Rivers State (1986-1992), where he held various positions, such as Operations Supervisor, Head of Programmes, and Head of News and Current Affairs. He has written, acted in, and directed many plays on stage and TV.
He is the author of Dance on his Grave, A Matter of Honour, A Chance to Survive & other plays, Castles in the Air, Once Upon a Dream, and A Scar for Life. His other works include, Strangers in the Land, The Chief Engineer, A Night Out, One Wife Two Husbands, and The Odi Saga. His screenplays include, Master in the House, Castles in the Air, Hidden Agenda, No Hiding Place, Ikemefuna, and From Grace to Grass.
Ayakoroma, until recently, a Lecturer in the Department of Theatre Arts, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria, was a Consultant with the Living Earth Nigeria Foundation (LENF), where he pioneered the Bayelsa Community Theatre Programme. His collaboration with Arikpo Arikpo, formerly of LENF, produced three collections of plays: All for a Canoe & other plays, The Golden Goose & other plays and Our Forest, Our Future & other plays.
He was appointed the Executive Director of the Bayelsa State Council for Arts & Culture in August 2000.
Ayakoroma was the leader of the Bayelsa State delegation when the Egbelegbele Cultural Troupe of Amassoma participated in the 2002 edition of the International Children’s Festival of Culture & Art in Tianjin, China. The troupe also had performance engagements in Beijing and Yanbian before returning home. He had also led the Bayelsa State Troupe in performance tours to London, Paris, and Algiers.
Ayakoroma is a member of many professional bodies, which include the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Society of Nigerian Theatre Artists (SONTA), Institute of Corporate Administrators of Nigeria (ICA), Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM), and Directors Guild of Nigeria (DGN), among others. One of his plays, The Rejected Ones, in A Chance to Survive & other plays, took the second prize in the 2003 edition of the ANA organised NDDC/J. P. Clark Prize for Drama.
Ayakoroma was appointed the Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), Abuja, on November 3, 2009, and has positively changed the fortunes of the Institute. He is a member of the Governing Board, National Orientation Agency (NOA) and Visiting Senior Lecturer, Department of Theatre & Cultural Studies, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Nasarawa State.
Theatre practice vis-à-vis
the Nollywood experience
Professional Theatre practice is not what we used to know in those days. For now, the theatre profession is in a flux. The way forward is for professionals to really go in and practise what they were trained for.
After my youths service in 1984, I freelanced at the National Theatre in Anansa Playhouse by the late Bassey Effiong. I was his Assistant Director then. I later worked with Prof J.P. Clark-Bekederemo in his PEC Repertory Theatre in 1985. Unfortunately, all those theatres are no more. But, we are happy that we have young men with great prospects of going to the next level, like Patrick-Jude Oteh who runs the Jos Repertory Theatre that has survived for more than 10 years.
Theatre productions are very expensive. Maybe why we are not getting it right is because we have not got the money to do the kind of production that would attract the kind of large audience that we want. The redeeming thing is that Nollywood is thriving. It provides a platform for young Nigerians to ply their trade. Unfortunately, theatre artistes have been bystanders, watching, thereby, giving room for people who do not have the requisite training to take over the industry. But I am glad the awareness is there now that theatre artistes should take the bulls by the horn and ensure the profession thrives.
The industry’s teething challenges
Some name insecurity and lack of funding as challenges, it is possible for us to cultivate our own theatre audience no matter the environment we find ourselves. It is also possible for us to do productions and get people to look forward to watching our plays – everything boils down to packaging. I’d often point at the example of the cinema culture. The cinema tradition that was once dead is now resuscitated by Silverbird Galleria. Now, there are others; and every weekend, the cinemas are full of people. If cinemas are thriving in this same in security environment, it means the ball is in our court. If we package good shows, people would come and watch. Another example for theatre professionals to borrow from is that of the stand comedy. Don’t people go to watch Ali Baba, AY Live, Basket Mouth and so on. If these sectors in the entertainment industry are thriving, why can’t theatre?
Others may complain about venues. I don’t think that is an excuse. There are various venues that can be used for presentations. The local government councils have halls that can be used. In those days at Anasa Playhouse, we used to hold schools’ drama. We produced plays, such as Ola Rotimi’s The Gods Are Not to Blame and hold day-time performances in various secondary schools. And even if professional theatre practice is not thriving outside, the university can perform plays every month because they have a ready audience. Also, most arts councils have halls like that of the Kwara State Council for Arts and Culture; so it is possible for the councils to cultivate theatre audience. In Rivers State Arts Council, where I once worked, we used to have productions every month end. When I left for Bayelsa State, we attempted to do that but realised people wanted something free.
My journey in to the world
of the Theatre
From my childhood days, I’ve had this love for drama. I’ve had that dramatic flair in me right from my primary school days. I used to perform in concerts and school’s drama sketches. I remember acting as one of the witches in William Shakespeare’s Macbeth in secondary school. After my secondary school’s education, I went to Lagos and was working in P & T (Post and Telegraph). Then I used to go to the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) to be part of some live programmes. That was where I encountered people like Comish Ekiye (Chief Odunuga), Melville Obriango (Teacher Ogene), who were part of the cast for The Village Headmaster of old, and from Bayelsa. I felt proud that they were from my place; and I wanted be like them and appear on TV for people to watch me too. That was the deciding point for me. But at first, I had wanted to study Business Administration, Accounting or Law, that contact with television changed my mind.
When I made up my mind, I was told the only way I could do that was to study Theatre Arts. I didn’t know what ‘theatre’ meant at the time, but I filled in Theatre Arts in JAMB form anyway, wrote the examination and was eventually admitted to study the course in the University of Calabar (UNICAL).
My dilemma at
the choice of study
When I got admission, an uncle first congratulated me and later scolded me on my choice. That made me wonder then if I had made the right decision. That question crossed my mind again after I graduated, when one year after graduating, I had no job. My anxiety was heighten by the constant scolding by my uncle: anytime I went to see him, he’d say: ‘You see, I told you to go and study courses like Law and Accounting; and you said you wanted to study Theatre Arts. Now, see how you are suffering’. And each time, I’d have no answer to give him. I remember advising my young sister who had dropped out of school after being pregnant, to return to school. And she replied: ‘Is it the school you went and can’t even find a job that you want me to go back to. What kind of school is that?’ Of course, I couldn’t find words with which to reply her, because I wasn’t a good role model to her at the time – there I was without any job a year after leaving the university. But, soon things changed through Rowland Henshaw, a producer at Nigeria Television Authority (NTA). We did a drama series called the Fault is not in our Stars by the late Effiong. At that time, there were not many TV dramas; and so they kept repeating the episodes. Before I knew it, I had become a star. And by the time I went back to that my uncle’s place, women and children were hailing me on the streets, saying ‘See that brother wey dey appear for television’. They followed me and gathered at his compound. While I entered people were asking him of me and he kept telling them, ‘he is my sister’s son; he studied Theatre Arts’. Before I went to study Theatre Arts, he used to offer me Coca Cola drink, but it stopped when he got to know what I was studying. And by time he saw how people were admiring me, instead of Coke, I was promoted to Maltina!
My experience over
30 years after
It was not easy; but I am happy I study Theatre Arts. I have no regrets studying Theatre Arts because it is that decision that has made me the director of Bayelsa State Council for Arts and Culture. It is this theatre profession that lifted me to Abuja to become the Executive Secretary of the National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), . It is this same theatre that makes me visit Nassarawa State University regularly where I am an Associate Professor. And I don’t see those who went to university and study something else same time as I did as better off. From after I featured in that TV drama, things started working out. I later joined Puppet Playhouse. But because people kept telling me I needed a regular job; that I won’t always have money, I went to work in Rivers State Television. And when some of us were not comfortable with the political environment under which we found ourselves then, I left Rivers State Television (RSTV Channel 22 UHF) in (1986 to 1992) for the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) – the academic provided ready shelter for us. Precisely on November 10, 1992, I left for UNIPORT to teach and have been teaching since then. I have eight published plays, 12 co-authored plays and many unpublished plays. I have also published works on Theatre Management; my recent work is Trends in Nollywood.
My days as Director of Bayelsa State Council for Arts and Culture
During my time with the Bayelsa State government, we were fortunate because we had the support of the state. I served under former governors: Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and Governor Timipere Sylva. They all gave me their support during their tenures. In fact, I was challenged by Sylva to write a play in my next set of plays to be published. And I’d say I had the best of environment to express my talents. That also explains why today Bayelsa State has the best Cultural Centre –built under my watch – that hosts AMAA Awards yearly. I came in and saw the skeleton and made recommendation and things were done.
Plays political class watch
It wasn’t in their place to decide what plays we’d presented. As the Executive Director, it was left for me to look at the occasion and chose a play. Every leader wants to relax and enjoy himself. The type of plays government officials watch depends how well-package they are. If you have good and well-packaged plays, people will want to read and watch them. Alamieyeseigha once implored me that he’d often go from home to office and back, saying: ‘To help me relax the only thing you can do for me is to have productions’. So, whether it is tragedy or comedy once the productions are well-done, they’d watch and enjoy them, no matter who they are. I’ll say the bulk stops at the table of the playwrights. The onus is on playwrights to write good plays and theatre professionals to stage quality production.
At the council, we used to stage a production during major national holidays, such as Arm Forces Remembrance Day and Independence Day. My play, Castle in the Air, an adaptation of East African play that was recently staged by the Jos Repertory Theatre, was inspired by the fact that we needed to show a play that highlights the north-south dichotomy during a certain Independence Day celebration.
I remember staging Pepper Soup, a play by Elechi Amadi, a retired army officer, during the Arm Forces Remembrance Day in January, 2001; and Alamieyeseigha rewarded us with N660, 000 an amount which was later shared among the 66-cast. He also directed that the guest-artistes be given automatic employment. Later that same year, when we staged Dance on his Grave, he was so impressed that he hosted the persons that acted king and queen to lunch at government House. I remember they were overjoyed because that was their first time they were hosted. They were later given N50, 000 each and automatic promotion.
My inspiration
The need to contribute to knowledge is what inspires me. For instance, my latest work on Nollywood was inspired by the need to contribute to that area of study. I realised that there were not many authoritative works on the subject. With the publication, people can now read and learn things they didn’t know about the industry.
Promoting culture
through film industry
Nollywood is critical as far as Nigeria’s cultural diplomacy is concerned. On the list of Nigeria’s cultural ambassadors, Nollywood is next in line to football. Outside the shores of country, many, with African descent, may not know the name of Nigeria’s president but once you say you from here, they’d ask about Nollywood celebrities and certain places they’d seen on movies.
Knowing its importance to cultural development and national diplomacy, we, at NICO, have hinged this year’s edition of SONTA, which would be held in Abuja next month, on the essence of Nollywood with a mind of attracting interests support and collaborations of the industry key-players. Hence, the theme is Repositioning Nollywood for the Promotion of Nigeria’s Cultural Diplomacy and National Security.
Promoting culture,
indigenous languages
The challenge, in harnessing these diverse cultures, is having to contend with over 500 languages and over 250 ethnic groups is no small task. But then, we can only move at the pace at which we can move. Funding is a major issue. I have since realised that the performance of any government office is very much dependent on the leverage given to it by government: if the government does not fund a sector, there is no way it can perform very well.
On the promotion of indigenous languages, we insist that all trainees at the NICO Training School must compulsorily offer a Nigerian indigenous language other than their own. If the institutions of higher learning will adopt such as part of general studies where students can learn the languages of their immediate environments, it would reduce communication gaps in local communities. I remember while studying in Calabar, Cross River one of us learnt the language the wrong way and got some slaps when instead of asking for food from a caterer, he asked for something else. I am happy that former president Goodluck Jonathan, as an academic, restored history to the secondary school’s curriculum because it is very essential that our children are taught the history of the land.
