Nigerian comic actor, Afeez Oyetoro popularly known as ‘Saka’ has said that it took him many years before he could get married as most people believes that people who are doing theatre are unserious people.
Oyetoro disclosed this when speaking as a guest with the drama group of Chrisland University, Abeokuta during the maiden convocation ceremony of the institution recently.
The comic actor who spoke with the 100 Level students of the institution who staged a play on one of Professor Wole Soyinka’s novels “The Trials of Brother Jero” urged Chrisland University to introduce theatre arts department in the institution.
While speaking, he said, “to have a good stage play, you need at least four weeks. To handle professor Wole Soyinka’s play, you need students who are actually studying theatre and who has gone through some rudiments of theatrical thrust of theatre”.
“I know you are not theatre arts students. I learnt you are just a 100 level students and have only rehearsed for a week to displayed this… Am encouraged, you have performed excellently and you will do better if you are train properly by professionals” he said.
Oyetoro who frowned at the negativity being said to theatre arts practitioners in the past said that “I have been in the industry for almost thirty years now. It was very challenging then. Our senior colleagues who were practicing theatre before were not seen as somebody responsible in the society. They were seen as wayward people, and people of unserious minds. Today, the theatre world has changed as we are improving on daily basis”.
“I remember when I was 30 years old, my father called me, he told me ‘go and get married’ and as at that time, I was still a theatre student. And then, I tried to find someone to marry but because I was an actor, there was no money…. no comfortable life then. So, it took me so many years before I could get married. To the glory of God today, apart from oil industry, people are becoming to realize that the entertainment industry is taking over. In essence, people in the theatre profession are responsible people and they are adding values to the society” he said.
He added “Today, am married and I have children and theatre has been putting breads and butter on my table to cater for my family”.
He however appealed to parents never to discourage any of their children who wish to join the entertainment industry as the land is fertile.