Renowned thespian, Wale Ojo has traversed fairly a memorable profession as an actor within the United Kingdom and Nigeria. Ojo began out appearing on stage. But most of his works have taken main half on display screen. Ojo recounts ten thrilling moments of his life on this chat with Ferdinand Ekechukwu
1
. Sometime in 1978, I noticed my beloved mom Princess Teresa Otieyeke Ojo on stage for the primary time in a play titled “Wedlock of the Gods” written by her finest pal, Zulu Sofola (first revealed feminine Nigerian playwright and dramatist). The play was staged on the University of Ibadan theatre and i used to be so taken in by the drama that when Mama was struck down by the witch woman within the play i ran onto the stage screaming “Mummy!”
2. In 1986 i turned skilled within the United Kingdom by performing in Shakespeare’s “Othello”. I performed Othello wearing army uniform as my feminine co-star who performed Desdemona. Terrifying and fantastic on the identical time.
3. Just earlier than graduating from the University of Hull the place i studied Drama as a level i drove my new Toyota sports activities automobile onto the Gulbenkian stage and carried out “Purple Rain” by Prince all dressed up like Prince for the annual drama competition. The viewers liked it!
4. Sometime within the early eighties i performed rugby for Mayfield College. I bear in mind being handed the rugby ball and all I might hear was the toes of the overtly muscular opposition heading in direction of me. I took olff for pricey life with the ball firmly held. Later a pal of mine remarked how he noticed me racing down the rugby subject like speedy gonzalez..a proud athletic second for me I believe.
5. Following on the athletics cue I turned the excessive bounce champion in my faculty when i broke the excessive bounce report. I believe I scaled 1.78m if I bear in mind accurately. Another proud athletic second.
6. This occasion occurred within the early seventies when my mom received the egg and spoon race and beat all the opposite faculty moms on the Bodija International School mom’s day race.
7. Again spherical concerning the late seventies my dad, mum, myself and my elder brother Niyi acquired into my dad’s new automobile a good looking white Toyota Crown with quantity plate WAE 750L. Daddy drove all three of us down the stunning Agodi Gardens street in Ibadan testing the velocity of the automobile. The familial pleasure and sense of bonding within the automobile that day was superbly indescribable. Baba might as nicely have purchased an area shuttle and we have been flying off to the moon!
8. I used to be solid as Mr. Cokane in a play titled (*10*) by George Barnard Shaw by his nice niece Fiona Shaw. This was courageous casting for the 12 months 1999 because the half being an aristocratic position would have been performed by a white actor. However Fiona Shaw liked my audition and solid me. The play was carried out on the Olivier stage at the National theatre of Great Britain. It was for me a profession defining second!
9. After finishing the primary ever Nigerian sitcom sequence to be aired on Netflix titled “ Meet the Adebanjos” I went to my beloved Peckham High Street to get my ordinary dose of Naija meals. However, this time everybody on that avenue recognised me because of the sequence and all I might hear strolling down Peckham excessive avenue was “ Mr. Adebanjo you must come to my shop o!” “We love you Mr. Adebanjo! ‘ ..”Where is your potato?”
10. In 2024 I picked up on the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards one of the best actor award for the movie “ Breath of Life”. I used to be accompanied to the stage to choose up the award with my good pal, Boma Akpore who was the primary to congratulate me. Another thrilling and profession defining second!
