Victor Osuagwu: The clown who runs things for Lagos actors

Actor Victor Osuagwu means different things to different people. While some see him as a clown, others see him as just funny and humorous. However, when he rose to become the Chairman of Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Lagos Chapter, where he has been running things for the past one year, he took many by surprise. Could a clown still run things? Here is the story of his life in a-no-holds-barred interview with TS Weekend.
While some view you as a comedian, others see you either as a funny man, a humorist or clown. How do you see yourself?
I see myself as an artiste capable of interpreting any role given to me. I do not associate myself with the word clown or funny. I play the character and leave you to your own imagination; I am just an artiste doing his job.

But you have played more roles that portray you as funny?
If you say so. I have played a lot of such roles but I have also done several other roles to the best of my ability.

Are you really a funny man deep down in your soul?
I am not a rigid person. I am always in a happy mood. But with my works I impact reality. Some people have told me they appreciate my works and that tells me that I am communicating. But there is a difference between when I am at work or when at play; my daily life routine is not all about trivialities.

How did you come into Nollywood?
By the early 1990s I was already involved in a production directed by Ndubuisi Okoh which was shot in Jos. He had come to the University of Port Harcourt where I was at that time to run an audition and I was one of those casted for the production entitled ‘Coat of Many Colours’. Jos had landmark locations that Ndubisi Okoh loved so we were all in Jos for that film. However, 1994 remains the year I really entered the industry. It was during this long NUPENG strike which kept every student at home. We couldn’t bear the pangs of lazing about so we all rushed to seek whatever jobs we could get. We all made the move including the likes of Francis Duru, Julius Agwu, Michael Ogundu and Samuel Alamu. We met Ejike Asiegbu who had started making a name for himself then in Nollywood. He connected us to ‘Abeigi’,where the actors hang out at the National Theater, Lagos; it was the melting pot for thespians in those days. We were all on an adventure inspired by the hope of getting some money before school resumed. At ‘Abeigi’ we met Sydney Dialla who had already graduated from the diploma programme of University of Port Harcourt and was famous for his role in ‘Living in Bondage’. He told us about the audition for ‘Evil Passion’ Part 2 which was coming up in a couple of days. We went and I got a role. That audition was my first entry into what is now known as Nollywood.

With this story one is compelled to say you studied Theatre Arts with your eyes wide open. Could we say you discovered your talent quite early?
Yes. It is good for one to discover one’s talents early. It is the greatest gift of God to any man. I was in secondary school when I realized I would do well in Theatre Arts. I earlier thought about being an architect because I was good at Technical Drawing and Engineering subjects. But as we grew older, fellow students told me I was very funny. I was a member of the Debating & Dramatic Society and I was also chairman of a fan club. During inter-house sports or other competitions, the school looked up to Victor Osuagwu to take care of the entertainment aspect. A fellow student came to me to advise that if I studied Theatre Arts I would be like Jegede Sokoya or Zebrudaya, renowned artistes whom we admired in those days. Jegede Sokoya was from a neighbouring community.

So what happened?
It was then the fool’s paradise of secondary school leavers set in. We all hoped that as soon as we left secondary school we would get jobs and be given 504 Peugotte cars to cruise around and a flat to live in but no one was even looking our way; even the job of a houseboy was not available. Again, you were also looking at those who had graduated from the university with Master’s degree without jobs and the real message started sinking; it became obvious that one had to step ahead.

So what did you do?
I left home for Port Harcourt where my eldest sister lived with her family. I am the last in my family and was left in the village where I attended school. I always spent my holiday with my eldest siblings some of whom lived in Onitsha. But I loved Port Harcourt because my mum also comes from Opobo in Rivers State. Part of my primary school was at Queens Town, Opobo. It was while doing my GCE to make up for my papers in Port Harcourt that I heard about a certificate course in Theatre Arts at University of Port Harcourt which I was assured guaranteed me admission to do a Bachelor’s degree. Some of the best actors we have in Nigeria benefitted from this programme and became well grounded. People like Bob Manuel-Udokwu, Ejike Asiegbu, Francis Duru, Lancelot Imasuen, Charles Inojie, Sydney Dialla and a host of others all did. When I joined Nollywood, my intention was to take up directing but acting took over me. However, I think I act well because I know about directing; my knowledge of directing has complemented my acting.

How easy was your transition from stage to the screens?
There is a big difference between acting on stage and appearing on screen. The camera does so much for the actor in a film or on television but while on stage, the actor does so much by himself. For me, the transition was smooth especially when I had someone like Zeb Ejiro to guide me. He directed my first film, ‘Evil Passion’ part 2.

You must have forgotten the stage by now…
No way, once a stage man always a stage man. I was trained for the stage and can’t ever forget that. I am looking forward to a stage performance very soon.

When you compare Nollywood then and now, what do you see?
Nollywood has always been vibrant no matter what some people think. The only difference is that it has become more mature. You no longer see audition centres like before because contacts have been made. In those days, we had gatherings to meet each other but now we have made the contacts. What we do now is table cast by making calls to desired artistes. Nollywood has grown rapidly. It is not like those days when you had a few directors, producers and few equipment. I believe that there has been a big advancement in Nollywood.

What do you consider your staying power as some of the people you started with are no longer in the forefront like you?
God and consistency. God and no one else make one consistent. I also know that some of those who are not doing it big in the movies are doing big in other fields. They may have realized earlier that movies were not their area of advantage and towed other paths. I realized quite early that this was my area and stuck to it and by God’s grace, I have paid my dues and impacted so much that I could be called on the phone to come and be part of a production. For you to create an impact, you don’t have to be an amateur but one who has faced it full time and it’s not with one leg in and the other out. If it is your calling, then you must be there and not in your house expecting someone to call you to come and eat; we must all be in the trenches of our profession. You continue to test yourself until people notice you are good and begin to call you up.

Which film would you say established you?
I often run away from this kind of question; it is the people that have the answer to this question, it is the society that tells you who you are. Personally I see every work as a challenge and I take all of them serious. When you walk on the streets and people call you all kinds of names based on the films you have acted, it tells you the kind of impact you are making. I have been called One Dollar, Awilo Sharp Sharp and Nwa Teacher both in Nigeria and abroad. In a nutshell, it is impossible for me to say which my best is because all my films have been challenging.

Since you started having fan adulation, have you ever had an embarrassing moment?
Every day of my life I get embarrassed by fans but I have built up myself to absorb whatever I see outside my home. I recall that I went to Silverbird Galleria a few days back with my twin friends, the Mamuze Twins, and I encountered four young women who screamed on seeing me. Three of them flocked around me to take photos but one said no, and discouraged the others from doing that. One of the girls openly told the one that was discouraging them, ‘Victor is my star; my mega star but I don’t know about you.’ You should have seen the look on her face as she stood aside while the others posed with me for shots. That girl must have been regretting her actions. If she had succeeded in taking them away, what would have happened? This is one of the things that happen around stars. But I do not see it negatively; I do not grumble about it. There are several people who would say ‘please forget that mumu while millions of others would say ‘leave the mumu for me, I love him.’

How did you get the name ‘man na mumu’ which many call you?
It was the first movie I produced entitled ‘Love in High Places’. It is the story of two elderly people; a man and a woman who met while waiting on a cue to collect their pensions and fell in love. They were actually neighbours but did not know they were neighbours and guess what, their sons were at logger heads yet these people were in love with each other.

How do those who see you as mumu react now that you are AGN Lagos Chapter Chairman?
That is the irony of life. When I was vying for the position I was discouraged by many people who felt that nothing good or serious would ever come out of me. They refused to realize that there is a very big difference between the man and the work he does. That is the surprising aspect of my becoming AGN Lagos Chapter Chairman. We have celebrated one year of my first term in office and gunning to complete the second year.

How challenging has it been?
It has been challenging. But it gives me joy to serve the people. I like what I am doing and it is what I have always loved to do. I am not just the Chairman but the actors’ houseboy or house man; I am out to change things. Someone needs to change things. Someone needs to improve the association; I see myself as the servant.

What are those things you want to change and how much have you done?
There was no office, no account and no documents when I came on board; everything was in disarray. Lagos is the headquarters of the industry with almost 85 per cent of artistes living here. We inherited nothing from our predecessors. But by the grace of God, we have something now. Members who left when they saw nothing happening have started returning. Those who felt bad and angry have been reconciled back into the fold. When I came on board, I started by first reconciling members. From 12 members we grew to 28 and then 30, and now we are over two thousands members. Those top artistes who hated meetings because of various disagreements and frayed nerves are now back; they have all come to revalidate their membership. They now see meaning in what we are doing and I feel good about it.

So you mean there are no more fights and breaking of bottles?
Exactly because we have everything working right; I have never seen a turn around like we are having now; it is flowing down from the top. AGN president, Ibinabo Fiberesima, is a great woman and her goodness is rubbing off on the entire system and trickling down to all the chapters; it is infectious. AGN celebrated Omotola when she was named as one of the world’s most influential women by TIME magazine. A lot has been done about insurance. Our monthly meetings are now filled with quality members where we discuss issues affecting actors based in Lagos. We now have a very functional secretariat. We have a website and it is working well. We are also on all social media. There was prestige in those days when Remi Ohajianya was Chairman. I am very grateful to Chief Joseph Odebeatu of Ojez who threw his place open for our meetings. It is one of the greatest gifts I have received as Chairman of AGN Lagos.

How did you meet your wife?
I met my wife while I was in school in Port Harcourt. She is from Choba. I lived very close to their house. We courted for many years before we decided to get married. It was on December 8, 2012 that I decided to celebrate her. Before then, we had had our children having done all the traditional ceremonies and dowries and all that. What I did was to celebrate her love for me after many years in fulfilment of my agreement with God.

What stood her out from the crowd of girls flocking around you?
I first noticed she was homely. It was on our first meeting that I told her I was going to marry her. I had seen her with some of my classmates one of which was her godmother whom she always came to visit. There and then I told her that she would be my wife but that I would allow her to grow up. I could still remember the smile on her face on that day but she took me serious. She was then in Secondary school. I really wanted her to finish secondary school and it came to pass. It was when she gained admission to study in Uniport that I knew she had grown. By the grace of God we are blessed with two boys and two girls and I consider myself a rich man, a wealthy man and influential man by all standards.

How do you cope with the vices that follow entertainment business?
Vices are there all the time as part of life but an artiste must be aware of their existence and avoid them. Even if you run away from vices, they chase you around. Many people have fallen for vices either knowingly or unknowingly. But all must devise a way of avoiding trouble. Think of the partner you have at home and consider whether she would love you to do those things that you are tempted to do. However, you must appreciate your fans and people especially the opposite sex. Each time I see members of the opposite sex, I see them as my mothers. A man must have principles and know his limitations. I try to approach life as a pious and Godly man.