A successful writer or producer may have several works but he or she is usually mostly renowned for a particular one. In the case of Professor Chinua Achebe, it is Things Fall Apart, while many people believe that Death and the King’s Horseman symbolises the creative genius of the Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka.
And as the Aiye film series are synonymous with the late Hubert Ogunde’s prowess, almost every keen follower of television drama in Nigeria believes that the old Village Headmaster series does not only represent the peak in the career of its late creator and writer, Ambassador Segun Olusola, it also defines the golden moment of TV drama in the country. It is thus not surpising that with Olusola’s passage on Thursday at the age of 77, the drama that ruled the wave in the 1970s and 80s has continued to echo in various tributes being paid to him.
Decades after the series was rested, many have continued to long for its return to the screen — one way or the other. But with Olusola’s death, the hope of realising that has further diminished. While the Iperu-Remo, Ogun State-born culture icon gave indications that efforts were on to revitalise Village Headmaster when he was alive, the fact is that a good number of its key characters had died before him. Only in 2008, two of the notables — Wole Amele (Counsellor Balogun) and Funso Adeolu (Chief Eleyinmi) bid the world, “Bye.” Indeed, it is the likes of Femi Robinson and Dejumo Lewis that remain the active members of the memorable cast. No thanks to the antics of death, the house of the ‘village headmaster’ is almost desolate now.
Although Olusola got into broadcasting in 1957, his creativity and sense of professionalism were so sharp that the idea of a documentation tagged Remembrance of my Headmasters struck him early. In the project, he asked different people to recollect what they knew about their headmasters. When he joined the Nigerian Television Service in 1964, he started work on the material, developing it into a script for TV. By 1968, the first 13 episodes of The Village Headmaster were recorded. On hitting the screen, it became an instant hit, with Olusola noting in an interview, “It just became an institution. People in government broke their meetings to watch it. The programme had different producers like Sanya Dosunmu, Segun Akinbola and Tunde Oloyede and for many years, it was on TV.”
But what most people who have been saluting Olusola’s memory since Thursday have acknowledged is the huge relevance he maintained in various sectors, especially art and culture, even after the programme went into the cooler. Whenever people were conceiving culture advocacy programmes that mattered, Olusola’s name was among the first they considered as a promoter of such. His influence and presence cut across all strata of the arts, while he honoured children and youths as much as he did old fellows who requested his presence at their events. In this wise, members of the constituency are bound to celebrate his demise in various ways.
As tributes continue to pour in for the legend, the National Association of Theatre Arts Practitioners has declared a seven-day mourning for him — in what appears to be a dress rehearsal for the parties to follow. While many dignitaries, including President Goodluck Jonathan and the Minister for Culture, Tourism and National Orientation, Chief Edem Duke, have extolled his virtues, NANTAP stated that Olusola was the chairman of its Board of Trustees.
“To this effect, all national, state and local activities of the association are hereby suspended for the next 7 days,” NANTAP says in a statement, signed by its President, Mr. Greg Odutayo.
Fashola, Anyaoku pay tributes Eminent Nigerians, including Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, and a former Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, have paid glowing tributes to the man.
In a condolence register opened by the deceased’s family in his house located in Surulere area of Lagos State, Fashola describes Olusola as a true icon of Africa. The governor adds that he was a succour of the homeless and defender of the displaced.
He says,” Father of the Nigerian television and broadcasting takes a grand exit from the stage of life. We will miss you but we remain inspired and driven by your humanity, simplicity and compassion. Rest in peace, dear Papa.”
Anyaoku notes that Olusola was a true connoissuer of arts and culture and an outstanding contributor to broadcasting and television drama production in Nigeria.
He adds, “And an indefatigable mobiliser of support to refugees and internally displaced persons in Africa.”
Founder, Oodua Peoples Congress, Dr. Frederick Fasheun simply writes, “ May his soul rest in peace.” Also, National Coordinator, OPC, Chief Gani Adams, states that the country has lost a father who was a resolute diplomat of highest repute.
While arts advocate, Mr. Ben Tomoloju, and Mohammed, son of the late human rights champion, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, states, “Daddy, rest in peace”, highlife maestro, Orlando Julius-Ekemode, notes that Olusola’s death was sudden to him.
The singer says” Baba, each time I had the opportunity of seeing you, it was always a big relief. You were a mentor and compassionate being.”
Some of the visitors at the deceased’s house on Monday included actors Justus Esiri and Dele Osawe (Teacher Fadele)-of the Village Headmaster fame and Nigeria’s former High Commissioner to the United Kingdom,Dr. Christopher Kolade.
National Troupe director shocked
The Artistic Director of the National Troupe of Nigeria, Mr. Martin Adaji, has described the passing on of Olusola as shocking.
“I received the news with rude shock,” he said in a statement. “In fact, I thought about him earlier in the day (Thursday) during our programme on the commemoration of the World Music day as someone who, like Pa Aig-Imoukhuede, had constantly and consistently supported our programmes and indeed to any artistic event he is invited to.”
He was a cultural library — Babawale
To the Chief Executive Officer of the Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilisation, Prof. Tunde Babawale, the passage of Olusola can be likened to the death of a cultural library.
According to him, he represented all that defined a race in a positive sense, while giving his time and resources to either initiating or supporting projects that propagated cultural heritage.
“Right from the time he was a practising broadcaster, his programmes advanced the cultural heritage. He was a writer, editor, producer, presenter who demonstrated excellence and bias for culture in whatever he did,” Babawale said.
…A colossal loss — Aregbesola
Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has described Olusola-s death as a colossal loss to the entire country.
Olusola, the Governor noted in a statement, epitomised all that were edifying about the culture of the Nigerian people.
In a statement signed by his Director, Bureau of Communications and Strategy, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon, Aregbesola recalled the contributions of the late Olusola to the growth of the television medium in the country, which he described as being noble.
He said, “The likes of Olusola brought out the best in television programming in the country. Their days in television productions were marked with diligence, attention to the robustness of our culture as Black people. Their productions aimed at the development of the human minds and the evolution of an egalitarian society.”
We have lost a role model — CORA
On its part, the Committee for Relevant Arts, which organised many programmes in which the deceased participated, has described him as a role model whose exit calls for a deep reflection.
In a tribute signed by CORA’s co-founder, Mr. Toyin Akinoso, it noted that although Olusola ran a good race, his departure called for the rise of new patrons of art and culture.
The statement reads, – The Committee For Relevant Art commiserates with the family of Elder Artist, Chief Segun Olusola, creator of the legendary TV series Village Headmaster and mentor of a huge cast of culture producers.’
“Chief Olusola was a patron of CORA, was an enthusiastic participant in most of our programmes and chaired the very first meeting of our Board of Trustees and Governors.
His death, a big vacuum — NFC
The Managing Director of the Nigerian Film Corporation, Mr. Afolabi Adesanya, has said that Olusola”s death has created a wide vacuum.
According to him, the NFC, enthusiasts of television drama, the theatre and film will surely miss the Iperu, Ogun State-born broadcaster who he described as a brilliant and ebullient personality.
Adesanya said, “As a committed artiste and culture promoter, Ambassador Olusola not only leaves an indelible mark in Nigerian creative industry through his landmark in the now rested long running television soap-drama ‘’The Village Headmaster’’, which he created.
He was devoted to culture community — Okoroji
The Chairman of the Copyright Society of Nigeria, Chief Tony Okoroji, has described the deceased as a giant who was never too big or too busy to answer any call of the cultural community.
He recalled in a tribute to Olusola, “The last time I had the honour of sharing a stage with him was in Calabar at the last National Festival of Arts & Culture where he was Chairman of the Colloquium and I was the lead speaker. Once again, Ambassador Olusola was very eloquent, romancing the English language in the special style that only he could.”
Olusola will be buried on July 20 in his hometown.
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