Hafiz Oyetoro hit the limelight when he
featured in a comedy flick titled ‘HOUSE
APART’ where he got the stage name ‘Saka’.
Having spent over two decades in theatre
business, he revealed to NNAH DOUGLAS
how he was discovered by his Black
American lecturer in his days in school for
doing exceptional things. A lecturer of
Theatre Arts also opened up on his personal
life, Nigerian movie industry and why he
would love to relocate to Abuja etc.
Your fans are very enthusiastic about the
way you interpret your roles on set, some
say with the way you act, you have brought
a new twist to comedy, do you agree with
them?
My brother, it i God Almighty that I thank.
Of course, there are other acts that can do
much better than I do, but the grace is not
yet there for them. It is my prayer that all
the potentials and talented actors in Nigeria
receive the grace to be noticed. Like I said,
it is God.
Doing exceptional things in Nollywood, can
you recall how were you discovered?
As a child, I used to participate in our
village festivals. When I was in primary
school, I was actively involved in the
school’s drama unit. I was more active
when I proceeded to secondary school, again
I‘m a fan of TV where I watch movies,
shows and drama a lot. I got inspired,
which made me to put in for Dramatic Art
at the tertiary level. While in the
University, one of my lecturers – Chock
Mike, an African American, took special
interest in me; he took care of my speech
problem and corrected all that needed to be
corrected as a potential entertainer. I was
also involved in departmental productions
here and there. Before I left the University,
I had formed a group with some of
my friends.Later on I became independent
on my own. Since then, the Lord has been
faithful and he has been directing and
guiding me. As I was doing it, people were
noticing me; they got to know more of me
better.
Are you actually a lecturer?
Yes! I am a lecturer. I teach theatre arts at
Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education,
Oto Ijanikin in Lagos, and I have been there
for more than 12 years now. I’m enjoying
every bit of my time there.
Professionally and perhaps still counting ,
how long have you spent in the
entertainment industry?
Professionally, I have been in entertainment
for close to 23 years now. All the ones we
were doing while in the University cannot
be said to be professional acting. Apart from
the high school productions, I have invested
23 years in entertainment jobs.
Which of the movies brought you to
limelight?
It is very difficult to answer that question
because I believe that it is the combination
of all the things I have been doing. Like
someone trying to build a house, he will
first do the foundation, followed by the
laying of the blocks, build the house and
eventually plaster it, and finishing
touches follow suit. You then begin to paint
it and people begin to admire it. But I
cannot overemphasize the fact that ‘House
Apart’, where I played the role of ‘Saka is
it.’ It was created and written by me, my
friend who incidentally is my head of
department at the institution I work Mr.
Gbenga Windapo. Also, our good friend Mr.
Greg Odutayo and his wife produced it. That
was how it became a household name; all
the adverts and sponsors just came like that.
But why do you mostly play the role of
either security guard or houseboy?
First and foremost, I am a total theatre
practitioner; there is hardly any role I can’t
play in the theatre. Because of the limited
resources and the time, directors and
producers don’t really want to waste time.
Once they see you on a role, they will know
that such a person is an already made
actor. Instead of the director trying to work
on other people to get that role, they will
rather pick a professional to do it in order
to save time, cost and the resources will be
utilized. Again, I like playing those roles
because I am not from a rich home, so to
say. I am from a humble background and I
see the security guards, houseboys and
people who do menial jobs to make ends
meet as part of the common people, and
that is my own way of associating with the
common people because I belong to that
class. It takes a little more of expertise to
play such roles. It might look simple but in
playing such roles you need to be careful,
Yes, because there is a slight difference
between being comic and being stupid. It
takes professionalism to strike the accuracy
so that people will watch, enjoy and laugh
rather than feeling enunciated. For
instance, some viewers will watch your
movie and say ‘I don’t like this one’. Some
people are naturally comic all round but
when you call them to play the role, it
becomes very difficult. So, like I said, it
takes an expert to do that. I just thank God
because there is no role I cannot play.
As a busy comedian and actor, how do you
combine what you do, I mean lecturing?
I practice what I preach, I teach theatre arts
and I practice it; it is very simple and I
thank Nigerian producers and directors
because most of them know I am a lecturer
and when they want to fix any recording,
they normally take note of my academic
schedule, sometimes we do our recordings
during the weekend and vacations. In fact,
some of the movies we watch are recorded
at weekends and holdays.
How do you manage fame?
For me, I am not famous yet, so I don’t
have any problem. I walk about like any
other common man. I just told you I am
also a common person, an average Nigerian.
I am not a millionaire; I am not a
superstar; I am an average person who is
not hungry; I am not fully
‘belleful’ (laughter). For me there is nothing
so special about me, although people see me
on the street and hail me by calling me
‘Saka’. May be in the near future, I will be
a super star and things will change. For
now, I still have a long way to go. I am just
an average popular artiste in Nigeria. So its
not difficult for me to manage fame.
Are you new to Abuja?
I have been to Abuja several times; I usually
come to the University of Abuja. I also come
to Abuja to do one or two things.
As a regular visitor to Nigeria’s seat of
power, how can you compare with Lagos?
Abuja is all right, though hot in the
afternoon, a little cold in the evening , a
little more peaceful, not stressful, no
hustling as much as Lagos. Abuja is the seat
of power and I love it.
If given the opportunity to live in Abuja,
will you oblige?
Yes! I will do. If I have the opportunity I
will love to live in Abuja. There is another
branch of my college in Abuja, so if they
post me there, I will gladly come. I believe
God’s plans for everybody. I have never
done anything else outside the theatre, but
if in the next five minutes it is the plan of
God that I will be in Abuja, that’s fine by
me.
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