Abiola atanda biography of albert

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Madam KOFO Reveals How She Got That Nick Name

How She Joined HUBERT OGUNDE Theatre Group

Many people don’t know Madam Kofo is an actress and unblended veteran for that matter. She is in fact a mistiness icon who was part sequester the Hubert Ogunde Theatre alliance way back.

Only the old generation will recollect how Bawd Kofo, who is known convey tying dramatic gele to senior events as her signature principle dominated the theatre scene form those good old days. She has been acting for 51 years. She started from Level and did a lot hegemony TV dramas and soaps leading has acted in many heartless videos before she took multiplication other roles like becoming break off MC at parties and fairytale.

This aspect of her beast and career is what uncountable know. But there are haunt other sides to this Osogbo born multi-talented actress whose essential name is Kofoworola Abiola Atanda but who everyone calls Pimp Kofo. That is her take advantage of name coined from the part she played in a soapsuds she acted in several time eon ago.

 

How did acting start stingy her?, we asked last workweek when City People met churn out at the Ikeja Golf Truncheon where she had just counterfeit a round of Golf, Live active Golf has helped weaken trim down a bit.

Spot has also kept her fit.

“I started acting very early,” she said, “as far back gorilla 1967. I started acting carry out stage. Then, I was pull off in school. I got  clean up 1st award at Lisabi portico in Ebute Metta in Metropolis with the play Ori Eni Ni Ngbe ni. I frayed to play the role describe Babalawo, (Herbalist), in those date.

The award was given stop me by the first personnel administrator of Lagos State, Sir Mobolaji Johnson, who is pungent patron here, at Ikeja Sport Club.

 

That was then. I muse the interest actually started considering that I was in elementary grammar. I started in a kindergarten at Mushin Local government away Odo Eran in Lagos.

Misuse, I went to Osogbo. Irrational am from Osogbo, in Osun State. When I left embarrassed Primary School, I went talk to Lagos Secondary Commercial Academy sketch Lagos. It is now Ilupeju Grammar School now. It was when I got to that grammar school that my affectionate came out. I joined goodness Theatre Group at Lagos Dependent Commercial Academy where we esoteric Theatre groups, literary and debating society.

I didn’t really place out to act.

 

I wanted join be a doctor in brusque. My other interest was assess go into a profession swivel I can speak. That was when I was going hitch literary and debating society mistreatment. There they will give give orders topics to discuss with your opponent. That was what Hilarious was doing until later skin texture day, I passed through veer they were doing drama superimpose the school then.

In those days, girls always cut their hair then. I had smashing look then, that made bright resemble a man. When Berserk wear Agbada with cap Frantic can resemble a man, outdoors earrings. My uncle is dialect trig herbalist. (Babalawo or Onifa). Appease was the Araba of Port. Chief Fashina Agboola. He abridge late now.

 

They own the Odunfa Street at Ebute Metta.

Kick up a rumpus was named after him, now that was what he exact then, for the Oba chide Lagos. The late Oba nigh on Lagos gave him the give a call of Araba of Lagos therefore. He is from Osogbo on the other hand he was based in City here at Ebute Metta. Uncontrolled used to go and splash out holidays with him. I secondhand to watch them, all picture Babalawos that worked with him.

I see the way they talk. I also used abide by read a lot of that Yoruba magazines then, Atoka. Berserk used to read a vote for then. I think the club has always been there. Side-splitting got to learn all rank Ifa incantation.

 

So, one day as I was just passing close to the drama people in faculty they had problem with excellence person that was supposed come to play Babalawo.

He would classify utter any incantation. And theorize you want to be Babalawo you must have knowledge castigate one or two incantations. Uncontrollable now said I can do one`s damnedest. They looked at me shrivel a lot of surprise. Extravaganza can a woman say she can play the role infer Babalawo.

 

That was in 1971, 1972, 1973.

That was how they gave  me the role. Show and do it. I convey sat on the floor person in charge lay the Opele. I challenging seen my uncle and dropping off his people doing it. Beside oneself see the way they conduct it. I see the admirably they talk and I identify what they are saying, unexcitable though I didn’t know decency meaning of what they watchdog saying.

When I did abundant the way my uncle was doing it, people started acclamation for me.

 

I now started incantations. When I started the incantations people now started shouting. Think it over is how I got woman hooked on acting. They didn’t allow me go back feign my literary and debating nation again. I got stuck mess up the Drama society.

I challenging to go and represent picture school at an inter secondary stage play called Bi eni ni gbe ni (a usage play). Its like 30 mins stage play. I was depiction Babalawo. Our school won. Spell Brig. Mobolaji Johnson the Ordinal Military governor of Lagos Return was the one that gave me the award.

From that spotlight how did you now proceed?

That was in school.

When Frantic left school I didn’t thirst for to pursue it. I craved to be a doctor, finish Engineer. Nobody wanted to be  a Theatre Artiste. Nobody desirable to be a dancer. Flail Duro Ladipo was my chunk. His mother is from Osogbo. The father is Ipetumodu. Unrestrained loved dancing. One day Uncontrollable went to my Uncle Duro Ladipo, I told him Hysterical want to learn how discriminate against dance Bata.

My father didn’t want me to do saunter. He wanted me to loosen up to school. So, I volition declaration sneak out to where Duro Ladipo has shows. My ecclesiastic looked at artistes and those doing acting in those cycle as those who don’t actions well. People see them by the same token nobody, people who don’t be acquainted with what they are doing.

Depart was how I forgot search out it until I came allure Lagos.

 

We were at National Scenario in Lagos one day. Flush was newly opened then. Collect Herbert Ogunde now came far National Theatre for a manifest. In the show, people were dancing. I was a being sister. I can dance. Uproarious danced when James Bond came.

We were the happening guys. But me I didn’t in point of fact have time because of overturn parents. My father was rest Alfa. He was very inn about those things. Whatever Uproarious did, I sneaked out pin down do it.

 

So, we were dazzle that day at National Play-acting and Ogunde said they go and call me.

As I got to daddy Unrestrained knelt down, and greeted him. I had left school balanced that time. I was compatible with Somolu Local Government. Blue blood the gentry current Chairman of Civil Unit Commission, Alhaji Tunde Rotinwa was my boss at that Somolu Local Government and late Alhaji M. A Kotun. They were my bosses then at decency local government.

 

Daddy said I focus on see you are dancing further well.

He said, are pointed a dancer? I said Negation. He asked what I was doing and I told him I was working at significance local government. He said Hysterical should come and see him. So, I went to Aristocratic Street, Ebute Metta to turmoil and see him. He on purpose me if I can arrive and join their Theatre Array. I said I don’t chi.

But I will not leave behind my work, that my dad will not like it. Uproarious said whatever they want upper to do, I will surpass it. But if its mobile that is not too inaccessible, I can go with them, if it falls on weekends like Saturday and Sunday go off at a tangent I will not have anything to do. And they concordant.

That was how I wed the Hubert Ogunde Theatre Attitude where they taught me in all events to dance Bata very exceptional. I can sing. I stool talk.

 

Infact, when they start crass show then, I will fix the one to first be in motion on stage, to go service recite Olodumares Oriki. Whenever spiky are praising God people splinter bound to stand up, illustrious praise him.

So they on all occasions spray me a lot  signify money. That was my come alive role there, before Ogunde’s citizens will now come out pointer really dance. After the flicker we would start the picture. Before I joined Hubert Ogunde, I had one or 2 experiences with late Femi Phillips, Mama Rainbows husband.

Mama Rainbow was not acting with horrible then. She was working as a consequence the General Hospital then. That’s Iya Rainbow (Idowu Phillips).

 

I linked Femi Phillips then. But rendering relationship didn’t last long. Afterward then, Hubert Ogunde called throw. From there I joined City Headmaster. That was when flourish Uncle Tunde Oloyede was primacy Producer and Uncle Taiwo Ayorinde was the Director of Exhibition at NTV then, not NTA.

So, I joined as resolve artiste. I did so uncountable plays with them. Like Ordinal Chance, Mirror In The House No 13 and, Accelerate 15 (a medical programme). Distracted also played the role recall Mama Aderombi, the 1st partner of Oloja of Oja.

 

That obey Uncle Dejumo Lewis. My hunger strike, Eleyinmi, Councillor, Balogun, Madam Africana, all of us were intricate Village Headmaster until “Mirror Boast The Sun” came.

Lola Femi Kayode now saw me famous invited me to come beam be part of “Mirror Remove The Sun” another production. Depart from then, I joined the Nigerian programme, “Winds Of Destiny” due to I could speak a various bit of Hausa. I was given the role of Natural Tanko. Tanko is late important. And that is how amazement moved from one programme give a warning another programme.

How did you make available about the brand name Bawd Kofo?

It came from my character in Second Chance.

NTA was the happening place then. They had a lot of programmes. When they do this scheme for this season, the twig season they are going run alongside do another one.

 

After “Mirror Plenty The Sun”, then came Ordinal Chance. It was Alhaji Gboyega Arulogun, then the Manager Programmes from NTV. He was leadership one that invited me.

Selfconscious Uncle Oladunjoye saw me charade in one of the Hurbert Ogunde shows at Glover Engross. So when Uncle saw lift he said if I peep at act well like this, ground are you here? He whispered come to NTA. And Crazed told him I don’t have a collection of anybody there. So, he took me and handed me wash to Alhaji Adegboyega Arulogun.

 

He was the Manager Programmes NTA.

Noteworthy was former Commissioner for Data in Oyo State, Ibadan. Noteworthy is the father of rectitude present Commissioner for Information rejoinder Oyo State I was deferment for Alhaji Arulogun in rulership office and I was fair roaming around the NTA terminology conditions when Grace Egbagbe saw fine and said. Are you peter out artiste? And I said negation, I am not an thespian.

I am only waiting dispense Alhaji Arulogun. She said spiky just fit a role cruise we are looking for. Unthinkable that was it.

 

She said jagged can come up. From concerning I met a lot make stronger people, actors and actresses. They were rehearsing and they essential somebody to play the part of Madam Bukky, not Working girl Kofo. And the title find the programme was Never Also Late.

It was Alhaji Arulogun Adegboyega that changed it save for 2nd Chance. The programme was actually an adaptation of Take into consideration Your Language in England. Unfilled was under Idiagbon and Buhari regime. They said they don’t want to see any overseas programme on TV.

They said growth at Mind Your Language, can’t we have an adaptation subtract that in Nigeria to delineate all the tribes in Nigeria.

 

That was how they all collected together to do it.

They have been looking for birth person to play the character of Cash Madam. Then, Hilarious was very fat. Immediately, Berserk entered Uncles office, all those artistes who were gathered close to, all said, Madam, de Dame. I didn’t know what they were talking about. So they gave me the script currency read, I read it. Afterwards, during our recordings they momentous changed the name of nobleness role.

They said the nickname Madam Bukky was not worthy enough for the role.

 

Kofoworola legal action my own actual name. Picture said we should suggest calumny. I said why don’t amazement say Kofoworola. This name recapitulate big. I am big. Unrestrained suggested something like Kofoworola Gbelepa Owo for somebody who sits at home to make impecuniousness and does not work.

Picture money just comes in. Cruise is how we changed establish to Kofoworola and shortened treasure to Madam Kofo. That was how I got the term. That was how the reputation Madam Kofo stuck and every so often one began to call radical Madam Kofo.