Chief ZEBRUDIAYA OKOROIGWE NWOGBO Alias 430 receives a NAFCA Award.

Chief Chika Okpala

Chief Chika Okpala aka. Chief ZEBRUDIAYA OKOROIGWE NWOGBO Alias 430 received a NAFCA Award for SPECIAL LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT IN THEATER (2012).

If you were born in the seventies, or know someone who lived through that era you must have heard of the New Masquerade  Zebrudiaya is possibly the only actor who has his own dictionary. This veteran actor has been "killing" English language while he makes us laugh for over four decades. 

Hear from Chika Okapala himself in an interview.

Tell us about your background and how you got involved in drama

I was born into a poor family in 1950. At the outbreak of the Nigerian Civil War, my family moved from Awada in Rivers State to our hometown, Nnobi, in Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State. I recall that I was in class four in the secondary school when the war started. After the war ended in 1970, my father said he could no longer continue to fund my education. My siblings and I were eight in number. By that time, only two of us that had gone far with our education: my elder brother had graduated from a college of education and I was stuck in class four. There was nobody to pay the school fees afterward. Still, I managed to sit for the West African School Certificate Examination. Then I started searching for a job, but in vain. During that period, I came across the late James Iroha (aka Giringory Akagbogu). He was organizing big shows and his theater group was known as the Hill Theater at the time. The members of that club were highly-placed people, including state commissioners, and senior producers in the Central State Broadcasting Service. I was the only small boy in their midst. But I was learning. I had always shown interest in acting. Back in school, I belonged to the dramatic society. I was actually the head of the dramatic society. James Iroha encouraged me to join the Hill theater.  Initially I was reluctant to accept his invitation to join because I felt that the people there were far ahead of me. But he told me not to be afraid. He said that since I studied literature in school, I had no reason to be discouraged. So I went with him to attend the rehearsals. What sustained my interest in the group was the production of a play titled, Sons and Daughters. It was a very hilarious and interesting play. We performed it for the then Administrator of the Eastern State, Ukpabi Asika. During the Army Week in Kaduna, the entire cast and production crew were invited to perform in Kaduna. I made the trip. I had looked forward to a ride in what we called the ‘white train’ in those days. I knew we were going to travel by train. For me, the big deal was that we were going to be in a white train.  But when I entered the train, I did not see anything white there. Later, I learnt that the administrator of the state always traveled in a special coach known as the white train. Still, I had an exciting journey. Before then I hadn't boarded a train in my life. From Enugu, we traveled down to Kaduna where the Army Week was held. When we arrived in Kaduna, it was very cold. We were checked into a five star hotel, and people came at intervals to knock on my door and ask what I would eat. I recall vividly that as soon as I gave them my order, the food arrived within a few minutes. I didn't know how to select food in those days and those who had been to London and the United States in the group laughed at us. It was another experience for me. After the performance, gifts were offered to us. Then I said to myself that if drama could take me this far, give me the opportunity to shake hands with the head of state and take me to a five star hotel, then I must make a career out of it. When we returned, we continued with other productions.

What is the origin of New Masquerade?

In 1972, we started another play titled, In a lighter mood, which James Iroha produced in CSBS. At first, he said to me, ‘You are going to play the part of Natty.’ I was very slim at the time. That was the picture that Iroha had about Natty. He said I should play that role. Sometimes I played odd roles. I played the role of a security officer, sometimes other roles. I combined these roles with the role of Natty. It was possible doing so because it was broadcast on radio. We were doing that until we were privileged to have somebody like Obi Egbuna join the group. In fact, Asika traveled abroad and met Egbuna and then, brought him back to Nigeria. We were rehearsing regularly and going from state to state to promote unity between the East Central State and the other states in the country. Obi Egbuna and late James Iroha scripted many of the plays that we produced. Even as a small boy at the time, I began to see that we could use drama to transform the society because of what happened during one of our performances in Port Harcourt. After the play ended, members of the audience came and hugged us. I was surprised. When we returned to Enugu, a television station had been established. So the management of CSBS transferred Iroha’s ‘In a lighter mood’ to television. Since it would no longer run as a radio play, the producers were asked to choose a new title for the drama series. They decided to rename it Masquerade. With the new name came a few changes. For instance, successive episodes of the drama series were performed live, not pre-recorded any more. It was not an easy task for everybody that was involved in the production at that time. You had to work hard on your lines and memorize them. If you missed your lines, it would affect the other man, because he wouldn't know where or when to come in. We had to memorize our lines and take proper cues or the next person would become confused. We had to study our scripts for each week. Iroha wrote the scripts every week until he fell ill and was diagnosed with brain tumor. Asika, who was very sympathetic and enjoying what we were doing, decided to send him to England for treatment. When Iroha left the country, all the members of Masquerade family had to take up the responsibility of writing the scripts. All of us were involved. I started writing and then, Davis Offor (Clarus) started writing. We were able to sustain the drama series during the period that James Iroha was away. When he returned, he continued to handle the scripting. Every time we passed a busy place, people waved at us and said nice things. Such things encouraged me to go on acting. I kept telling myself that there must be some untapped gold in the industry. So I continued. Eventually, in 1976 the Nigeria Television Authority, Aba was created as a branch of NTA Enugu. Most members of our group, including Iroha and Offor, were natives of the present Imo State. I was the only one from Anambra State and so, they couldn't do without me. When the states were created and they moved to Aba, they requested me to go there every week. I went down to Aba every week and spent three days. Then I returned to Enugu and spent four days. Before we switched to television, the man who was playing the part of  Chief Zebrudaya in the drama series was reassigned to another program by Obi Egbuna, who was then the director. In his absence, Iroha asked me to try the role. I did and he said, “That is it. But the problem is that you are too small for the real Chief we are looking for. But your voice is okay.’ The movement, the lines and delivery were fantastic, but the stature was not working. So we designed how the character should look like. I was padded up to look like the Chief Zebrudayah we had in mind. Till date, when people see me they keep asking how come I looked so old in 1970. Some even doubt that I am the same character. But I always tell them to listen and watch properly.