The making of Osuofia, 1993 to 2025
By Frankwhite Nzeh
HAPPY belated birthday felicitations to one of Nollywood’s living legends, Nkem Owoh (Osuofia). I reasoned that celebrating you alive would give me the greatest pleasure. I can recall that your exceptional talent remains one of the trigger points for what is today’s multi-billion dollar industry, Nollywood.
In the early days of Nollywood, I remember vividly that bright sunny day on the first floor of Enugu State Liaison Office in Victoria Island, Lagos. After the huge commercial success of Living in Bondage, the duo of Tony White Meribe and Dan Oluigbo commenced the process of producing another blockbuster Igbo movie, ably directed by one of Nollywood’s pioneer directors, Chris Obi Rapu (Skippo). Also featuring several other notable Nollywood greats, yours sincerely was privileged to be on the cast list that also had Kenneth Okonkwo, Ngozi Nwaneto, Rosemary Honnah, Chiwetalu Agu (Oprobrious), Bob Manuel Udokwu, Steve Eboh, Chinyere Wilfred, etc.
Back to that faithful rehearsal day at the Enugu State Liaison Office in Victoria Island: the director had earmarked you for a different role after the audition, but during the course of the rehearsals, Skippo announced that he wanted to introduce a special character (a villager drunk) in the movie (outside the story), but was yet to get a perfect person to give him what he expected from the role. For this, so many actors present tried their hands on the role, and when you did something that hit the director differently, he immediately decided to swap your role. That was how your journey towards playing the popular village drunk in the character of Marcus Nwaezeigwe (and several others) began.
Fast-forward to the shooting of the movie at the popular Takwa Bay village; your masterful intepretaion of the role was awesome, with numerous hilarious moments that got cast and crew reeling in uncontrollable laughing moments from your intriguing comic presentations.
Nkem Owoh as Osuofia in London 1 & 2
After a successful shoot, Taboo was released and became one of the most successful movies of the time and the character of Marcus Nwaezeigwe was an instant hit, making you an automatic celebrity and one of the most sought after. The character of Marcus in Taboo gave rise to the character of Osuofia in different new movies where you got the role on table cast, which became an adaptation of the initial character. Because the character of Osuofia was more intentional, specifically written for Nkem Owoh, it took the shine off Marcus and you became known as Osuofia thereafter, leading to several other adaptations of the same character and other versions, like Osuofia in London 1, Osuofia jn London 2, among others. Like they say, the rest is now history.
Back to your special day, sir. To think that you are already 70, while looking less than 50, is a special grace that only God can grant any man. Now that I have the special privilege of celebrating you while you are alive, I want to pray that your health will remain topnotch till 100. Your account balance will be greener every new day. Your light will continue to shine brighter than you expect. The shame that your enemies plan for you will enompass them in their lifetime. Your children will be greater than you. You will mark your 100th birthday with a football game that you will partivipate! You will enjoy life from one level of grace to another to the greater glory of God, in Jesus’ mighty name, Amen!
Nzeh, Editor of Diaspora Newsline, acted as Vitus in Taboo
