By Eniola Daniel
‘Life Has Taught Me To Be Humble’
Last Sunday, arts and culture journalists, artists, and creatives across the genres hosted one of their own, Anthony Ogochukwu Okuyeme, well known in the theatre and media space as the ‘Journartist’ on his 60th birthday.
Surrounded by family, friends, colleagues and industry professionals at Esther’s Revenge, one of the facilities in Freedom Park, Broad Street, Lagos, including the Doyen of Arts Journalism in Nigeria and former Deputy Editor of The Guardian, Ben Tomoloju; the documentarist, UNESCO honouree and former editor of The Guardian on Sunday, Jahman Oladejo Anikulapo, Editor of Weekend Guardian, Dr. Kabir Alabi Garba and Editor of National Telegraph, Juliet Bumah.
Also at the afternoon of tributes were Prof. Oloko, Ozolua Uhakheme, Anote Ajeluorou, Ozi Okoli, Segun Ajayi, Braide Damiete, Akeem Lasisi, Henry Akubiro, Edozie Udeze, Prisca Duru, the CORA Foundation, National Troupe and some other members of the clime, who took turn to relive memories, crack jokes and make merry.
The culture communicator, critic and CORA chair, Anikulapo, commended Okuyeme’s versatility, recalling his various roles in their 1997 theatre tour with Red Cross sponsored Askari, where he excelled as an actor, stage manager and dancer.
“Tony is one person we call Journartist. He became one of the most resourceful persons in the cast when we were travelling in 1997. I played like five roles, changing costumes after a role and I became lean.
“By the time we finished, Tony had become an actor, wood carrier, dancer, and stage manager and he still followed us to drink at night. He’s all rounded,” Anikulapo added.
He said, “Ben Tomoloju’s career is closely tied to mine and Tony Okuyeme. We met in Abe Igi, which is now Abe Concrete. Abe Igi was where most of the artists that came from the 52 countries around the world congregated during Festac ’77. I remember Steve Wonder and others congregated in Abe Igi before they moved to Fela’s Shrine. That was also where Richard Mofe-Damijo (RMD), Nobert Young and Kunle Adeyemo’s career started in Abe Igi.”
Commending Okuyeme’s dedication to the arts, President of Arts and Culture Writers Association of Nigeria (ACWAN), Dr. Garba said: “For Tony Okuyeme, happy birthday. Though the celebration is coming six months after (October 4), we are happy to do this today. It is better late than never.”
He encouraged ACWAN members to strive for greater organisation and recognition, stressing that the association has come a long way as a non-profit organisation that promotes Nigerian literature, arts, culture and the creative economy.
“We have evolved from the organisation midwife by the doyen of art writing in Nigeria, Ben Tomoloju, to one that members only meet at press briefings and events. We should be more organised now to attract some basic benefits that we can easily get in an industry we have covered for a major part of our lives. We are not daku daji or abiku, we are strong breeds, so everything about us should be strong,” Dr. Alabi Garba stated.
Uhakheme, in his tribute, also encouraged arts writers to take up the mantle and become members internationally recognised art critics.
Referred to as ‘Journartist’, a coinage from two words and professions – Journalist and Artist – Okuyeme is not just a journalist or an artist; he’s a creative being who is admired by friends, fiends and others in between.
His multifaceted career spans over four decades, with notable achievements in acting, playwriting and journalism. As the Arts Editor of New Telegraph Newspaper, Okuyeme has been instrumental in promoting Nigerian arts and culture.
A veteran actor, with over 50 stage plays, several TV and radio drama series, and Nollywood films, Okuyeme’s professional theatre career began in 1985 at the National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos, as a member of the late Ralph Aboyeji’s Komikas Playhouse (a theatre group).
His drama credit series includes Tales By Moonlight, The Third Eye, Winds of Destiny, One Big Family; radio drama series such as Story Story, Voices from the MarketPlace, a radio drama by BBC World Service Trust, Rainbow City, Forward March.
Among his stage play credit across Nigeria and West Africa is Askari by Ben Tomoloju (Pappy Ben); Prof. Taiwo Ogunade’s Opera Ilia, an adaptation of Cyprian Ekwensi’s book ‘The Passport of Mallam Ilia’; Asylum Seeker, a bi-lingual play.
Others are The gods are Not to blame, Our Husband Has Gone Mad Again, Midnight Hotel, Midnight Blackout, The King Must Dance Naked, Nana of the Niger-Delta, Arrow of God; Mission To Nowhere, Raging Storm, and Dangerous Twins.
A two-time winner of the prestigious Nigerian Media Merit Award (NMMA), and Entertainment Reporter of the Year, Okuyeme studied Mass Communication at the University of Lagos.
In his speech, Okuyeme reflected on his life’s journey, attributing his success to humility and kindness. He shared anecdotes from his early days as a science student turned creative professional, highlighting the role of luck and mentorship in his career.
He said, “I call myself the child of grace due to the fact that I have done the a lot. One thing life has taught me is to be humble, and to be good to people because you never know when you will need them and I am saying this with every sense of responsibility.
“I am a child of grace; at every point in my life, God brings people who come to my aid. When Nollywood started, people from nowhere came and became the face of Nollywood and it seemed I was just acting.
“I attended an audition and a boy asked me if I had ever acted, I felt insulted. Luckily, the assistant director of the place was one of my students, and apologised after I narrated everything.
“I was talented in the creative sector; I could draw and people thought I was going to be a visual artist. The irony of this is that I was a science student in secondary school. I eventually went to the University of Lagos (UNILAG), where I studied Mass Communication. I featured in two major plays in 2024,” he stated.
