Nigerian Movie Star Profile
Bob-Manuel Obidimma Udokwu
Background
My name is Bob-Manuel Obidimma Udokwu. I hail from Ogidi in Idemili North
Local Government Area of Anambra State. My father, Geoffrey Nwafor Udokwu,
worked in the Ministry of Works in the Old Eastern Nigeria. My mother is
Ezelagbo. I am the fourth and the second son in a family of six - three
males and three females.
I was born on a Thursday April 18 sometime in the 1960s. All I know is that
I am as old as I look. I had my primary education at St. Peters Primary
School (now Hillside Primary School) in the Coal Camp, Enugu. I had my
secondary education at Oraukwu Grammar School, Oraukwu, from where I
proceeded to University of Port Harcort where I obtained a Certificate and
Bachelors of Arts Degree in Theatre Arts. I equally bagged a Master's degree
in Political Science with specialisation in International Relations from the
University of Lagos. I am married to Cassandra and we have two children. I
named my son after the great Marcus Garvey.
Why Bob-Manuel
I was given a name before I was born. My mother told me that when she was
pregnant, a prophet told her that the unborn baby was a boy and his name
would be Emmanuel and that he would be recognised. But very early in my
life, because of the qualities I displayed, some of my peers started calling
me Bob Marley. Marley was still alive then. But I knew I had some qualities
in me which I should not allow the personality of Bob Marley to submerge. I
told my friends that for the fact that I am Emmanuel, they should call me
Bob- Manuel.
My beginning
After leaving secondary school, I watched a play on NTA, Enugu. After
watching the play I said I could do better than what they did. I copied the
name of the producer; Rose Ofieli (now Mrs. Rose Nwanna). I went to NTA to
tell her that I liked what I saw and that I would like to be part of it. She
later gave me a script to read, I did and I never knew it was an audition.
Her colleagues were in attendance, but I was very bold. After reading, she
invited me to her recording the following day. She told me what I should
bring as my costumes. The following day, I was at the location and she gave
me a role to play. Subsequently, she started giving me more roles.
Challenging roles
I act on stage, radio, and television. I must say that every role I have
played was quite challenging. I do not only act, I also direct and produce.
And doing these three together is quite challenging, yet I combine them. For
instance, I produced, directed and played the lead role in Wedding Bells. I
did the same in Matters of Hearts and Master Strokes. But Woza Albert was
quite challenging.
Joining Checkmate
I attended the audition of Checkmate as national president of the Nigerian
Universities Theatre Arts Association (NUTASA). I met Amaka Igwe (then Amaka
Isaac Ene), Bolaji Dawodu with Tami. When I was auditioned, Amaka started
calling me Richie. But Dawodu kept on reminding her that they have not made
up their mind on who would play the role. After that I went back to Port
Harcourt. They later invited me to the shooting of the pilot in Enugu and
Udi. Later they sent me a letter that I should come to Lagos for another
audition. The crowd at the audition was quite intimidating. But time proved
me right that what I had in me was more genuine than what I was seeing in
the Lagos boys. After the audition, I was given the role, Richard Haatrope.
Interpreting Richard Haatrope
Irrespective of the challenges of staying in Port Harcourt then, I knew I
had to give the role my best because it was a rare opportunity. I was in my
final year then. Richard is a character from a very rich family in Rivers
State, but he is a student in America. He comes home during the holidays.
Then I had never travelled out of Nigeria but I have to play a role of
somebody living in the USA. So a lot of experiences I have acquired over the
years helped me to build the character in addition to what the script
dictated. So it is all about talent.
Ola Rotimi
My relationship with the late Professor Ola Rotimi was like that of father
and son. The bond between us was such that we ate from the same plate or I
could go to the pot to dish food. I could visit his house any time. He loved
jokes.
List of productions
I was a presenter on radio. On stage, I played the lead roles in virtually
all Rotimi’s plays - Gods Are Not To Blame, Our Husband Has Gone Mad Again,
Hopes of the Living Dead;then, Rasheed Gbadamosi’s Behold My Redeemer, Wole
Soyinka’s Death and King’s Horseman, Lion and the Jewel. Also, a South
African play, Woza Albert on apartheid. It is a two-man play, but by the
time the play ends, each of the actors must have played 50 roles. I have
also done several dance performances. Then in film, as a result of the
success of Checkmate, and my outstanding performance, Kenneth Nnebue of Nek
Video Links wrote me when they were about to shoot Living in Bondage,
inviting me to be part of it. I am grateful to God that I was part of that
history that has turned Nigerian filmmaking into a world class phenomenon
called Nollywood. From then on, there has been no looking back as more came
- Circle of Doom, Evil Genius, Beyond the Vow, When the Sun Set, Piccadilly,
and so many others.
Comedy
I have deliberately chosen not to do comedy, because it makes the character
unserious. One thing I try to avoid is to look unserious before anybody.
Everything I do in life, I do it with seriousness. So the seriousness I give
to the roles I play is the seriousness I attach to life. Life is just about
laughing to forget your problems. But after laughing, you must tackle them.
I am not saying that comedy is not good but with the kind of things I want
to do and be, I need seriousness. Theatre is a serious business. According
to Ola Rotimi, it is in the theatre that operation, the most important thing
in medical profession, takes place. Production is also the most important
thing in theatre arts.
Fans reaction
I do not realise how popular I am until I walk down the street. People
scream on seeing me. I would wonder why they do that. But I do not let it
get into me, because by the virtue of the training Ola Rotimi gave me, I
learnt humility. When Evil Genius came out, some people who watched saw me
took photographs with me, but told me they love me as a good actor, but they
would not want me to play that kind of role again. When I asked them why,
they said if not that they knew me in other roles, they would have felt that
I was just a devil’s incarnate. I must say that when I see my fans react, I
thank God for making me what I am, even as I beg Him to give me more
opportunity to do more.
Actor-diplomat
Shortly before Christmas in 2003 when I visited US, I landed at JFK
international airport, and as I was moving, there was a crowd, people from
all walks of life surrounded me. I took photographs, signed autographs for
them. One old man told me that whenever a white actor passes by, that is the
way they welcome him, so what they have done was to show that they have
popular actors in Africa too and I am one. They arranged for a Limousine to
drive me out. So I became an ambassador for my country, Nigeria.
Tel:571-247-2679 email:contact@nigeriamovies.net
