Jude Chukwuka: Nollywood Stories Are Strong, Presentation Needs Improvement

Acting requires a combination of technical and personal skills, and for a veteran with three decades of consistency, Jude Chukwuka, an actor and producer, is one of those notable actors who boast of such skills in Nollywood. Now 60-years-old, his foray into acting began during the 70s and 90s era of classic works like Andy Amenechi’s Igodo, Daniel O. Fagunwa’s Ogboju Ode ninu Igbo Irunmale, and Herbert Ogunde’s 1978 celluloid film, Aiye.

 

Like yesterday, Chukwuka, known for propagating African culture through his performances, both on stage and on screen, remembers the year it all started. It was in 1973. Three decades later, he has credits across numerous features, soap operas, series and stage plays, particularly carving his path around projects that spotlight African culture and heritage.

 

The veteran actor believes that despite his illustrious career, he is still open to opportunities to build his desired legacy. Chukwuka, who is fluent in both Igbo and Yoruba languages, admits that he can fit into any role as long as the message sits right with him. Through his most successful performances in The Masked King, Abanisete: The Ancestor, Madam Koi Koi and A Ghetto Love Story, the Yoruba Culture enthusiast continues to prove his range as an actor.

 

When he said, “I am tired of playing Somebody’s Daddy,” his words carried weight, advocating for challenging roles that push veteran actors beyond stereotypical characters in Nollywood. With a mix of nostalgia and pride, he also acknowledges the immense growth in Nollywood, but he insists on the role of technology as a turning point for cultural stories.

 

In this exclusive interview, the Nollywood Veteran speaks to The Nollywood Reporter about his three-decade journey in the industry, how incorporating technology can elevate traditional stories and the ambitious legacy he hopes to leave behind.

 

TNR: You’ve been in Nollywood for decades. Looking back, what moments defined your journey and cemented your place as a Nollywood veteran?

Jude Chukwuka: As a person, three moments [stand out]. The moment that introduced me to acting, which is as far back as 1973;  then the moment that I had my first stage play around 1992. Thereafter, the moment I hit the screen in 1994. However, the moment that I can look at and say this is the point where I knew I had people’s attention was 2005 in a TV series called The Station, supported by Bill Clinton initiatives but sponsored by Nestle.

 

What was your very first role, and how did that experience shape the actor you are today?

Commercially, my first role was in the stage play, The Concubine. It was a big challenge. You know I was coming from the church to compete on [secular] stage. Fortunately, my director in church at that time was the secretary of the National Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners (NANTAP), Lagos State. His name is Israel Eboh.  He was the one who introduced me to commercial stage plays.

 

Yes, it was a challenge, and some people mocked me. They referred to me as a church boy who wanted to share their space and all of that. Well, their mockery did not put me off, but they actually encouraged me instead with their mockery. Notably, Bassey Okon, and then Soji Bakare were the guys that I worked with on the project as directed by Israel Eboh and the play was adapted for stage by Godswill Okei.

 

Over the years, you’ve witnessed Nollywood’s transformation. How would you describe the industry’s evolution through your own career lens?

Well, the stage appearances prepared me for TV performances. For stage, there are no ‘cuts’ and ‘action.’ Once, the curtain rises, it is you, God and your fellow performers until the curtains falls. In fact, the cutting call is also a rehearsed play. The stage play prepares you for lines and assimilating, which helps you get into character easily.

 

It is difficult to do stage play because you have to express yourself in such a way that the person on the 20th seat in the aisle, will hear and feel your expression through your voice.  However, on a TV/film set, the audience is as close as the camera is to you and you don’t need to over act. I’m saying this now but men like Niji Akanni helped me through the process of transitioning from stage to film.

 

How do you personally define legacy, and what do you hope yours will be?

Talking about legacy, I’m still going places. I want to do James Bond or Marvel projects. I want to push myself even on the global stage to see how well people appreciate what I do for a living.  So, for legacy, I’m still looking for opportunities. However, if legacy is volume of what one has done, I will say I have a dossier to share. But if legacy is what height one has hit, then I will still say that I am aiming at some heights, and I know I will achieve them.

 

As an actor who speaks two National languages, do you think being multilingual should be a necessity for actors?

Yes, language is important. Language is the vehicle with which you pass your message when you act. We need body languages, facial expressions but when you have the grasp of the language it helps to know when and how to apply body languages. Yes, being bilingual has helped to that extent and I thank God.

 

To be honest, the Yoruba part, I believe was what made me a better actor. I have a few breaks, but I still believe I have more to do in that area, especially more challenging roles that will put me in the forefront. So, being multilingual as an actor helps but some other things are also important.

 

After playing different roles in films like Abanisete: The Ancestor and Madam Koi Koi, is there still a character or story you’re yearning to embody?

Yes, honestly. When we were in secondary school, we read Daniel O. Fagunwa’s Ogboju Ode ninu Igbo Irunmale; I wish we could screen play it and shoot as a film.  All these superheroes portrayed in the West, I believe have their roots in this book.

 

I don’t want it translated into English because it will weaken it. I want people to be forced to learn Yoruba so that they can read and enjoy the coinage of words or formation of sentences in Yoruba and feel it. It is one thing I am looking at seeing how I can be a part of.

 

What role do you believe veteran actors like yourself play in shaping the global perception of Nollywood?

As an actor, if you choose roles, then, I don’t see any particular role, but it is how well you play that role.  If the director or the script expects you to be imbecilic,  can you carry that role and pass the message even as a veteran like they would have loved you to?  As a veteran, you have to honestly answer that question personally.

 

I don’t restrict myself to any role. If the story is right, if the message resonates with what I think I can do, then, yes.   I’m thinking of a contortionist and the way they can twist their body. I can contort myself to fit into any role as long as the message resonates with my ideals or passes a message that positively influence the society.

 

So, there is no particular role that I see as restricted for veterans.  Recently, I said that I’m tired of playing somebody’s daddy why can’t they generate stories that we can do naturally, not essentially playing somebody’s daddy or somebody’s mummy? There are original stories that can be told that we can act.

 

For example, my contemporaries by age are governors, speakers in the house, senate president, and even vice presidents. So, why can’t we write stories where we find us (veterans) playing these natural roles instead of playing father to a character? When award comes, you are limited to that supporting role category. You can never be best actor while playing supporting role.

 

Have there been moments when you deliberately used your craft to spotlight African heritage, culture, or social issues?

Oh, that is my life. That is what I live for because I don’t hesitate to push it when I have the opportunity. On my own, as an Igbo man and a Yoruba culture enthusiast, I do Orikis of Yoruba towns and cities. If I find an opportunity in English film where we can infuse Yoruba culture, I will be the first to be up for it.

 

In propagating cultural stories, what relevance do you think technology plays?

Industries like Bollywood, Hollywood and KDrama have been able to incorporate technology so why is it a problem for Nollywood? I know when we infuse technology, it will also raise the level in quality of our presentation. All these foreign industries, the first appeal is usually the presentation. Technology is not just about the quality of camera but some other things that will enhance what the camera records. What about stunts and areas where we will need safety experts to guide us? Those things will help improve the quality of outcome. Once the quality of outcome is improved, it becomes a global diet where everybody can enjoy it. We are not lacking stories, but we are lacking presentation formulas.

 

We can do Sango. Somebody asked me why Sango again? I said, in response, how many times have they done X-men, Avengers or Hulk? So, why can’t we do Sango many times over? We can shoot Sango again, infuse it with technology and see where it leads us. It is not supposed to be a one man project. It is supposed to be either the people’s project or a government project. We have the department of National Orientation, which can be used to experiment and sell it to the world and let people see this as a microcosm representing what Nigeria can do. I believe that infusing technology in telling our local and traditional stories for a global audience is the way to go in Nollywood.

 

What has sustained your passion and consistency in such a competitive industry?

Firstly, I cannot change course at this point of my life; so, I must swim or swim: there is option to sink.  Secondly, because the industry is growing, you must learn how to reinvent yourself. Apart from acting, I’m vibing to songs. All of those things add value to my acting. I try to live as healthy as possible so that when it comes to running, I can outpace most young men. I can swim. I can sing. Those are the value added skills that a producer gets and says which way can we tweak all of these qualities to make sure that he gets a full character that we are looking for. These little things reinvent characters to stay relevant.