NOLLYWOOD SPECIAL: Fred Amata 50th Birthday - Celebration of Talent & Passion

After three decades of theatre Fred Amata is set to host the cream of the society to star-studded 50th birth day celebrations next month. Activities lined up include a Novelty Football Match a White Tie Dinner and a Stage Play, THE KING MUST DANCE NAKED. Already Tuesday, April 23 has been set aside for a reading of the play, which is being produced by Kepy Ekpeyong Bassey and to be directed by Muyiwa Oshinaike. Fred Agbeyegbe, the playwright will be in attendance at the Klink Studios venue for the reading and rehearsals.

  Interestingly some season actors have confirmed their willingness and availability to participate. Those confirmed are Nobert Young, Bimbo Manuel, Kate Henshaw, segun Arinze, Kepy Ekpeyong Bassey, Jude Orhora, Dan Cris Ebie. Others expected to be confirmed are Bimbo Akintola, Chidi Mokeme, Charles Inojie and Julius Agu among others.

  He also took time off to reminisce on the challenges of being born into a legacy of creativity, his talents and passion. Amata said, “We have watched the industry evolve through the years, yet certain challenges remain. It is still as exciting now and as challenging as it was 30 years ago.”    The theatre arts graduate of the University of Jos said his birthday will be a celebration of talents and passion that have driven his career and attitude to life basically.

These are Charity, Film/ Theatre and soccer. His words: “I will be on stage performing excerpts from a critically acclaimed stage play along with notable names in the industry. The other event football that is a passion that is dear to my heart. I belong to five veteran soccer clubs in Lagos. So I will be leading a team of actors, directors, comedians, and radio and television personalities to challenge a team that is made up of 1994 cup Super Eagles. These are people I play regularly with in the All Stars International Club of Lagos

We are planning to stage a short play with the biggest names in the industry at a White Tie Dinner on de 18th of may. We have de assurances His Excellency Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan will give us the honour as the special guest with his presence.

    On the three generations of the Amata dynasty, and his 30 years as a theatre practitioner, he said, “It makes me feel good being a member of the second generation of the Amata dynasty. Jeta, Zack Amata’s son, is leading the third generation of the dynasty. In 1956/57 my dad co-wrote and starred in FREEDOM, the first ever coloured film short on 35mm in Africa. That film set the pace on what the Amata's would become today because every Amata that was born subsequently grew up watching daddy (John Amata) on the big screen.”

    “I grew up in an era of cinemas. Then the biggest name on the screen was John Wayne, and cowboy films held sway. So when all the young boys were going hysterical about John Wayne,I was proudly boasting about another John, John Amata, my father in Freedom. The film became a celebration as it was translated into 130 languages and screened in major cinemas across the world. Between when I was six and 18 I watched Freedom more than 1000 times. Each time, it was always a thing of joy to see my father stride across that screen with crowds hailing him Mutanda! Mutanda!! His name in the film.”

  When Fred graduated in 1986 it didn’t pay to be a theatre practitioner as the biggest names in the industry then could barely afforded good things of life. His words: “I ended up being posting me to Nigeria Television Authority, NTA for my youth service. What else could I have needed to express myself? By 1987 I was directing soap for National Television! I started with Ripples produced by Zeb Ejiro, the great Sheikh of Nollywood as associate producer and director in 1986. I was directing from ’87 till ’91.  Jeta, who never enrolled to read theatre arts ended up reading it under his father, Zack Amata who also lectured me and a host of other Amatas. He is presently blazing the trail of the new generations of the Nollywood industry at international level.

On theN3billion federal government grant for Nollywood he believes that, “Nollywood is in evolution, and whatever we do now will affect its next process of the evolution of Nollywood, which has become a relevant factor in the country’s economy. It has earned its place as an industry that can be invested in, and can solicit for investment. To support that growth that emerged in the absence of structures, I suggest that government should find a way of dealing with the guilds. It is the guilds, no matter what anybody has against them, that will bring about needed structuring of the industry. It is the way we have to focus on for a better Nollywood that is regulated and accountable.