FOKOKO, Talks About His Over 60 Yrs In Acting

Alhaji Babatunde Bamgbode is a veteran actor of over 60 years. He is very popular and he knows how to play his role very well in movies. Popularly called “FOKOKO” but most of his colleagues jokingly call him “Agba Ti O To Le” due to his role mostly as one of the elders in family saddled with responsibility to settle dispute, “Olori Ebi”.

FOKOKO is over seventy years and his acting career is more than 60 years. He spoke with FAKEYE ADERONKE on the journey so far and how he has been enjoying his career.

How did movies start for you?

Ah! Thats a very big story and that has been a very long time. My name is Alhaji Babatunde Bamgbode. Everyone knows me as FOKOKO and some of my colleagues also call me “Agba Ti O Tole”. I was born in Ibadan, Oyo State and I am over seventy years of age. I thank God for my life. When we started this theartre movie, a lot of people see us as unserious people then but with the mercies of God, God has really blessed me tremendously through this profession. I have travelled to so many countries as a result of being an actor. I have been to America, Dubai, Mecca, in fact to many countries I can’t even remember, through this job. God has helped me to train my children with this same job as well and I thank God for this. Some have left us to the great beyond, may their souls continue to rest in peace. I really thank God for how far God has brought me.

What year did you join the theatre?

I relatively joined in 1960 after my elementary school then. I started with my boss, Olanrewaju Adepoju.

People didn’t know he started and had his own theatre group then in Oyo State. My boss was a traveling theatre person. He produced so many movies. But the movie that brought me to limelight and gave me the stage name, Fokoko is titled “Obuko” which was produced by one of our bosses, Ayo Ogunsina a.k.a Papalolo, that was the movie that brought me out.

How many movies have you produced so far since you started?

I have produced few movies by God’s grace. My boss, Chief Olanrewaju Adepoju produced “Ladipo Omo Adanwo”, may his soul continue to rest in peace. I produced “Sugar Lady”, “ Bayo Omo Iya Aje” but my latest movie is titled” Ajeyemi”. That movie teaches a lot of lessons. It teaches us to be contented with whatever you have, it also teaches one not to be convetous too by trying to sell out your family virtues. There should be respect for culture and heritage. It’s filled with lots of wisdom and knowledge.

What is the difference between cinemas of then and now. Is there any difference?

There are big differences between them. Then, it was more primitive but today, it’s a world of Computer and digitalization. We did cinema films due to the love we have for the job then and there was not much in terms of money for us. But today, it is different. With what the youth in the industry are coming up with, it’s a big bang now, and we thank God that in this industry, things are not same as then, there are lots of changes and development in the entertainment industry now.

What do you think the government can do to help and support this sector to bring more improvement?

What they can do for us are so many which we are pleading with our father who is the President, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to please have mercy on us. We came here because Doyin Amodu remembered us the veterans, though other individuals too also are trying but it’s not up to what Doyin Amodu has done. She brought together all veterans who are above 60 years and featured us all in the movie titled “Ojo Ale”. The most interesting thing about this movie is that there are some of us that haven’t seen ourselves for ten, twenty, thirty, forty years, this movie brought us together and we were able to see ourselves again and we thank God for this. Its God’s grace, and we are so happy for this. I featured in the movie, Baba Agbako, Baba Ngba Life, Baba Papalolo all featured in this movie. My prayer for Doyin Amodu is that may God continue to bless and protect her .

Any advice for the younger ones in the industry and the upcoming Actors?

We’ve told them times without number and we will continue to say it that they should be patient and be humble. We don’t pray for evil to befall them but our prayer for them is that they will get to old age and even be greater than us in wisdom and knowledge by God’s grace.