I lived inside abandoned bus for months – Imasuen

Lancelot Odua Imasuen

 Before Lancelot Imasuen left Benin 20 years ago, he had made
his mark in the entertainment industry as an actor, director and
a disc-jockey. So, the now seasoned film producer seemed to
have a few years before he would conquer the showbiz terrain
here.
But, fortunately – or unfortunately – for him, it was around that
time he met a female practitioner, Racheal, who told him that his
talent and potential were so real that he should not imprison
himself in Edo State, where, at most, he would end up as a local
champion. She told him that the best thing to do was to move to
Lagos, the hotbed of entertainment and practically every other
thing.
But Imasuen initially nearly cursed the day he ever met Rachael.
The reason is that, at the beginning, things were so rough for
him in Lagos that he decided to run back to Benin City. For once,
in the first four months, he had no one to provide him shelter.
According to the producer, the first reality that dawned on him
was that his brother, who received him in Lagos, no longer had a
place to live in.
“I ended up in a bus,” he notes. “That was on 172, Old Ojo
Road. My brother first took me into a church. We were there till
night. After the service ended, I was expecting him to take me to
his house. He took me to his bus whose engine had been
knocked. He said, ‘Na inside we go stay’.
That was how he started hustling, looking for drama productions
and broadcasting houses he could work with. It was the search
that led to his encounter with the likes of Peter Igho, Danladi
Bako, Cordelia Eke, Chris Obiaku and Bisi Olatilo, among other
showbiz personalities. That was how he ended up working at
different times at the Nigerian Television Authority and later as a
radio presenter. Even as at that time, Imausuen was still living
inside the bus.
When things became too rough for him, however, he chose to
throw in the towel by returning to Benin City. Unfortunately, the
day he was to make the journey, a pickpocket made away with
the sum of N600 that a relative gave him. It meant that he either
swam or sank in the cold-and-hot water of Lagos. Of course, the
tragedy of losing the money eventually became a blessing in
disguise as Imasuen has risen to the top of the film industry in
Nigeria.
The man, whose latest film, Invasion 1860, is still premiering
across the globe, is eager to tell his own story as he is set to
mark his 20 years on the entertainment scene. The graduate of
Theatre Arts from the University of Port Harcourt says, all
together, he has spent 32 years in the industry, having spent the
earlier part in Benin City. But he regards the last 20 years as the
most significant as they also coincided with the rise of
Nollywood.
He recalls how he produced his numerous films that include
Adesuwa and Ishakaba . According to him, he is happy to have
contributed greatly to the development of the sector. He says he
is particularly touched by the number of artistes that have
passed through his outfit.
To mark the anniversary, Imasuen has lined up a number of
projects and programmes. There is the Project 101 through
which he intende to raise what he calls 101 brand new artistes.
“We need to build new actors because we don’t find such any
more. When we did not have cranes, red star cameras and all of
that, what endeared people to this business was good acting. In
this industry, you should first seek the kingdom of good acting
and all other things will follow. But nowadays, people are
seeking fame from day one. What we have now are selfie and
red carpet actors who post all kinds of materials about them on
Instagram, Facebook and all other platforms. How can you
celebrate yourself and say you are a celebrity? It is only when
you have proved your worth and people celebrate you that you
can become a celebrity,” Imasuen says.
He wants to organise workshops and renovate a hall at his alma
mater, Eghosa Grammar School, Benin City, where, he says, the
journey began in the institution’s dramatic club. Besides, the
producer is planning a night of performances, a book of
compilations of writings about his works and the unveiling of a
TV series.
Copyright PUNCH. All rights reserved. This material, and other digital
content on this website, may not be reproduced, published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior
express written permission from PUNCH.
Contact: editor@punchng.com