ZB 4:30, SUPER LARGE IN FRAME AND FAME

  Bukola Lasisi

Growing up, accompanying his father to his textiles store at Onitsha main market was always a delight. Remember that before and during the Nigerian civil war, Onitsha main market was said to be the largest market in West Africa. And the market attracted patrons, especially foreigners from all walks of life. Out of curiosity as a little boy, Chika had wondered how his father was able to communicate with foreigners who thronged the textile store to buy fabrics and fabrics accessories. Knowing fully well that his father was uneducated, and his clientele speaks English, French, and Dutch among other languages, Chika had admired his father’s rare abilities in weaving his vocabulary to communicate effectively with customers.

Young Chika would usually go to his father’s shop at the market; sit by him to find out what was going on as he was making money. How did customers speak with him? His father would combine English and Igbo languages to create a blend of Igbonglish only understood by him and his customers. Chika took notes of his father’s kind of grammatical expression and however kept them to himself, not knowing that someday in the future, he will also make money with the same flavour of the English language.

This was a story of the Nollywood best comic actor of all time. Chief Zebrudaya Okoroigwe Nwogbo, alias 4:30, is one stage/screen name that routinely put laughter in the mouths of Nigerians in the ’80s and early 90s. There was nobody who watched TV in the ’90s that would not have come across Chief Zebrudaya or seen him act in the major Tv series of that era.

His comic role in the now-rested The Masquerade/The New Masquerade was a toast of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) decades ago, which would forever be remembered. Just a 30-minute humorous programme, however, it moved the entire country.

A comic merchant, his style of writing, and acting could not be compared to what other actors would describe as the norm. Chief Zebrudaya had NTA viewers glued to their seats and made them laugh away their sorrows with his deliberate misuse of the English language which made him outstanding. The great comedian was fond of effortlessly and proudly using mismatched tenses that ‘violently’ violate the rules of concord and agreement in the movie, making him very popular, and making the drama a toast of every eyeball.

The Programme revolved around Chief Zebrudaya (Chika Okpala), Ovularia (Lizzy Eveome), Clarus (Davies Ofor), Giringori (James Iroha), Chief Jegede Shokoya (Claude Eke), Akpena (Christie Essien Igbokwe) And Ramata (Veronica Njoku). The Nigerian Sitcom shown on Nigeria Television Network every Tuesday for 30 minutes from 8:30 pm to 9:00 in the eighties, was simply a classic.

Renowned actor and comedian Chief Chika Okpala, aka Chief Zebrudaya Okoroigwe Nwogbo alias 4:30, was born in the year 1950, and he is one of the founding fathers of the Nigerian film industry, especially teleplay. He is loved for his natural sense of humour.

Before he debuted in 1983, Chika Okpala was in a traveling theatre group known as ‘Two Cities’. He founded the theatre group with the support of his friends, and together they performed across various towns in Anambra State. This theatre group was founded right after the civil war which took place between 1967 and 1970. It was created to bring laughter to the homes of citizens after the devastation caused by the Nigerian civil war.

Before the main shows started, there was a comedy section called a teaser. The teaser was played in clean English language before the main show, criticising what was wrong in society.  That teaser was called ‘Okosisi’. However, a few years after the war, the Two Cities Playhouse eventually dissolved itself because everybody was looking for a new life.

Chika Okpala has performed across different states in Nigeria and beyond. He also participated in the “Cockcrow at Dawn” show which aired in the ‘80s. In 1986, he was invited by the former President of Sierra Leone, Siaka Stevens, to perform on stage.

A native of Nnobi town in Anambra State, the comic actor attended Prince Memorial High School, Onitsha for his secondary education, after which he proceeded to Enugu State University where he studied Mass Communication. Chika Okpala bagged his BSc degree from Enugu State University in 1996.

At the outbreak of the Nigerian Civil War, his family moved from Awada in Rivers State to their hometown, Nnobi, in Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State.

He was in Class 4 in a secondary school when the war started. After the war ended in 1970, his father could no longer continue to fund his education and that of his eight siblings.

By that time, only Chika and his brother had gone far in education: his elder brother graduated from a college of education, while he was stuck in class four. There was nobody to pay school fees. But he still managed to sit for the West African School Certificate Examination. Thereafter, he started searching for a job, but in vain. During that period, Chika came across the late James Iroha (a.k.a Giringory Akagbogu), who was organising big shows, and his theatre group was known as the Hill Top Theatre at the time. That was the beginning of his professional career.

What sustained his interest in the group was the production of a play titled, Sons and Daughters. It was a very hilarious and interesting play. They performed the play for the then Administrator of the Eastern State, Ukpabi Asika. During the Army Week in Kaduna, the entire cast and production crew were invited to perform in Kaduna. He looked forward to a ride in what was then called the ‘white train’.  The big deal was that it was the first time he travelled by train.

They were checked into a five-star hotel, and people came at intervals to knock on his door and ask what he would eat. This was strange to him being a village boy at that time who just found his way to the city.

After the performance, gifts were offered to them. Then, he realized that if drama could take him that far, allowed him to shake hands with the head of state and take him to a five-star hotel, then he was determined more than ever to make a career out of it.

Asides acting, Chika Okpala is also a writer. He has written quite a couple of programmes, including “Ogologo Ndu – Long Life”, which he entered for the John Hopkins Awards, and “Aim Ike Di Mkpa”.

Chika Okpala (Chief Zebrudaya) is a recipient of several honorary awards and recognitions which include;

Best Actor Runner-Up 1959-84 BON.
Best Male Entertainer 1985 Palm Beach.
Traditional Chieftaincy Conferment Eze Onu Nekwuru-Ora of Nnobi. 1981
Traditional Chieftaincy Conferment Eze Onu Nekwuru-Ora of Aba. 1981
Traditional Conferment of Chieftaincy Title of Eze Odenigbo of Akabo Mbaise 1993.
Fellow, Institute of Journalism, Enugu.
Afro Hollywood Award London, 1999.

National Honours
Member of The Order of Federal Republic (MFR) 1999
Member of The Order of The Niger (MON) 2000.
National/Merit Award for Arts & Culture (NAMAC) 1997.

Also, he was made an Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON), after which he was awarded Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) for his role and contributions to the development of Nigerian theatre. He is also a national ambassador of Police Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices (POCACOV).

In addition to that, Chika Okpala has landed many promotional endorsements from corporate bodies, major companies, and government agencies across Nigeria.

Some of his stage performances include;

Stage Performances
Man of Character by Ene Henshaw.
Sons And Daughters by J.C. Degraphat.
Dance For The Dead by James Irohaoon.
Life Everlasting by Pat Maddy.
Through A Film Darkly by Pat Maddy.
Cock Crow At Dawn is- the first movie on the NTA network.
NTA Longest Lasting Comedy Series- New Masquerade TV Comedy
The New Broom.
Counselling Video on Family Planning
Over 500 TV Commercials and Radio Ads.

Chika Okpala is happily married and blessed with two children.

 

Picture credits- @zebrudaya_okpala on IG