Nobert Young: No big deal in another man kissING my wife

Veteran actor, Nobert Young, tells Ademola Olonilua about his career and family

At what point in your life did you decide to become an actor?

That was a very long time ago. It was even before I entered primary school because I used to watch my sister and my father direct school plays and concerts. I was very interested in what they did. As I grew older, the interest did not die. In 1977, I saw, Langbodo, at FESTAC and that made me take the

decision to become an actor. I later went to the University of Ibadan to study Theatre Arts.

So your father was also into entertainment?

No, my father was a headmaster and in those days, the headmaster played a lot of roles. One of the roles he played was to direct the school concert which I watched him do often.

How would you describe your childhood?

I was a very happy child while growing up. I was the last born out of eight children. My father was a headmaster and he later became a produce examiner at the Ministry of Agriculture. My mother was a nurse and she just died recently. I grew up in a very big compound and the whole of Sapele, Delta State, was my play ground. There were no restrictions and I grew up as a very happy child.

Were you pampered by your parents as the last born?

I did not notice it because my mother did not spare me when I misbehaved. When it was time to be pampered, she did that but I did not notice any preferential treatment. I was very stubborn and my mother was very ready for me. She beat me very well when I misbehaved. I learnt how to do everything. I washed plate, ground pepper and beans on grinding stones. I could cook but they did not allow me. The training I got from my mother helped me when I began to live alone.

Were your parents skeptical when you decided to make acting your career?

They did not frown at it because I come from a family of actors even though they did not take it to the professional level. Before I went to school to study Theatre Arts, my father had died. But I am sure that even if he were alive, he would have supported my decision. My mother supported me to the fullest. She only asked for one thing, that I had to graduate with a second class upper and I did.

How about your neighbours and extended family, didn’t they see you as being unserious?

We were brought up never to care about what the society thinks. Just do what is right according to your profession, training and religion. Although people raised eyebrow, they respected the fact that I was in the university regardless of what I was studying. It was not easy getting into the university back then and every course being studied had the same requirements. As a matter of fact, students from the University of Ibadan were respected.

Was there any time you felt like quitting?

No, I never felt like quitting but there were frustrating moments. There were times when you would spend all your energy and resources to do a play and only ten people would show up to watch it. Such things could be very frustrating. That is why I say that if you do not have the passion, you cannot survive in this business; you will run away. I cannot run away from the business because I really enjoy it. Money is not the determining factor for me even though it is important because I have to live and feed my family. So far, so good; I have never thought about quitting.

Why are you more involved in stage productions and soap operas as opposed to full length feature movies?

I was trained on the stage and when we started out, we only had the stage, television and sometimes radio to showcase our talents. There is this attachment I have to the stage; it is natural and more fulfilling for me. I also do videos and full length films but circumstances make you take certain decisions. I have stayed away from home videos because I believe most of the actors do not have enough training. When I say such things, people do not understand what I am saying and they tag me as an ‘I too know.’

What exactly are the circumstances that made you stay away?

I believe strongly in training. I do not believe I can become a doctor without training; same way I do not believe I can become a teacher without knowing certain things about teaching people. So it is important to be properly trained in anything that you find yourself doing. Most of the actors in Nollywood that started out like myself were just people who had the interest and we came together to do some good jobs. That was where it stopped because there was no where else to explore. Most of them were stagnant and limited because they did not have any training. I advised a few to go for training but they turned a deaf ear at me. It is a big business and how many people do I want to quarrel with or always correct on stage? This is something I studied and learnt and I would like to share but people would always put you down. So I decided to stay with the soap operas and stage production. The few films that I could tolerate, I accept the script.

Does this stance pay you financially?

I have been surviving so far. I really don’t know how much home video fetches them but if you make a stand in life, you must be ready to make sacrifices for those decisions. You may not know how well stage plays pay but as regularly as they come, they take care of my bills. It is not like I would not add whatever is made from the home video to what I am earning, but it is a sacrifice I am willing to make. Stage play is not dying, Terra Culture has a stage play that runs every week and people go there to watch the plays. We have sponsors and patrons of theatre; so stage play cannot die. Muson Centre also organises a lot of stage plays. The plays may not be on the increase, but it is definitely not decreasing.

Are you saying that there is no professionalism with the new crop of artistes in the industry?

That is a difficult question to answer because training in arts does not necessarily involve going to a formal school setting. It could be in form of apprenticeship. There should be some kind of training. I do not believe you can become a professional without any kind of training.

Are you scared of competition from the new generation of actors?

I can never be scared of anybody local or foreign in my profession. God forbid that I am scared. Most of the newer generation of actors are very shallow. They do not know what characterisation is. And if you do not know what that is, then you are not an actor as far as I am concerned. How can I be scared of such people?

Is that why you once said all they sell is beauty and mediocrity?

That is true. A handsome face does not necessarily make you a good actor; neither does a pretty face and good body make you a good actress. But that is what people want to see. If people like to see such things, then what good is it to act properly? As a matter of fact, somebody called Henry Locane was a very ugly man but one of the best actors in the French history during the 14th or 15th century. Acting has nothing to do with beauty.

How have you managed to remain scandal free even though you are married to an actress?

Must every actor and actress have scandals? Scandals are things you do not need and some people create scandals to make themselves very popular or notorious. I am a very humble person who comes from a humble background. I do not do things above my head and I do not break laws. I don’t engage in such things.

How have you and your wife been able to raise your children amidst your busy schedules?

It has never been a problem. It has to do with understanding and you need to marry your friend. Both of us do not take jobs that would take us out of town at the same time. At any point in time, one person is always at home.

How have you been able to sustain your marriage?

Sincerity of purpose; you do not marry because of glamour. You do not marry because you want the world to see that you are married to a celebrity or a good looking person. You must lay the right foundation for marriage and you have to be very sure of what you are doing. You have to believe in the institution called marriage. Marry your friend so that when love is failing, friendship carries you on. When there is no money in the home, togetherness can carry you on. Be truthful to each other and bring all the virtues to play in your marriage. For me, it is not a big deal.

Do you keep secrets from your wife?

We share a lot of secrets together but we do not keep secrets from each other.

How did you meet your wife?

We met at auditions, so we talked. I am a very playful person and I kissed her one day. I just said hello to her and she turned; immediately I kissed her and I walked away before she realised what happened. I did not know what she was going to do, whether she would slap me or not but I just left the place. I did not run away but I left because I wanted to leave an impression in her. After that, we met on the set of the movie called, Izozo, and that was where our relationship started.

What did you see in her that made you propose to her?

I saw a friend. I saw somebody that is reliable and somebody that I can trust.

Did you watch Glamour Girls?

Yes I did.

Did you see the movie before you met your wife or after you met her?

I think I saw the movie before we met.

After seeing the movie, did it influence your decision to date her?

No, it did not.

How do you feel when another man is kissing your wife in a movie?

I don’t have any feelings.

Do you feel jealous?

I don’t feel anything. I don’t feel jealous. It is a play and professionally, we simulate things. There are camera movements to make things real. Even if it is real, so what? Would the man take her away from me after acting? I don’t feel anything.

How have you been able to cope with the ladies?

I have never been a ladies’ man. When I am with other actors, girls flock around them but they do not come to me. I had to ask a lady why women don’t come my way and she told me that it is because my face looks too hard. I am a very playful person. Although I think they are right that my face looks hard because sometimes I frown and I don’t know why I do so. I have never been a ladies’ man.