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In this interview with MOTUNRAYO JOEL, Anita talks about her father, Chika Okpala a.k.a. Zebrudaya of the New Masquerade fame
Aside being the daughter of the famous Zebrudaya, who is Anita Okpala?
I’m Anita Okpala, I had my primary and secondary school education at International Early Learning Centre, Abia State. I later obtained my first degree at Anambra State University . I have two siblings, a brother and a sister, though my sister is late.
How was life growing up with your father?
Those days were remarkable, I miss my childhood days. Growing up was really fun. Despite the fact that my father wasn’t able to spend much time at home then because he was always working or travelling from one state to another, whenever he was around, I felt his presence; there was no dull moment with him. I didn’t question his absence because I knew he was somewhere working so that his family would be comfortable, but this is not to say I didn’t miss his absence.
Did he try to impose his career choice on his children?
Not at all, he always gives his children freedom to explore. My father is kind-hearted. He is not that type of father that forces his children to go against their wish. He gave us the opportunity to explore. He has an open-mind, very understanding and flexible. Whatever decision any of his children made in terms of career choice, he was ready to support them to the end.
Is he an overprotective father?
It’s just normal for a father to protect his children which my father did, but he wasn’t overprotective, although he was strict to an extent. I’m glad he was strict, it helped me stay focused. I think my life is what it is today because of his strict nature.
Can you describe his attitude towards money?
My father isn’t that type of father that splashes money on any and everything. He is a prudent spender. He is not extravagant with money. He taught us how to save money. He believes that no matter how much one has in their account, they should spend wisely.
What is his temperament like?
He definitely isn’t hot tempered. Mere looking at him; you can tell he is a jovial person. Though he gets angry once in a while, but his anger isn’t to the extreme. He can be angry this minute and the next minute, he is laughing. He doesn’t bottle up his anger.
How does he handle criticisms?
My father is the kind of person that isn’t too bothered about criticisms. He prefers you tell him the truth rather than pretend because that is what he would do too. If he wants to criticise your action, he would say it plainly, without mincing or sugarcoating his words. He isn’t someone that beats about the bush. He feels it’s better for one to hear the truth, even if they get displeased.
Who are his friends?
You can imagine how many friends a man like ‘Chief Zebrudaya’ will have. He has so many friends, both within Nollywood and outside. He is someone that attracts people because of his jovial personality. He is fun to be with and, like I said, there is no dull moment with him. I guess that is why he has so many friends. They enjoy his company.
Does he create time for family outings?
That was one area that was special to him. I give him 100 per cent for that. He didn’t joke with family outings. Whenever there was a family outing, he would suspend all other meetings. I still remember some of the recreational centres he used to take us such as the Aba’s Sports Club, the zoo and other places. Our family outings were always exciting especially with my brother and late sister.
Do you get preferential treatments because you are Zebrudaya’s child?
I did enjoy preferential treatments. And I still do. But this is not on an everyday thing. Once in a while, I get favours here and there. We were privileged to have him as a father and role model. Hearing people say good things about him makes us (his children) happy.
How has his name opened doors for you?
My father’s name has opened so many doors and granted me access to places I would never have imagined visiting. People who know him are so quick to offer help whenever I introduce myself as his daughter. I’m grateful to God and I don’t take the favours I get for granted.
How did he punish any offending child?
Whenever any of us erred, my father would scold us but he never spanked us. It was my mother that used to do more of the beating. They both had their methods of punishing us.
What values did you learn from him?
I have imbibed so many values from my father. He is my role model. However, one of the values I learnt from him was hard work. He is a very hardworking man; I don’t think I’ve come across anybody who is as hard working as my father. The word laziness is not in his vocabulary and I like this about him. He made sure that he trained us to be hardworking too. Growing up, my father taught us how to be independent and not always depend on them (parents) for everything. Another value I imbibed from him is humility. He is extremely humble; my father is this sort of person that wouldn’t show off even if he has billions in his account.
How does he relax?
He doesn’t joke with his rest time. He believes that when one works hard, they should rest well. His style of relaxation is to spend time with his wife at a place Igbos call ‘obi’ with a newspaper and a bottle of water or fresh fruit in his hand. Surprisingly, my father hardly take alcohol. He indulges only when it is necessary.
How does he handle disagreements with your mother?
One thing I’ve realised about my father is that he is strong-willed. Whenever they argue, it’s either they disagree to agree at the end of the day or my mother gives in to his decision. My father usually stands on his words, but sometimes, he succumbs to her decisions. The beauty of the whole thing is that their disagreements don’t last for long. One minute they can be arguing and the next minute they are best of friends.
What kind of songs does he listen to?
My father is a big fan of highlife music. He has a huge collection of highlife music.
What is his favourite meal?
He generally loves good food. His favourite meal is bitterleaf soup and breadfruit.
Is he funny at home?
My father is jovial at home, he even tells jokes at home. You can’t be bored when he is around. He always has one or two jokes to tell us.
I feel happy and honoured to be his daughter. He is the best father and I love him. Although we disagree to agree sometimes, which is normal, he is a wonderful father.
What is his opinion about Nollywood movies?
He supports what nollywood is doing and thinks they are doing a great job in terms of showcasing Nigerian movies to the world. He says Nollywood has taken a new turn and improved its standard, which is great. However, he says nollywood movies concentrate too much on native doctors, ritual killings, diabolic scenes and the likes. He feels they should be reduced because they don’t give any educative information or have a positive impact on our youths. Rather they make youths channel their thoughts towards evil acts. He feels it is possible to produce a storyline that will be educative for the society. According to him, we can’t evict evil from our society, but we shouldn’t focus on it too much. He says we should always try to portray Nigeria as a good nation that is aiming for the best.
Describe his mode of dressing?
He likes to wear native attires. He says they make him simple and cute.
The way he speaks on stage, is that how he speaks at home?
(Laughs) No, he doesn’t speak his Zebrudaya English at home. He uses the Zebrudaya speech only when he wants to crack a joke at home, or to recap the highlights of his show. He speaks proper English at home.
Did his style of English affect you while growing up?
My father loves his children to be outstanding. He did not train us with Zebrudaya English that was used for his stage performances. We all speak good English.
How did he handle the death of James Iroha, the character, ‘Giringori’ in New Masquerade?
He was extremely saddened by the news. He was pained. It was not only him, but everyone in the family. The news came as a shock to us, we didn’t expect such tragedy. My father found it hard to believe and it took a long time before he got over it. He decided to go all out to give him a befitting burial. He travelled to Umuahia, constituted a burial committee of friends, including Nollywood and PMAN (Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria) members of Abia State. He chaired the committee- he was deeply involved in the burial. The death of Giringori really affected him.
Why didn’t he move into Nollywood after New Masquerade?
I’m not speaking for him, but I think he wanted to work on his own and feature more in adverts and comedy series. He complains about the slant of Nollywood movies, saying they have no proper lesson one can learn from and that they don’t move the country forward. He prefers entertainment education. I guess that was what made his show popular and earned him two prestigious National Awards MON (Member of the Order of the Niger) and MFR (Member of the Order of the Federal Republic).
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