Friday, November 10th, 2017, prominent Nollywood actor, Obi Madubuogwu’s remains, was committed to mother earth in his hometown, Nkwerre Ogidi in Anambra State. Obi came into prominence in 1996 through the film, “Battle of Musanga”, an epic film still considered as the most expensive production with the largest cast and crew in the industry produced by Gabosky & Chezkay films. He however took ill two years later and was diagnosed with the killer disease, diabetes. In the following years, Obi devoted his life in running advocacy against the disease through his NGO, Saving Lives African Diabetes Foundation (SLADF). He however succumbed to the cold hands of death on August 28th, 2017. In this special tribute by thebladeng, we celebrate his life and times…
HIS NOLLYWOOD STORY
Obi’s journey into Nollywood started when he joined a theatre group. The group shot their first film, “Power of Love” and Obi took the movie to the most popular marketer of that era, JBM to market. As at that time, JBM, was casting for his upcoming film, Evil Passion. Obi almost made the cast and lead but lost to Tobechukwu Anadi who became an instant success thereafter. He then took “Power of Love” to Alex Ezeamaku of Zelex who also gave him a role in his own production “Hidden Truth”. The relationship between Obi and the Zelex boss blossomed that they became friends and partners. Obi helped in bringing down the major stars of the time to Onitsha from Lagos to shoot a new Zelex flick, “Akadike”. It was Zelex that later brought him to Lagos where his career exploded. Through Obi, Zelex did a movie, “Faces”, directed by the sheikh of Nollywood, Zeb Ejiro. The film, featured Sidney Diala and a host of others. Obi’s first movie production was “Agony” which was directed by Ndubuisi Okoh. The film became one of the earliest that screen goddess, Genevieve Nnaji did in Nollywood. Following that, Obi produced “Captives” for IG Best which was probably the first film that featured star actor, Clem Ohameze. He was to feature in “True Confessions”, a flick produced by Kenneth Nnebue(NEK) in which set he met the great Liz Benson for the first time. But it was the flick, “Forbidden” that gave Obi, his identity and prepared him for his all-time role as king in “Battle of Musanga”. In an interview with Fred Iwenjora, Obi recalled that “I had been close to top movie and electronics marketer Andy Best during those years. He had told me about a movie role which fits me. He said he had recommended me to Gabosky, one of the producers who eventually invited me to the audition held at a venue in Agboju area of Lagos. While at the audition, I gathered that the role was not originally for me but meant for Super Armstrong. But they also told me to rehearse and read some lines. I did it well. I strongly believe that my stage training helped me in playing the role of the cannibal king Musanga of Musanga kingdom who intimidated everyone and all his subjects. Musanga still remains the biggest epic production in the history of Nollywood. I think it would be very difficult for any Nigerian film producer to invest the amount of money and time to produce that kind of movie. The cast was massive; the crew super, the location was indescribable. I continue to commend Gabosky and Chez Kay for a big job well done’. Obi later produced films like, “Karashika”, “Conspiracy” and. I would say that my eyes opened up in production when I did “Agunmba”.
DIABETES AND DEATH
Obi was tipping 300kg in 1996 when he did the film, Battle of Musanga. But it was in 1998 at the peak of this rising profile that he started coming down with different kinds of symptoms that could be related to HIV/AIDS including extreme weight loss. According to him, “I was reducing in size daily and was scared with my image in the mirror. It was not long before the news started spreading that I had been down with AIDS. Even a particular entertainment journalist published the banner headline that I was HIV positive. It pained me about the insensitivity of the world to people’s plight. I have forgiven him and he has apologized to me. I became scared of myself. I became worried and did not know what to do. I wondered what happened to my cherished life and plans to excel in the movie industry With my popularity both in person and name, I knew I was in deep trouble. I couldn’t go for HIV test because I was scared of the result. On the part of Zelex, whom I considered brother from another mother, he continued to push me to take a test and he also had several issues with his wife concerning our continued friendship and closeness. She was worried that my continued friend ship would make her family contact whatever I was suffering from. That situation did it for me. I summoned up courage and took a test which to my relief was negative to HIV/AIDS. My relief came because the stigma did not fit me after all. It was not what people thought but I still did not know what was happening to me.” Obi was however forced to stay off movies for some time. His return movie was “Conspiracy pt. 11”. By then, he was very lean and half the size he was when he did “Conspiracy 1”. As Obi further narrated, “the revelation as to what was worrying me came to light as we were shooting Ulaga for Andy Best in Enugu. I was with Andy Chukwu and a couple of close friends who did not stigmatise me throughout the period. I had gone to urinate and Andy Chukwu had gone after me. He came back to where we were seated and told me that he saw ants trailing my urine. He said he related it with what his uncle was suffering from and convinced me to take a diabetes test. I became excited that I was close to what may have been wrong with me. When I went for this test, the doctor was shocked and insisted that I do not leave the hospital that day because it was extremely dangerous for me to do so. He asked me how I came to the hospital and I told him I drove myself and he was shocked. He told me my sugar level was above 500. Even though he said it was dangerous, I felt a big relief when they said it was not AIDS or HIV. So I went for the diabetes medication and immediately started getting my groove back”.
HIS FIGHT TO SAVE OTHERS
Few months after he discovered what was truly ailing him, Obi was determined that others must have information and knowledge about the disease. This led him to form the “Saving Lives African Diabetes Foundation(SLADF) in 2009. Obi said, “we started the foundation so as to prevent many people from passing through what I passed through before knowing what is wrong and how to manage it. And even now they know, medication and management are all that are required. I have seen several of my colleagues who are also managing their own conditions and we share knowledge. SLADF is a legacy I wish to leave for posterity. We provide info through films, seminars and discussions. I make use of my popularity to reach out to people and we have been building up confidence that we have volunteer members. We print handbooks and magazines to spread information about Diabetes and have been sharing this information. We have organised events like Celebrities Unite against Diabetes and later Nollywood Health Convention and Awards because we have lost several colleagues to the disease which is one of the fastest killers in the world today that takes people unaware. We partnered Actors Guild of Nigeria, Lagos in our first award ceremonies but the last one which held at Golden Tulip Festac, Lagos held without that partnership. We are grateful to all who had supported us. I am sorry to say that Nigeria as a country has not given Diabetes the same kind of interest they have given to HIV/AIDS”.
HIS LAST “SHOW”
It was at the last quarter of 2015 that the ailment got the better of the “King of Musanga”. He had just returned from what would be his last overseas trip and last public show- the Nollywood Film Festival Germany and Nollywood Golden Awards (NEGA), held in Frankfurt, Germany by Nollywood ambassador, Isaac Izoya. He was on that trip with other Nollywood greats including boobs queen, Cossy Orjiakor and Cynthia Agholor. The television commercial for that trip played on the NTA, was also his last TVC as he broke down on return and never recovered until he died on August 28th,2017.
