39 Facts About Hubert Ogunde

Hubert Ogunde changed the name to Ogunde Theater Party in 1947 and Ogunde Concert Party in 1950.

Hubert Ogunde has been described as "the father of Nigerian theatre, or the father of contemporary Yoruba theatre".

Hubert Ogunde's first production was a church-financed play called The Garden of Eden.

The Hubert Ogunde Theater was banned in the Western Region of Nigeria for two years as a result.

Hubert Ogunde released Jaiyesimi, Aropin N'tenia, and Ayanmo, feature-length films influenced by Yoruba mysticism, thereafter.

Hubert Ogunde starred in Mister Johnson, the 1990 motion picture that featured Pierce Brosnan.

Hubert Ogunde was born in Ososa, near Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, Nigeria, to the family of Jeremiah Deinbo and Eunice Owotusan Hubert Ogunde.

Hubert Ogunde's father was a Baptist pastor, and his maternal grandfather was a priest of Ifa, an African traditional religion.

Hubert Ogunde briefly lived within the precincts of his grandfather's compound and was exposed to Ifa, Ogun and many other traditional religious celebrations.

Hubert Ogunde later joined the Nigerian police force in March 1941 in Ibadan.

At the request of the Alake of Abeokuta, Hubert Ogunde performed "The Garden of Eden" at the Ake Centenary Hall.

Hubert Ogunde wrote and co-directed three religious-themed plays: Africa and God, a folk opera infused with Yoruba cultural themes that were non-existent in The Garden of Eden, Israel in Egypt and Nebuchadnezzar's Reign and Belshazzar's Feast.

Hubert Ogunde distinguished his group by using promotion methods such as advertisements and posters, and by changing the round stage used by alarinjo performers to one with a proscenium.

The advertisement for the play was the result of Hubert Ogunde's call for "paid actresses".

Hubert Ogunde then released another politically-themed play, Towards Liberty, in 1947.

Hubert Ogunde then wrote his first satire, Human Parasites, about the craze for Aso ebi.

Hubert Ogunde's plays from this period were folk operas in which the actors on stage sang their lines with limited dialogue.

Hubert Ogunde then released a string of plays with dialogue either spoken or sung.

Hubert Ogunde released an Islamic morality tale, My Darling Fatima, in 1951.

Hubert Ogunde followed this with three situational comedies: Portmanteau Woman, 'Beggar's Love and Princess Jaja.

Hubert Ogunde changed the name of the group, from Ogunde Theatre Party to Ogunde Concert Party, in 1950.

Hubert Ogunde was the most prominent of the dramatists of the folk opera.

Hubert Ogunde's play Yoruba Ronu was a satirical account of the strife that plagued Yorubaland in the 1960s.

Hubert Ogunde is given over into the hands of his enemy, Yeye-Iloba, leading to the imprisonment of him and two of his political allies.

Hubert Ogunde produced his plays Ayanmo and Mama Eko for the television audience.

Hubert Ogunde was a representative of Nigeria at Expo 67 in Montreal.

Hubert Ogunde invited Ola Balogun to direct Aiye, an adaptation of one of his stage plays.

Hubert Ogunde chose the play partly because it attracted crowds during its run of performances.

Hubert Ogunde sold some of his properties to finance the movie.

The next Hubert Ogunde film was Jaiyesinmi, a sequel to Aiye co-directed by Hubert Ogunde and Freddie Goode.

Hubert Ogunde provided the funds for the production of all of his movies without exception.

Hubert Ogunde established a film village in Ososa, his hometown, to serve as a film shooting studio for his films in 1982.

Hubert Ogunde produced over 90 songs in a creative life that stretched from the late 1950s to 1988.

Hubert Ogunde married more than ten wives and had many children.

The Hubert Ogunde Theater was largely a family-run business, and all the wives and children took part in the productions at one time or the other.

Hubert Ogunde later became known as Adeshewa Clementina Ogunde or Mama Eko, taking the latter moniker from the popular 1960s play of the same name that she starred in.

Hubert Ogunde became the leading producer of Yoruba celluloid movies, with J'ayesinmi and Aiye, blazing the trail.

Hubert Ogunde was ill during the shooting of the film "Mr Johnson".

Chief Hubert Ogunde died on 4 April 1990, at London's Cromwell Hospital following a brief illness.