Artistes pay tribute to Joe Adekwagh, fallen actor

The death of actor Joe Terhemba Adekwagh last week Thursday in Lagos, has been described as a "huge loss" for the nation's film industry otherwise called Nollywood.

President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, AGN, Ejike Asiegbu who spoke from far away London, where he is attending several awards ceremonies and seminars on Nollywood, said the actor's death is another "big blow for Nollywood that is just recovering from the shock of the death of the likes of Ebereonwu, Francis Agu, among others."

Asiegbu described the late actor as a "very talented, professional and humble actor. Joe was a perfect gentleman who took his act professionally. The industry will miss Adekwagh so much."

The AGN president said he had decided to cut short his engagement in the UK, and will soon come back to the country "to be part of burial arrangements of our fallen colleague" even as he harped on the need for all actors to be insured. "Many people tried to put clogs in the plans by my executive to put in place a strong insurance policy, I have always explained to members of AGN the need to have a policy against unforeseen incidents like deaths, permanent disability being suffered by our members in the cause of looking for daily bread, but some enemies of progress think Ejike Asiegbu stands to gain something from it," he lamented.

He will however wait for the family of the late actor to announce burial plans "and AGN would see where it would fit in. It is our responsibility to see that we actors who are registered members of the guild, befitting burial rites."

Actor, veteran producer and director Zik Zulu Okafor lamented the passing on of Adekwagh who he described as "a thoroughbred professional. If you invited Adekwagh for a production, he comes one hour before the start of a shoot and he listens to the director. He makes a production easier for the director. Do you know that when he slumped and was being assisted and given first aid, he was still saying that, "the show must go on". It shows that as the compere of the event, his personal travail at the moment was not his concern, but the show must go on. I don't know what to say again, but for death to snatch Adekwagh like that shows that he is no respecter of persons. One can say that Joe was among those that started this Nollywood revolution, he had been there all along and the industry will miss him seriously," Okafor submitted.

Nollywood's star actor Kanayo O. Kanayo was grief stricken when The Guardian sought his opinion at O'jez, a popular hangout of the stars in Surulere, Lagos, a day after the actor passed on. "I came in to unwind yesterday evening and someone broke the news to me downstairs; that was the end of my evening. I could not bring myself to do anything any longer, so I went straight home to my family. Adekwagh was such a nice colleague. He always went out of his way to assist others, that is the quality of good person."

His professionalism according to Kanayo, would be missed in the sector that he claims have jettisoned it. "In a sector where younger artistes do not care about professionalism, Adekwagh was one person that upheld and preached it to the younger ones all the time. His demise is a great loss to us all."

Another actor, director Francis Nwochie tried hard to hide his emotions as he recalls some moments in the past with the actor. "It was always a delight to have Joe Adekwagh on your set, he made things so easy for many directors and he was a jolly good fellow."

Acho Ugenyi, secretary general of the Actors Guild of Nigeria, said the executive of the guild would meet when "our president returns from the U K this week. The death is painful."

Adekwagh slumped while serving as compere at the 40th year on stage anniversary of the veteran actor, poet and essayist Lari Williams. The actor of immense credit and show host died after attempt to revive him at a clinic in Surulere, Lagos where he was rushed to after he slumped, failed. The Lari Williams event was held at the Cinema Hall 1 of the National Theatre.

Aged 44, having been born on February 18, 1963, Adekwagh is a native of Konshisha Local Government of Benue State. He was recruited in September 1989 as an artiste to form the nucleus of the then Hubert Ogunde led National Troupe of Nigeria. He continued as an artiste until in 1999 when his contract with the National Troupe lapsed. In 2001, he was formally employed into the National Troupe this time as a tenure staff. He was designated Assistant Stage Manager but he was always available to perform each time the National Troupe had a production that required his robust talent.

Married with two kids, Desmond and Mohammed, Adekwagh whose creative pouch is filled with numerous stage, screen and radio productions is best remembered for living delightfully the role of Tanko Daruje in the long rested Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) soap Wind of Destiny.

The remains of the humble and unpretentiously friendly Thespian have been deposited at the morgue of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital. The Management of the National Theatre/National Troupe is in touch with the family who are expected to formally announce burial arrangements for the departed actor who drops off Lasgidi after any exchange of pleasantry. It was Adekwagh's way of reminding his friends that Lagos is as tough to survive like Europe.

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