-
How They Set Up Odunfa Caucus (Theatre School)
In the fast-changing world of Entertainment, where friendships come and go, theatre groups rise and disappear and new generations constantly replace the old, very few institutions can boast of a four-decade legacy. But there is one name that has remained deeply woven into the history of Yoruba theatre and Nollywood — Odunfa Caucus.
Long before Nollywood became a global brand, before social media turned actors into instant celebrities and before the Nigerian home-video industry exploded, a group of young theatre practitioners gathered around Odunfa Street in Ebute-Metta, Lagos. They were young. They were ambitious. They had very little by way of money or modern production equipment.
But they had something more important — talent, friendship, discipline, determination and an unshakeable belief in the power of Yoruba theatre. At the centre of that story were Yinka Quadri, Taiwo Hassan, popularly known as Ogogo, Abbey Lanre and Rasaq Ajao, popularly known as Araosan. Together, they would build an institution that went on to train and inspire generations of performers. And 40 years later, the name Odunfa still resonates.
The story of Odunfa Caucus did not begin with the signing of documents or the opening of a grand theatre school. It began /with friendships. /Yinka Quadri was already an experienced theatre practitioner before Odunfa came into existence.
He has recalled that his journey into theatre began as far back as 1977, when he and friends formed a theatre group around Obalende. That early experience exposed him to the discipline of stage performance and introduced him to the importance of learning from experienced practitioners.
By 1980, he had already spent years developing his craft. Eventually, the young actor found himself operating within the vibrant theatre community of Lagos Island and the Mainland. It was during this period that his path crossed with Taiwo Hassan and other young practitioners. Quadri has recalled meeting Taiwo Hassan, Abbey Lanre, Fatai Adetayo and others at Ebute-Metta.
The relationship that developed between Quadri and Ogogo would become one of the most enduring friendships in Yoruba entertainment.
Taiwo Hassan, later immortalised as Ogogo, was also building his own career in theatre. His journey had taken him through the traditional Yoruba theatre circuit, where he learned the fundamentals of performance, chanting, stagecraft and storytelling. Ogogo later recalled that he met several young practitioners from his theatre circle, including Abbey Lanre, and that he eventually became close to Yinka Quadri. The two men became so close that they knew each other’s families. Their relationship was much bigger than acting. It became friendship. It became brotherhood. And eventually, it became the foundation for a remarkable institution.
Before Odunfa Caucus, there was another important chapter. Ogogo recalled that he, Yinka Quadri, Abbey Lanre and others were involved with Oodua Theatre Organisation. They appointed Adeolu Funminiyi as Chairman, while Fatai Adetayo, popularly known as Lalude, served as stage director. Abbey Lanre served as secretary, while Ogogo was one of the leaders of the group. This experience was significant because it taught these young practitioners how to work collectively.
They were already learning how to organise productions, rehearse together and manage a theatre organisation. They were also discovering the possibilities that existed when talented young people pooled their abilities. According to Ogogo’s recollection, Alade Aromire was a regular visitor to their circle. He enjoyed their company. One day, he asked a simple but potentially historic question:
Why don’t we form a caucus? The idea caught on. They began discussing what the proposed caucus would look like and, perhaps most importantly, who would lead it. Ogogo remembers that he personally supported Yinka Quadri for the position of chairman. Not everyone agreed. There were disagreements. Some felt that Quadri, who had come from Lagos Island, should not simply arrive on the Mainland and become the leader. The matter became heated.
But eventually, the disagreement was resolved. And Yinka Quadri emerged as the leader of the new association. Perhaps the most fascinating part of the Odunfa story is that this legendary institution was born in a very ordinary place. No luxury office. No elaborate studio. No corporate headquarters. Just a house on Odunfa Street, Ebute-Metta.
Yinka Quadri has explained that his connection with Rasaq Ajao, popularly known as Araosan, was crucial. Rasaq was living on Odunfa Street and introduced Quadri to several young theatre practitioners in the area. Among those connected to that circle were Taiwo Hassan, Abbey Lanre and others. Rasaq lived at No. 38 Odunfa Street, while another man known as Kakawa lived at No. 40. Kakawa had inherited the house from his father and allowed the theatre practitioners to use it for meetings and rehearsals.
That modest location became the meeting point around which the new organisation developed. And eventually, the street gave the organisation its name. Odunfa. At first, people simply referred to them as the Odunfa Group because that was where they met. They rehearsed there. They discussed theatre there. They planned productions there. They argued there. They dreamed there.
According to Quadri, after about a year of regular meetings on Odunfa Street, they eventually adopted the name: ODUNFA CAUCUS. It was a simple name born from a simple location. But nobody could have imagined how famous that name would eventually become.
There is an interesting story behind the famous title attached to Yinka Quadri. Even today, many people simply call him Chairman. But Quadri has said that he never remembers a formal election where everybody sat down and declared him Chairman. Instead, he believes the title developed naturally because he was the person who brought several of the practitioners together. And there was one person who started calling him Chairman before everybody else: Ogogo. That nickname eventually caught on. And Chairman Yinka Quadri became synonymous with Odunfa Caucus.
The early days were not completely peaceful. Odunfa was developing at a time when the Yoruba theatre industry was already controlled by established practitioners and theatre organisations. When some young actors began working with Quadri and his associates, disagreements followed. Quadri has recalled that the situation became serious enough for him to be reported to prominent elders in the Theatre community. Among those who intervened were Adebayo Salami, Prince Jide Kosoko and the late I Show Pepper.
Quadri eventually apologised, and the dispute was settled. But something important came out of the crisis. The elders encouraged the different groups to collaborate. And that led to one of the most significant productions of the period. The production that brought them together was Olaniyonu. It brought together practitioners from different theatre groups. Names such as Ray Eyiwunmi, Adebayo Salami, Jide Kosoko, I Show Pepper and others became part of the collaboration. The production attracted a strong audience. And something important became clear: Collaboration could work. Instead of each theatre group operating entirely on its own, performers could work across group boundaries.
The success of Olaniyanu helped encourage an inter-group relationship, with different groups subsequently featuring one another’s performers. That spirit of cooperation became one of the important principles associated with the Odunfa generation. This is where the Odunfa story becomes even more important. It did not remain simply a group of friends putting on stage performances.
Young people began coming to them to learn. They wanted to become actors. They wanted to learn songs. They wanted to learn chants. They wanted to understand stagecraft. They wanted to know how to survive as professional performers. And the founding generation taught them. Odunfa gradually became a training institution.
SUNDAY ADIGUN
08029516271
