Many simply know her as Amebo, but her real name is Mrs. Ibidun Allison. She is a veteran actress who acted in Village Headmaster TV series many years ago.
City People met her last week at the NTA studios in Victoria Island, in Lagos.
We couldn’t believe it when she told us she was 78. She didn’t look it one bit. Mama is still bubbling with, no walking stick, nothing. Apart from her grey hair, there was nothing to show in her baby face & smooth skin that she was close to 80. She looked healthy and young. She could pass for a 60 year old. She is one of the coordinators of the Village Headmaster at 50 project. She spoke to SEYE KEHINDE & SUNDAY ADIGUN about this and the story of her life. Below are excerpt of the interview.
How does it feel being part of the Village Headmaster each time you look back at what you were able to do?
I feel happy. I also feel humbled to know that this programme is one program that was loved by everybody. And I still want to believe that if the programme comes back today it would still be loved by more people so it was quite a humbling experience for us, for me in particular to know that I am still around and glory be to God, I am still part of this whole village, part of the Crew and part of the Cast. For me it’s very happy occasion that we are celebrating, the 50th of the program.
How did you get into the programme at that time?
I was actually invited, but before then we had a play on stage which was directed by the late Amb. Segun Olusola himself. That play consisted of Sisi Clara, Jab Adu. Dr. Christopher Kolade as at that time was my husband in that play.
The play was written by a Ghanaian playwright called Amah Attah Aidu, and I played the lead role”. So it was at the 10th Anniversary in 1970. Shortly after that stage play, Chief Olushola said to me Ibidun, I’m sending you a script, and when the script came, lo and behold it was Village Headmaster. I had seen Village Headmaster on screen because I didn’t start with them. I looked at it and I asked him what next, then he asked me to come and see him at his office.
When I got there he said he would like me to play the role of “Amebo” I told him no problem, I told him to give me time to go and read it, and I returned back to my office Fortunately I was working with Ted Mukoro at Lintas Advertising, who was then the headmaster, as scriptwriter. I showed him the script and he was happy as he said I should quickly come and join the family. I read the script and I returned back to Segun Olushola to tell him that I was ready to take the role. He then directed me to the Producer, late David Oriore. I saw him and he told me the days of rehearsals.
I joined them the following Thursday for rehearsal, I read the two lines I was given in the script and they loved it. And from there people started calling me Amebo as gossiper.
Meanwhile, Amebo doesn’t mean a gossip. Amebo actually means a fvourite wife of a man who has more than one wife, so he tells her all the secrets, what is happening and what’s going to happen and so she tells people. She doesn’t lie. She embellished but she does not lie. That was how it all started and the writers started putting more of Amebo into the script.
How did you fit into that role, to deliver the best?
I’m a trained dramatist, an actress. I studied in the school of drama in England. I had done quite a few plays in England. And I think if you can act, you will be versatile. My co actors helped me to build the character. The writers and the producer also did their best, and it became what everybody wanted. I’m really humbled and grateful for that.
Let me take you back a bit. Where were you born and where did you grow up?
I was born in 1941, in the then Western Region, Sapele. I grew up there for sometime and I came back to Lagos. I went to Holy Child College Ikoyi in Lagos for my secondary school.
Meanwhile, right from my primary school I was a very active child. I was at every concert in school, and fortunately Ogunde came. My parents took us there to see Ogunde and after that show I told my parents that this is what I’m going to do.
What was the year you took that decision?
In 1953, I told them, this is what I’m going to do and everybody laughed. Whenever we have guests, visitors, I will perform for them, I will dance for them and I just enjoyed doing it. And growing up, I had a dance group and we always dance during festivals. We go to people’s house to dance native dance. I danced Calabar, I danced Igbo, I danced Itsekiri. We would sing and dance I always enjoy performing, drama and dancing for a long time, little did I know that it was going to develop to this level. Talking about the profession, I had opportunity to do other things and I enjoyed it.
You are 78 and you are still very sound, very beautiful, what is the secret?
God’s Grace and doing everything in moderation.
What has life taught you so far?
Life has taught me a lot, to be modest, to be honest, to be truthful and to be contented. Everybody needs to have that contentment
How did the stylish part of you evolve?
If I should start singing and dancing at that tender age then that stylish part should be in me, because I’m used to all that.
What do you do now?
I visit my children, grand children. I go out with friends. If you talk about business, I have none but I do commercials for a particular company. I have advertised for so many companies before like Lever brothers, Nestle, I’ve done all that before. But right now, I work for Glo. I love travelling a lot. I party with friends. I do one or two church things as well.
Your name Ibudun Allison is a big one and I was wondering, how have you managed it over the years?
I do say what really is in a name? What is in a name is what you make out of that name. I was Ibidun Folakan in School, and all my years of training, I worked with the BBC, the Central Office Of Information in England, I did documentary for them for about 2 years, I was Ibidun Folakan, and that name for me has remained unchangeable. Even when I got married I told my husband I’m not changing it, because that was the name I was known by. But when I came back here, my husband said, no. His parent were wondering whether we were really married or not. My husband is Allison of Ikorodu. I believe that Ibidun Allison is just a name like any other name. It’s what you make of your name that really matters, and I’m glad that I haven’t spoiled that name. Glory be to God.
