International showbiz octopus Femi Lasode stands tall in film and music packaging, no doubt. It is on good source that he met some top Nigerian showbiz acts with his state-of-the-art model studio in Lagos in the past. He has since conquered that terrain before he moved on to film packaging with a visible input resulting to world-class productions like Sango and others with special focus on his current wave-making effort titled “The treasure map”. In this engaging encounter with our Contributing Editor, IFECHI OKOH, Lasode talks about his origin, educational evolution in Nigeria and abroad, professional packaging and exploits giving the Nigerian film packagers pass mark because of the challenges and success they made despite all the troubles. Happy reading!

Could Obafemi Lasode kindly give us detailed background of himself, starting his origin, early education, professional packaging abroad, homecoming …

I am from Oluwo Erin compound, Ilawo Okeona, Abeokuta North Local Government Council, Ogun State. I grew up in the UK while my parents, Engineer Olufemi and Annie Lasode were students.

After a Primary school education from Corona school, Ikoyi, and a secondary school education from St Gregory’s College, Obalende, Lagos, I was opportune to graduate from American University,

Washington DC, with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, and a Master’s Degree in Audio-Visual Production from Brooklyn College, City University of New York.

What was your childhood fantasy and why

I was always fascinated with music and audio video production. While in Secondary school, I learned to play guitar and bass. I saw the legend Fela perform live at secondary school and immediately fell in love. I also witnessed, while growing up, a number of TV productions at the big studio now NTA Channel 10, Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Is your current endeavor the real dream you had in mind, please?

My parents were fully aware of my initial fantasy of my love for audio video production because I would often follow my big uncles to television houses that operated in the late sixties and seventies, although my father insisted I followed business administration as a career; Marketing, to be precise. But as time went on, my parents supported me in starting Even-Ezra Audio video Studios.

Did you start your career abroad?

When I first went abroad, I started as a DJ to keep body and soul alive. I concentrated on focusing on playing African music at clubs. The early eighties was a time when Africanism was really gaining ground. Young African Americans were changing their names to African names. There was a big hunger for anything African. (The boxing legend Cassius Clay had changed his name to Muhammad Ali). The interest in Orisa was very popular then, but there were no audio video materials available for sale. This was what really sparked my interest in producing African-oriented Audio video materials. My D-jaying African music led me to eventually have an African-oriented radio program “Afrika in Vogue” on WNYE, NEW YORK, which was later aired on Radio Nigeria Two, Lagos, in the mid Nineties. While in New York, I was opportune to work on the promotion of African artistes at the world famous Apollo Theatre. Artistes such as Fela, Hugh Masekela, Manu Dibango, Sunny Okosuns, King Sunny Ade, Miriam Makeba, Osibisa, Chief Oliver DeCoque, Twins Seven Seven, Johnnie Haastrup, and others. There were little number of African movies available, so my Sango movie was very much welcomed.

There’s no doubt that you have tasted foreign standards over the years and so used to them. Can you sincerely score the Nigerian film packagers, the concern itself and standard against the backdrop of inherent challenges?

We should give Nigerian film packagers a big round of applause for struggling, against all odds, to keep the industry moving forward. The number one challenge is access to adequate funding when you compare with the kind of funding that is available to their counter parts overseas. Dem dey try!!! Their passion for the Nigerian movie industry is quite heartwarming. A joy to behold.

When you returned to the Nigerian soil to plant this film concern what were your challenges and how did you give them a neat pin fall to emerge the enviable octopus you are today?

The goal behind Afrika n Vogue/Even-Ezra Audio video Studios is to provide first class audio video facilities to budding artistes to enable them produce first-class productions, acceptable all over the world. Access to funding was, and still continues to be the stumbling block in the way of progress.

Secondly, the lack of, and need for, a vibrant local and international distribution network. Third, the scourge of piracy.

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