Nollywood actor Gideon Okeke has appreciated his mentors, Richard Mofe Damijo, Dakore Egbuson and a host of others, in a post stating he saw himself through them on his journey through acting.
The Tinsel star has made reference to his colleagues prior to his growth in his career, revealing that RMD has been his greatest influence as he delivered roles with a lot of confidence in style.
However, what attracted him to Dakore was the eloquence of spoken English diluted with so much fluidity and ease.
He has also shown appreciation to several others like Bimbo Manuel, Taiwo Ajayi Lycett, Ireti Doyle, Joke Silva, Olu Jacobs, Norbert Young, Gloria Anozie Young, Justice Esiri, Pete Edochie, Ebele Okaro, Femi Branch, Yemi Blaq and Funlola Awofiyebi with their command of spoken English.
According to him, people look up to you when you reach the highest standard possible, just like his colleagues turned mentors, and Nollywood is a place for everyone to showcase creativity, not unseriousness.
He wrote:
They’ve NEVER heard this before
But here’s a TRUE STORY.
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2007 was the year I began My Professional Acting career. Before then, My biggest reference (and still till date) was RMD. He gave it everything that Panache required. And then I saw the movie “Critical Assignment” one evening in Uni.
I saw Myself a lot through RMD
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Now let’s Flip to DAKORE.
Before My entry into Nollywood, I did notice something “worrisomely” peculiar.
Diction and Elocution were not part of the WhatsApp group lol. The Actors were delivering “labored lines of dialogue”, Like they had a morsel of Poundo in their mouths. But DAKORE spoke this English with so much fluidity…with ease. It rolled off her tongue like a damn great KISSER.
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I believed I had a shot at this too. Cos I worried about how I would fit in. (Being a student of English Myself, it’s My most efficient means of communication lol). Now that there was a reference for Me within the fold, (somewhere not too far from My age bracket), I took ALL audition calls available.
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Today, I’m My Own MAN! My own kind of ACTOR. I made it here! No surprises.
So I just wanna say 2 things :
1. In whatever you do, reach for the highest standards Possible, within yourself. You could be someone’s pitching reference, even without knowing it.
2. Nollywood is for EVERYBODY. There’s no gate! Just come in and show the world, something they ain’t NEVER seen before. But please, Be about THE WORK. Nobody cares about your slay.
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In closing, May I say thank you :
DAKORE, RMD, BIMBO MANUEL, TAIWO AJAYI LYCETT, IRETI DOYLE, JOKE SILVA, OLU JACOBS, NORBET YOUNG, GLORIA ANOZIE YOUNG, JUSTICE ESIRI, PETE EDOCHIE, EBELE OKARO, FEMI BRANCH, YEMI BLAQ, FUNLOLA AWOFIYEBI, and a host of other Diction and Elocution merchants.
My RESPEK LARGE and this post is with ALL DUE RESPECT!!! 🙌🏽
Be INSPIRED !
