Hubert Ogunde biography, Career, plays and films, and Personal life
* Biography
Hubert Adedeji Ogunde born on July 1916 in Ososa near Ijebu-ode, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria, and died on April 4, 1990, in London, England is a Nigerian Playwright, Actor, Theatre Manager, and Musician, who was a pioneer in the field of Nigerian folk drama( drama in which music and dancing play a significant role).
Hubert Ogunde was born into the family of Jeremiah Deinbo and Eunice Owotunsan Ogunde, he hailed from a long line of Ifa Worshippers but his father, Jeremiah, was a Baptist missionary and Hubert was raised as a Christian. He attended St.Johns primary school in Ososa from (1925-1928) and St. Peters School, Fiji, Lagos from ( 1928-to 1930) for his primary school education, he produced to Waisimi African school for his Secondary school education
* Career
After finishing his secondary at Waisimi African secondary School education he returned to St John’s primary school where he worked as a teacher, played the other, and was a church choirmaster. In December 1941 when he was in Ibadan he join the Police force after he passed the pole ice recruitment center.
Hubert guide’s first folk opera, The Garden of Eden and the Throne of God, was performed with success in
1944 when he was still a member of the Nigerian Police Force. It was produced under the patronage of an African Protestant sect and it mixed biblical themes with the tradition of Yoruba dance dram. His popularity was established throughout Nigeria by his timely play Strike and Hunger (performed in 1946), which dramatized the general strike of 1945.
Hubert’s guide began staging plays and touring across Nigeria. Gradually he broke away from staging plays based on Christian themes. During the 1950s, he traveled through various Nigerian cities and towns with his band. He released Yoruba Eronu in 1964, this play sparked up hatred and controversy in the western region of Nigeria, when the play got to the then Premier of the western region Chief Akintola he was very angry, and this caused his theatre “Ogunde theatre” to be banned for two years in the western region of Nigeria. This ban was lifted under the new government of Lieutenant Colonel F.A Fajuyi.
In 1963 Hubert guide formed the Dance company. in 1970 he release Ija Ominira and Ajani Ogun which attracted him a lot of success.
* Plays and Films
* Plays
• Garden of Eden and throne of God
(1944)
• Africa and God( 1944)
• Israel in Egypt (1945)
• Nebuchadnezzar Reign and Belshazzar Feast (1945)
• King Solomon(1945)
• Worse than crime (1945)
• Strike and hunger(1945)
• Journey to heaven (1945)
• The black Forest ( Igbo Irumole )(1945)
• Mr. Devil Money (Ayinde) 1945
• Herbert Macaulay(1946)
• Tiger Empire (1946)
• Human parasites (1946)
• Towards Liberty (1947)
• My Darling Fatima (1951)
• Beggars love (1952)
• Half and Half (1949)
• Yours forever ( Morenike ) 1948
• Swing the Jazz(1947)
• Nigeria( 1977)
• Igba to ode (1977)
• Ewo Gbeja (1975)
• Onimoto (1971)
• Muritala Mohammed (1976)
* Films
• Aropin N’ Tenia ( 1982)
• Aiye (1980)
• Ayanmo (1986)
• Jaiyesinmi( 1981)
• Master Johnson( 1990)
* Award
• Order of Federal Republic of Nigeria by the Federal government under Alhaji Shehu Shagari in 1983, he rejected cause he felt corruption is rampant in the land.
• Excellence award in the field of drama and Film production by the Ogun state government in 1987 and 1988
• Honorary degree of Doctor of literature in 1985 by Obafemi, Awolowo University, Ile-Ife
• Honorary degree of doctors of letters on Friday 17th of January, 1986 by University of Lagos
* Personal Life
Hubert’s Ogunde got married to a lot of wives some of his wives are those who works with him, his wives is expected to be more than ten and they had a lot of children together some of his wives include Risikat Ogunde, Idowu Philip, Emily Kehinde, Olukoga guide and Adeshewa Clementina Ogunde a.k.a ( Mama Eko).
He died on Wednesday, April 4th, 1990 at Crowell Hospital, London, England at 5:25 a.m, he was 74 years old when he died.
