Joshua Peters is a 100-L Dramatic Arts Student. He starred
as Bayo in the Alfa Sule blockbuster “take heed”. He shares his stardom
experience as well as the troupe’s most challenging time.
Can we know about
you?
I’m the son of a single parent and probably the husband (laughs).
I had my primary and secondary education in Ibadan.
When did your acting
career start?
It started when I was two years old, it’s just this type of
role that you will be requested to go up and say your mom is not around. Though
I can’t recollect when, but I was told that while I was growing, I acted with the elders in church. Let’s say
I rededicated myself to it in year 2000.
So, we correctly say
that your acting career is close to 12 years?
Okay! If you say so
What’s been your
driving force?
My driving force is purely evangelism. You see I’m not
disputing the fact that preaching and sermons are effective but I have come to realize
that drama is the best evangelism tool that we have not utilized. Were you to
ask someone the topic of the message the pastor preached last week, he might
probably not remember but ask him the title of the movie he watched of 5 years
ago, he will correctly recollect. I think what people see when we act sticks
longer. Even acting preaches what the Pastor says but in a way more practical.
How did you join Alfa
Sule?
What actually happened was that I was already in a church
drama group before I joined Alfa Sule in 2005. I was already acting on stage
and I cannot stop now that the lord has helped the glory to burst forth, there
are still a lot of invitations from churches to present dramas. We still do
much of stage drama and I do directing alone, probably if I just can be jack of
all trade.
Do you encounter
challenges along the line?
There are really no challenges. God is by our side because
we believe that in him, every mountain is made low but at times you might just
get to a place that is filled with such a crowd and you are like waoh! But I
don’t get scared anyway. There have been no challenges except maybe the time
some other faith adherents terrorized us.
Though at that time, everybody was afraid but I don’t really see them as
a challenge.
You said you were
terrorized? Is it because of the name Alfa Sule?
Yea! Something like that but that’s all I can divulge.
What’s ‘Alfa Sule’ up
to now?
Actually, people mistake the name for one person but it is
actually a troupe. The original name is Christ Chosen Vessels Drama Ministry
but it was our fans who nicknamed it “Alfa Sule” because they felt the original
name was too long. So it is everybody in the group that is actually referred to
as “Alfa Sule”. We are up to a lot of things, because we have a bright future.
Where we are going cannot be spoken. I am telling you the fact. God has planned
on taking us throughout the whole world. I believe that through “Alfa sule”,
places that are ignorant of Christ and Christianity will get to know him. There
are places that I have not been to but they will call you to tell you, we have
watched your CD. Gradually gradually as it spreads we believe God that the
Kingdom of Hell will be depopulated and the Kingdom of Heaven will increase.
What’s your say on
the secularization of your slogan “O ti gan Pa”?
Personally, I think it happens because God is with us and
two, the uniqueness. Anything God does, people rebrand to copy it, it is grace
and it yields fruits to the kingdom. Even Jesus had a lot of people who wanted
to copy him. It’s just an evidence of the hand of God.
Is it true that the
troupe was taken to court of the name ‘Alfa Sule”?
That’s a huge question. God helped us in settling
everything.
Were you scared at
being sued?
Yes! We were o! the threat was much. Our accusers had
enforcement from Lagos but the challenge was based mainly in Ibadan. It was too
much that that my Oga was scared of going out but God just spoke. He is said he
is the master planner of our destiny so there is no one that can truncate it no
matter how much they try. And we had a peace of mind.
Did you have support
from people of your faith?
Oh! We had a lot, a lot of people supported us in prayers,
morals and even in person. In fact, not only people of my faith but those of
other faith who believed in our ministry and the vision of God which was given
unto us. They supported us, they made us understand that there is nothing God
cannot do, that if God be for us, who can be against us?
Did you choose to act
as ‘bayo’ in ‘take heed’?
First, ‘take heed’ was actually our first production, and I
did not choose my role o! no one chooses role, our director will put you in a
role. And it was not because of my height. Even if we were to talk about height
then I shouldn’t be doing a role like that. ‘Bayo’ was a kid, a school boy and
let look at how tall I am. So I saw it as a challenge in terms of fitting into
the role. I testify that it was the Holy-Spirit that helped me to fit in. Our
fans tend to think it’s because of the height and probably the running skill
that I was given that role, but no! that’s was not the case at first, I was not
even the original ‘bayo’.
What scene did you
like in ‘take heed’?
It was the ‘woli agba’ scene, that scene was da bomb. Many
of the things we did on set while recording ‘take heed’, our director - Femi
Ajewole will be like ahn ahn, where do you get this idea from? That was how God
worked with us. For example the idea of the ‘woli agba’ putting his legs of the
table. Should you take a critical look, that’s what’s happening. Another one
was the “Oya rerin” scene of the professor and the “je eli kai”.
Was that your first
time on set?
Yes! It was, “take heed” was my first time on set
officially.
What is the
relationship between Christ Chosen Vessels Drama Ministry and Mount Zion Films
Ministry?
Mount Zion is the recognized founder of drama ministry, like
the father of drama ministry and the Lord has helped us to become the father of
dance drama ministry. Our relationship is like a friend relationship. They call
us, invite us for their programs, encourage us, advise us. Practically the
relationship is just father-son relationship.
How do you cope with
stardom?
God has been helping
especially in school. Here (talking of OAU) at times I get to run. At times, I
look like one with hunchback (laughs) because I have to bend while walking to
avoid recognition. Yet some people still recognize me, they’ll be like, “he’s
the one”. You know it is normal.
Can you share one of
those moments?
One happened in Amphi-theatre. It was very funny, imagine
how big Amphi is? A lady walked round it twice just to confirm if I was ‘bayo’.
And when she confirmed, she confronted me like, “ehn! It is you, No! don’t
worry, we have LALA here, we have Samuel Ajirebi, so don’t worry. I couldn’t
help laughing. Another very funny one happened in Akure. We went to their
teaching hospital, a very very big place. I
I alighted from the bike but the bike man did not have balance. So I
went to a shop nearby to get change. Between the time I was gone and back, the
whole place was already crowded, news of our presence had spread around like
wild fire. That’s was very funny because it was surprising.
By: SONUGA EMMANUEL
08165967640,
BB Pin: 22042129
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