Daniel Kpodoh popularly known for his Artistic prowels, will on sunday 20th November,2022, thrill Portharcourt residents to a show tittled King of Champions at the Arena.
In this interview with Eric Olusesan, he highlights the concept behind the show. Enjoy your reading.
What's the concept behind the king of champions show?
King of Champions is an idea I have nursed for a while, as I surfed and observed the theatre and entertainment industry in the South-South of Nigeria. There is no doubt about it – Nigerians are good in the area of entertainment. One of the best in the world. The competition among artistes is massive. We have great talent in all fields of entertainment, so much that many talented individuals end up falling under the radar. King of Champions aims at finding these talented individuals, these unknown champions of our entertainment industry, and bringing them to the limelight through a multilevel competition out of which one King will emerge. This first edition is just the beginning. Future editions will take place in stages reaching down to the grassroots so our unseen talents on the streets are not left out.
A lot of shows these days are laden with unhealthy conversations not fit for the children, what will king of champions do differently?
I have always been a proponent of using the stage and screen to teach values salient to society. In fact, my theatre troupe, Active Playhouse was founded on this principle. Keeping with this, the performing acts in the King of Champions show will not be judged on vibes only, but also on what their acts teach society and the coming generations.
Who are the acts we are expecting to feature on the king of champions stage?
The best acts based in South-South, Nigeria in all ranges of entertainment. I’m talking dance, comedy, skits, poetry, drama, the whole works.
What makes you different from other Directors?
My personal style is not just one of directing but one of life, and I infuse it into all my works. Kpodohism is a belief that one can attain closeness to perfection through confidence in oneself and practice while understanding that no one is an island to himself. I don’t believe in a ‘box’, a set way of doing things. I mix and match styles and experiment a lot, in ways my colleagues, especially those in academia would call unfeasible until I make it work. Also, I believe a director is a teacher. All my projects are learning opportunities for myself and those I lead, and I make use of these to build the next generation as much as possible.
Do you have plans to go into filmmaking?
I am already a filmmaker. In fact, many would be shocked to discover I started with the big screen before coming to the stage. My return to filmmaking will be in the works soon, I have big plans for that. I intend to make movies that depict our culture. Movies full of Africanism that tell our stories in our own voice, just like I do on stage. It’s time Africa steps out of the shadows of the West.
What are the lessons life has taught you so far?
The biggest lesson life has ever taught me is to never give up. No matter what. Always keep going according to your plan. And if that plan doesn’t work, make another one and keep going. No failure is permanent. On the contrary, many of what we consider failures end up being key events on our road to success when observed in hindsight. Believe in yourself, and just keep going.
If you were not a play director what would you have been doing?
If salt were not salt, what would it be? There are no options here. What is in the blood of a man can never be taken away. I am a director. I was always going to be a director. And I will always be a director.
What is the most memorable moment of your career?
My career has had so many memorable moments, for which I am thankful to the Almighty. I have performed before Governors and the President, and have received many awards. It would be very difficult to choose one of the multitude.
How do you relax?
I spend time with my family. There’s nothing more relaxing than being in the company of people you love and who love you too. The Ricks Squad are art prodigies and it is a pleasure to watch them grow.
Your final word?
I’ll send a message to the entire entertainment industry and other stakeholders in the South-South, especially in Port Harcourt. We grow by growing others. We grow by collaboration. We have so much talent and ability here, so we must learn to work together to make our impact truly felt. That is also what King of Champions is all about.
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