My Life In Nollywood: Efa Iwara

Every week, The Culture Custodian grants you an all-access backstage pass into the lives of Nollywood rock stars. You get to learn about their fascinating backgrounds, the behind-the-scenes stories, and more. This episode features actor Efa Iwara.

On 31st October 1959, the first television station in Africa, the Western Nigeria Television Station (WNTS), began broadcasting in the city of Ibadan. Decades later, the city has maintained its historical status as a rich intellectual and artistic center. It is home to the iconic University of Ibadan (formerly University College), Nigeria’s oldest degree-awarding institution, and the breeding ground for critically acclaimed novelist Chinua Achebe, and Africa’s foremost playwright and first-ever Black Nobel Prize for literature winner Wole Soyinka. The city, through its premier institution, also yielded some of Nollywood’s finest talents, including Adebayo Faleti, Gabriel Afolayan, Afeez Oyetoro, and Bimbo Akintola.  Today, it is ranked the fourth largest city in Africa by land mass, after Khartoum (Sudan), Kinshasa (DR Congo) and Cairo (Egypt). Here—in this same city—lies the root of Efa Iwara’s artistic seedling. 

Efa Iwara was born and raised in a middle-class family. His father was a Linguistics professor, while his mother was a librarian. “Everyone’s father on campus was either a doctor or a professor, you know,” he recalls. He had his elementary and secondary education at the campus staff school before proceeding to bag a bachelor’s degree at the premier institution. But he seemed as much a fun and creativity-inclined person despite the largely academic exposure. As an undergraduate, he chased a music career, was remotely enamored with theatre, embraced football, and also played cricket to the point of almost making it to the national team.

Iwara hails from Cross River, a state he occasionally visits to reconnect with his roots. Cross River hosts celebrations such as the New Yam Festival, Boat Regatta, Otaba Festival, Atumibi Festival and Calabar Carnival. Iwara recalls participating in an edition of the New Yam Festival, the most popular celebration in the region. Grand experiences like this would prepare him for the adventurous world of acting. He marked his debut with a role on Tinsel, and has embodied many other characters, including in productions like Hijack 93 (as Captain Odion), Finding Me (as Anthony), A Night in 2005 (as Ope Dada), Oloture: The Journey (as Femi), This Lady Called Life (as Obinna) and Seven (as Kolade). In addition to the accolades earned so far, he bagged two nominations at the latest edition of the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA)— Best Supporting Actor for Showmax series Princess on a Hill and Best Score/Music for Prime Video film Soft Love. 

This conversation with Efa Iwara has been edited for clarity.

You joined the entertainment industry as a music artist before also venturing into acting. What informed this evolution?

I joined the music industry at a time when people were not very receptive to the type of music I made. But then, I remembered that I had another talent, which was acting, and I decided to give it a shot. I started going for auditions and getting roles, so acting just took over my time. My first audition experience was Tinsel, which was probably around 2011.

Did your experience of studying at the University of Ibadan have any impact on your Nollywood career?

Not really. I graduated from the Geography department at the University of Ibadan in 2008. I was into music at the time. Gabriel Afolayan and I met on campus. We were of the same set, though he was in Theatre Arts.  I frequented the Theatre Arts department to watch and enjoy a bit of their activities. I remember trying to join them, but there was no space for me because their activities were class-oriented.

Do you have any training or certification as an actor or filmmaker?

No, I learnt on the job.

How do you prepare for a new role?

It’s different for each role or character. Let me explain this to you using my Princess On A Hill—for which I earned my current AMVCA Best Supporting Actor nomination—where I played Oz Obiora. On getting the role, I first had a conversation with the directors. That was important because as an actor, it’s one thing for you to have your idea of the character, and it’s another thing to know what the director wants. In the film, my character works in a proper corporate world. So I had to reduce my beard and change my hairstyle and mannerisms to suit the role. For other roles, as well, I read the script repeatedly, ask myself questions about who the person is and begin to live my life like the person as soon as I wear the costume.

In your filmography, which project do you consider your most memorable one, and why?

It’s difficult to name a specific one. I have been fortunate to work on many meaningful projects, each holding a special place in my heart. Some recent standouts are Princess On A Hill, which earned me an AMVCA nomination, and Soft Love, my second South African production, which garnered another AMVCA nod for Best Soundtrack. Other notable mentions are The Men’s Club, currently streaming on Prime Video; Seven, which brought me my first AMVCA nomination; and Finding Me, my first film collaboration with the legendary Funke Akindele. I also cherish Ajoche, my debut lead role in a 260-episode Africa Magic series; Unbroken, which allowed me to play a character in a wheelchair; and This Lady Called Life, a film with significant social impact.

What is the most challenging aspect about operating in Nollywood as an actor or filmmaker?

Funding, which is as a result of distribution. We have some of the finest directors, writers and actors in the world, but the only impediment to shooting projects like Avengers: Endgame is the budget. We don’t, for instance, have many cinemas in the country. I am willing to bet that there are more cinemas in California as a US state than the whole of Nigeria. As such, Hollywood can afford to put 200 million dollars into a film because they have sufficient distribution networks that cover not just the Americas but also Asia and the rest of the world. Here, in Nollywood, you can create this masterpiece but if nobody is going to show it to the world, how do you make your money back?

You recently received two AMVCA nominations at the latest edition in addition to the previous ones you got in the Best Actor In A Drama category for your roles in Seven and This Lady Called Life. How have these moments impacted your career trajectory?

To be honest, I wouldn’t know because I am not one to dwell on achievements. I am more concerned about the future. Don’t get me wrong, I am always super grateful for the acknowledgement and appreciation. It’s not all that matters, but it does matter in some way.

Can you relate an awkward or embarrassing experience you once had on set?

Early in my career, around 2013, I was on a particular set where I had a line that I was supposed to read in passing. Instead, I read it like a question. The director corrected me the first and second time, but I still did not get it because I was quite nervous. On the third attempt, he suddenly yelled at me, which attracted the attention of everyone that was working on set. I actually ended up getting it, and we made up and laughed over it the day after. Every time I watch that scene in the film afterwards, the memory pops up in my head.

How do you navigate the business side of the industry?

Anyone who thinks of me as an actor of value will pay the rate. There’s always room for negotiation, and the end is for both parties to be happy. It’s just like rendering any service. If you are hiring me to shoot for a week in a romantic film, there’s a rate for that. If it’s an action film where I will be on set for two weeks and have to do some stunts, it would be at a different rate. Location is another factor to consider as well, especially when it comes to filming outside Lagos.

If you had the chance to permanently solve a persisting Nollywood problem, what would that be?

Distribution. But I think we are starting to get things right. There’s Funke Akindele’s Everyone Loves Jenifa, for example, which was screened in the UK and another African country. We also have Mo Abudu, who recently opened EbonyLife cinema in London.

What iconic role do you aspire to bring to life on screen?

It’s to play Ojukwu in a biopic. I have been told a number of times that we have a striking resemblance. For me, the greatest form of acting is when you portray a real-life character, which makes it easy for the audience to compare you to that person.

Outside work hours, what activities do you engage in?

In my downtime, you can find me hanging out with friends, playing video games, or catching up on movies and TV shows. I’m a fan of epic historical dramas like the original Gladiator. The Batman franchise is also a favorite of mine. When it comes to Nollywood, I have a soft spot for classics like Glamour Girls, Diamond Ring, and The Figurine. The Figurine, in particular, made me interested in acting. More recently, I’ve enjoyed Tosin Igho’s Suspicion, BB Sasore’s Breath of Life, and Funke Akindele’s A Tribe Called Judah.

Can you tell me about your latest or forthcoming projects?

We are in the spirit of the AMVCAs. So you can go on to watch Princess On A Hill that is showing on Showmax. And there’s Soft Love currently showing on Prime Video.