By Florencemary Nwabueze
Veteran actor, director, and producer Fred Amata traces his life through Nigerian cinematic history—a legacy that began long before "Nollywood" entered the global lexicon. Speaking at his award ceremony, hosed by 'Ojez The Forum' on June 28, 2026, at Ojez Lounge, National Stadium, Surulere-Lagos, Amata declared: "I was born into Nollywood before Nollywood."
Family Legacy: 1957 and 'Freedom'
"My father, John, made a film in Nigeria in 1957. It was the first Nigerian film premiered at the San Francisco International Film Festival. The film was titled Freedom. In America, a state—I think Arkansas—said the film was so good it addressed racial issues. In Nigeria, it was shown in schools, churches, and open canoes."
"Today, Nigerians watch films in France where they don't understand our accent. Back then, we had commentators running live commentary during screenings. All of that influenced us. We grew up watching that movie on the big screen and wanted to be like daddy."
"In 1977, my elder brother Sakamata took a picture as the Oba of Benin for a play—that image became the poster card. I studied theatre arts, Lucas studied theatre arts. My sister runs a radio station in Scotland. My elder sister is a writer. My father was a theatre artist at University of Ibadan, same class with Wole Soyinka. I come from a legacy of creativity."
A Mother's Line
"My mom was in the film. I used to think she played an extra. But when I went to America and learned the difference between extras and speaking roles, I realised my mama had a line: 'Look, the king's canoe.' And she was a dancer. That's why I dance."
University of Jos: Theatre Carved from Rock
"The University of Jos theatre was unique—an open-air theatre built into a rock with chairs carved from stone. No other Nigerian university had that."
The Fear of 'Soaking Garri'
"I wanted to study theatre arts, but my auntie was totally against it. She told me 'You will suffer. You will soak garri.' I carried that fear with me."
The Plan That Failed—And Succeeded
"After university, I was posted to Lagos for Youth Service. I didn't want to do anything with theatre—I didn't want to 'soak garri.' I used all contacts to get posted to NNPC. When my posting came, it was NTA. I said no. They said, 'Your father can be seen on NTA Victoria Island.' That was 1986."
The First Kiss on Nigerian Television
"Before the year ended, I was in a soap opera called Mogenson. The head of the library where I was posted was producing a soap opera and told me to audition. I got the role. In Legacy, I kissed a girl—and it became the cliffhanger of the episode. It blew Nigeria's mind. Just mouth to mouth. Now they kiss anyone in Nigeria today."
Ripples: Career-Defining
"I ended up at NTA library—the worst thing that could happen to me, but it was the best. NTA had only four U-matic tape players. One was in the library. My job became previewing tapes. I watched everything—all the important programmes, documentaries. I became so informed."
"Zeb Ejiro came to me. I could dub from MiniDisc to VHS, which he needed. Ripples was the first independently produced TV soap opera in Nigeria—a huge milestone."
"When we previewed Ripples at NTA headquarters, 80% of the meeting opposed the cliffhanger—a boy dies at the beach. The director of programmes asked my opinion. I stammered my support. She said, 'Exactly!' They took Ripples. It flew."
"After six episodes as an actor, there was a management fight. Patrick Doyle, the lead, left. Zeb Ejiro asked me: 'Are you coming to be my associate producer director?' I said okay. In 1986—long before Nollywood—I became associate producer director of Nigeria's first independent TV programme."
Family Health and Film Experience
"After service, I became a contract staff at NTA, watching broadcasts for glitches. In 1988, I was cast in Family Health, a family planning campaign shot on film with a Mexican director. Shooting on film was the ultimate aspiration then. They promised $5,000 but deceived us."
Journey into Directing
"In secondary school, I directed small plays, stealing my father's costumes. We did Christmas plays with Segun Arinze and Keppy Ekpenyong. By university, I wanted to do film."
Innovations That Changed Nigerian Cinema
"When I started directing, there was no mentor. Everyone used 'fade to black' and zooms. I changed all that—I insisted on cutting instead of fading. In The Prostitute, I directed a scene where four boys told a story in fragments, each adding a piece. Uzo Okochi took credit for that film, but I directed it."
Nollywood's Evolution
"The industry has changed—we used to learn lines word-for-word, then rehearse for weeks, then rehearse while shooting, now we shoot without scripts. Nollywood is evolving through multiple revolutions."
Colleagues Celebrate Fred Amata
Fumilayo Mary Edward (Acting Chairman, Actors Guild of Nigeria, Lagos): "We don't celebrate people when they're gone. Celebrate them alive. Fred is a good teacher. Upcoming actors should be conscious of time, respectful, and humble."
Keppy Ekpenyong: "Fred was innovative and dynamic—he took studio-like presentation to real-life situations. He introduced innovations we see in Nollywood today. Young actors need stamina, resilience, and patience. Think like a long-distance runner. Don't be discouraged—keep pushing."
Segun Arinze: "It's better to celebrate ourselves while alive than wait until we're gone."