DURO LADIPO DISCOVERED ME – LAISI GBEBO

Those who are  familiar  with the plays of  late  Duro Ladipo  can  easily identify Laisi Gbebo,   Laisi  Gbebo as  fondly called is from Ila  Orangun, he  was among the contingent that  represented Nigeria in commonwealth in 1965 and he has   participated in many films

Recently in an encounter with the  talented  Gbebo, he said he was born  into a family where education was not cherished   so he was not given  formal education , and that grew up to be a hunter, farmer and a traditional  masquerade  called Eeegun Elewe,  which he is still  doing till  today

  Asked how he was discovered,  Gbebo  disclosed that it was  the late  Duro Ladipo another  ssuper model who discover him in 1965,  according to him “ we went for a performance in Osogbo, the performance was  for Uli beer  and some other people  then, it was at that place that Duro Ladipo a man who i’ve  never met before  asked me to see  him after the show, i  went to him and  we spoke  he  told me i got the talent and i must be encouraged , two weeks  later he came to Ila  to pick me with his   long white car and i followed him to Osogbo”

 Gbebo  also narrating his ordeal at the United Kingdom during the commonwealth  said  it was  a fascinating experience  even though  there is not much in it but i enjoy the little time i spent there,  things were done differently, i play the role of sango  and i did it very well.

 The   renown  artists said  he master the role played  in any film  by memorizing  the  script  after reading it  for him, “ since i don’t know how to read and write,  one they read the script for me or tell me what to do i  will memorise it  and practice till i get it perfectly, i  also  learn the  ijala and other genre of music through ,my father and  colleague, when the  make any rendition, i watch their mouth and  s listen to them speaking after which i mimic  what they  have said,  that is how i became perfect in the   system”

Speaking on the relationship between him and other members of Duro ladipo group, Gbebo  said  though some of them have died but the few of them alive  still have a cordial relationship, we relate as  one and anytime  the  wife of Duro want to  do anything  or need us for her work we  gladly   support her.  One of us is now in Canada,   Oloye Lere Paimo is here, and we relate together we are one.

 Though looking old and  not  rich,  Laisi gbebo said  he has no regret   being an artists, he  said he was happy to  play the role he  has so far played in  promoting the cultural heritage of  the Yoruba people and thank  God   some  of my  children are taking after  me. “ some of them are into egun elewe  dance  which  i am  still  doing, they have master it very well and i am happy with that”.   Expressing his displeasure on the trend in the Yoruba film industry,  Gbebo  said  that  some of their activities did not portray the  Yoruba  culture  very well.