THE PASSAGE OF GRINGORY
The nation's entertainment industry has lost an iconic actor, versatile script writer and great entertainer in the death of James Akwari Iroha, who played the role of Giringory Akabuogu in the rested television soap opera, The New Masquerade.
The consummate thespian, comedian extraordinaire and the creator of the popular series, died in a hospital in Onitsha, Anambra State, where he was undergoing glaucoma treatment at the age of 69.
Born in September 1942 in Amaokwe Item, Bende Local Government Area of Abia State, the deceased attended primary and secondary schools in Buruku, Plateau State. He later proceeded to the University of Ibadan for a course in Theatre Arts. Iroha distinguished himself as the best graduating student of his class in 1966.
Even before going to the university, the veteran actor was made. The university only afforded him an avenue to formalize his acting career. Having embraced acting at the age of 24, he spent over 40 years of his life on the set as a professional actor and entertained his audience with witty and comical acts that elicited great laughter.
His best in acting came when he conceptualized and created The New Masquerade, a situational comedy series built around a middle class family of Chief Zebrudaya Okoroigwe Nwogbo, alias 4.30, (played by Chika Okpala) and his hilarious but submissive housewife, Ovularia Uredia Nwogbo (played by Lizzy Ivoeme) and his two mischievous house boys, Giringory Akabuogu (played by the deceased) and Clarus Mgbeojirikwe (played by Davis Offor). The sitcom was a delight for most television viewers across the country in the 1970s and 1980s.
The drama series known for its educative, entertainment and informative value initially ran on a national radio before it was taken over by the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) network service and adapted to the audio-visual format. Before the death of James Iroha, the cast had previously lost two of its members. They were the late Claude Ake, who played the role of Chief Jegede Shokoya and the late Lady of Songs, Christy Essien-Igbokwe, who played the role of Apena, the no-nonsense housewife of Jegede.
Iroha also contributed to the Nollywood industry. He featured in 'Nneka the Pretty Serpent' amongst others and acted in Wale Adenuga's Papa Ajasco series. He was bestowed with the national honour of the Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) by former president, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, in appreciation of his immense contributions to Nigerian drama. In December last year, he was among those that retired from active public life usually marked with the traditional 'Igboto mma' ceremony common with people in Bende area.
We join the Nigerian entertainment industry, relations and friends to mourn the demise of the ace actor who made enormous contributions to the growth and development of Nigerian theatre. His dramaturgy which deployed comedy for effect provided comic relief in periods of tensions and uncertainties. Like the name of the series, The New Masquerade, the cast exhibited tremendous courage in portraying the ills of the society and spoke truth to power without let or hindrance. Till date, the series remained one of the long-lasting television soap operas in the land with lots of followership.
Iroha and his cast made us laugh away the tension engendered by the imperfections in society by lampooning the shortcomings and ills that afflict us through their rib-cracking comic acts. The late actor later became blind. It is a pity that an actor of Iroha's standing was left to die in poverty and ill health. His pleas for assistance were unheeded by the government and the public.
He died as one of the unsung heroes of our country. We decry the non challant attitude exhibited by our governments and the general public to Iroha's predicament. It is ironical that the person that provided us with plenty laughter died begging for our succour at a time he needed it most. May his gentle soul rest in peace.