At 63, Nigerian movie veteran Alex Usifo grabs PhD

63-year-old Nollywood veteran Alex Usifo bags PhD from Babcock University. Credit: Instagram

With over three decades of experience in the industry, the actor and producer remains one of the key figures around today.

In 2015, he spoke exclusively to The Nation on his switch from TV series to acting in, and producing, feature films saying they have both favoured him.

He also spoke on loving the challenges and excitement that come with both ventures.

He said:

"They have all favoured me because they all have their excitement and challenges. You cannot separate how we started from where we are. How we started certainly must have contributed to how I am today. That means I have a foundation.

"I did not start from Nollywood. So if television was my foundation, it means it was solid. That is why I am still relevant. If I now condemn where I am coming from, it is as good as saying that my foundation wasn't good. I think they are both one. It is a case of the substructure and the superstructure. Where I'm coming from is my substructure while where I am now is my superstructure."

He also explained that the movie industry has grown over the years even though it is now more money-driven than it is about passion anymore.

He said:

"The truth is that the industry is growing. In the past, we did not have something as dynamic as this. But I may say that we had more discipline because it was passion-driven. But nowit is money-driven and stardom-driven.

"In other words, people who are comingnow may not have that passion. If you have the passion, you do not just end there. You continue to build yourself. That passion will take you to the height you are supposed to get to. I think the past and present are very important. They are all okay."

The thespian also believes that acting is dynamic and continuously improving hence he has no plans of quitting the movie industry.

He shed light on this in his 2015 chat with The Nation saying:

"It is very unfortunate that people expect artistes to retire. It is as good as saying that my talent has retired. Talent is dynamic. It keeps improving. It has nothing to do with age. Talent is ageless. The body could age but your talent cannot age.

"It is just like in sports. It is not the talent of the sportsman that ages, it is his body. That's just it. The talent is justthere. It is potent enough to live till Jesus comes, but the body cannot. As long as that talent is there and my body is still alive, I do not intend to retire."