Filmmaker and culture activist, Ibrahim Chatta, has shared the challenges he encountered while developing his 74-acre film village in Oyo State, a cultural and production hub.
In a recent video, Chatta disclosed that he invested a whopping sum of N1.4 billion of his personal funds into the project, without relying on loans or grants.
The film village, designed to highlight traditional Yoruba architecture and cultural heritage, includes indigenous-style houses, animal stables, and more.
Chatta revealed that financial challenges extended the project’s completion time to four years.
In a recent interview with BBC Yoruba, Chatta revealed that he dropped out of secondary school to focus on his acting career, which began in 1985.
He said his love for acting led him to skip classes and join his colleagues in travel theater performances but eventually, he abandoned his secondary school education to pursue his dream.
Despite this, Chatta confessed to have continued to self-educate himself through online courses and programs, demonstrating his commitment to personal growth.
He said: “I started acting very early in my life. I knew I was going to go into acting as a kid. Acting took a lot from me. It did not allow me to go to school.
”My parents would think I was in school those days but I would have followed my colleagues for what we call travel theatre. It has now transitioned into filmmaking. That was how some of our bosses started their acting career from the stage into cinema movies.
“Although, I am doing some courses in adult education that are related to acting, I did not finish my secondary school education. The English language is like every other language. It can be taught and can be heard. The English language I speak is self-taught and I love reading so much. When I was little and I bought puff-puff, I used to read the paper wrap. I read about the English Language from the books.”
The actor, who rose to fame with his role in “Aiyekooto” (2012), has appeared in numerous notable films, including “Atini O’go” (2006), “October 1” (2014), and “Omoyagba” (2020).
