DASA ALUMNI OF THE WEEK
Stage Voice: Hi, I am from Stage Voice, can you please tell us your name?
Jude: my name is Dare Jude Fijesuhan
Stage Voice: It's nice to have you here, Jude. Please tell where you are from and where you currently reside?
Jude: Ogbomoso, Oyo state
Stage Voice: Alright.
Stage Voice: So Jude, what did you major in and why you chose it?
Jude: I majored in directing
Jude: It aligned with my purpose and Post graduate endeavors. Also, I have this love for working with actors and creating art on stage. The thrill and passion in bringing and managing different elements and putting it together to give art, to give performance.
Stage Voice: That's great to know. Well done director! So was there any position you occupied in DASA?
Jude: thank you sir. I was the DASA general secretary for the 2019/2020 session.
Stage Voice: So why did you go for it? Was there anything you wanted to change?
Jude: At first, I had no interest in going for the post but posterity demands it. I had no desire to change anything because I thought what power does the Gen. Sec have to change anything? But when I got there, I realize it's not about having the power to make decision as it affects the association but the position affords a platform of influence as an administrator and advisor to the leader. When I got there, I began to see things I can change, things that can continue and things that can be made better. Then I realize, what if all we need to do is lay a foundation for the association to grow, what if we can revolutionize the academic and practical spirit of others to be better, and a lot of other what ifs.
Stage Voice: Hmmm....."the position affords a platform of influence as an administrator and advisor to the leader.” Even if you don't have power, give advice to those that have so they make good decisions.
Jude: Yes, you get it. When the leader is successful, it’s a win for all. So trying every means to make the leader a successful one in every way I can became my creed
Stage Voice: That's great. That's great. A lot of lessons here.
Stage Voice: So how did you feel when you graduated?
Jude: The way I feel after the end of each show. "Thank God for this and unto the next"
Stage Voice: No paparazzi 😂
Jude: Not at all
Stage Voice: So being a graduate, how has the outside world been? Tough, soft?
Jude: I’ve not been outside for a long time but for the time I’ve been, I will say its life. Life is both tough and soft, it’s not a bed of roses. So for me, it has been navigating through thorns and roses. I may not see the end but as long as God leads, he won't stop now until he brings me to the place he's destined.
Stage Voice: Hmmmm... Life is both tough and soft...God will help kuku help us.
Jude: Amen
Stage Voice: Did you have a side hustle or you were focused on being the SOYINKA while you were an undergraduate?
Jude: lol… I worked as a remote video editor and sometimes I write too from my part 2 days till now.
Stage Voice: Two skills developed till now. You be agba ooo. So How were you able to juggle business and academics?
Jude: Priority and difficult decisions. 😂 my primary purpose in school is to get to know as much as I can form every aspect, have a good result and be good practically too. And to survive, one needs to earn money. So I shift most of my works especially field works to weekend, I don't really take works that falls to weekdays. And I don't take works that will eat too much into my time that will affect my primary purpose. Although the price paid for doing this is you get merger jobs but it’s part of what to endure to build a life of purpose. The money is never enough and it can never, lose small money, gain purpose seems to right the equation. During breaks sometimes, I go all out to work too. My head was correct when it affected my result in part 2, that was when I learnt to prioritize.
Stage Voice: Hmmmm. Learning how to prioritize is the main thing… Also knowing your primary and secondary purpose.
Stage Voice: So let's leave work now... Pastor Jude... Hmmmm.... Are you currently in a relationship or have once been?
Jude: yeah… think you know the answer
Stage Voice: Love in the air ðŸ¤ðŸ¤
Stage Voice: So considering the countless number of unemployed graduates, do you think going to school is a panacea to poverty?
Jude: No but it's a starting point. For example, we all say school na scam and all the rest of it. Two things school does: it opens your mind and changes your mindset about certain things and secondly, it gives you opportunity to meet "people" who can be the ticket to your success. Now these things are what school equips you with. How you make use of them for success lies solely on your shoulders. This application of the information or whatever schools gives is your tfare to your place of success. School only provides the map to some extent. My use of school in this context does not only mean formal education.
Stage Voice: School is still very vital in our lives.
Stage Voice: Nice perspective! That means people should still be motivated to go to school?
Jude: yes, they should. Take it from me ehn, educate a country, make education accessible and affordable and crime will be on the minimal, development and stability will not be far fetched.
Stage Voice: I get your perspective, but if crime will be on the minimal, that means there should be wide number of jobs created... or loans borrowed to graduates who have business ideas. Are we on the same line?
Jude: Yeah… Do you know there are jobs out there? Countless? But the question is are we skillful enough? Is our knowledge enough to land these jobs? We are educated but our level of education is not enough for the kind of job we desire.
Jude: I receive up to 30 emails and opportunities this past year on graduates with business ideas, MTN, Bill Gate, UNO, Mastercard, etc have foundations that catered to this but what do they require for graduates to apply, they don’t have it.
How many student business owners has business plans to start with or have read books on sales and marketing?
If they give them the money or loan, they will be overfunded and their business will crash before it started.
To put all these necessary things in place needs a set of skill and know-how but we don’t know
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Jude: This is one of the things I’m talking about. So after school, don't jump into looking for jobs. Go for re-schooling. It may take months but when you are done. Job will be looking for you
Stage Voice: Most graduates are not skilled enough to apply. So after school, go for re-schooling
Stage Voice: I think I have really learnt. It changed my perspective about school
Jude: yeah
Jude: See ehn, if there’s one thing I’ve learnt that is true. No knowledge is wasted. Imagine you now have not just a bulk, not a ton but an ocean
Stage Voice: No knowledge is wasted. Every knowledge contributes one way or the other.
Stage Voice: So being an actor or any area of the theatre, does it still pay in Nigeria?
Jude: Yeah. I think Nigeria is going into its golden age of entertainment and people with professional background who are well versed in the art and masters this acting thing will take over. If you check history, this is how Hollywood and American Broadway started. Don’t fall off the train. It might not pay in 10 years but in 20, it might pay more than you imagined. So theatre is not a waste. We will all soon find out.
Stage Voice: From the movies released now, one cannot deny the fact that professionals have taken over.
Jude: True
Stage Voice: So Jude, if you were placed on a scholarship, given 2 million naira, a free accomodation, and has a lot of foodstuffs, will you choose to further your education in OAU? If yes, why? If no, why?
Jude: No, I won't. The education is not solid enough. They are trying but they don’t have what I need. And it’s not their fault, the root of the problem goes deeper.
Stage Voice: 😂😂 make our HOD no hear this ooo
Jude: 😂😂😂
Stage Voice: I pray they provide the necessary facilities needed.
Jude: Amen
Stage Voice: The department is trying its best. E just neva show
Jude: True, they can. Some schools abroad cannot survive under the work conditions they are placed.
Stage Voice: Hmmmm... True talk
Stage Voice: So any advice for drama students?
Jude: know what you want, identify your purpose and go at it with full force. Don't let drama limitations stop you. See beyond drama. And truly, opportunities lies out there for drama students, you will come to find out you are trained to be a jack of all trade😂😂😂. Finding where you fit is just the issue but if you dutifully go through all the training, you will eventually find one. Lastly, value everyone and every relationship you have there. Never look down on anybody. Also help as many people as you can to be the best of themselves as God affords you the opportunity. Ire o
Stage Voice: The "trained to be jack of all trade" part 😂
Stage Voice: Valuing relationship and helping 🤲🤲🤲
Stage Voice: Thank you very much Jude
Jude: My pleasure
Stage Voice: Lastly, who do you want to give your shout-out to?
Jude: To everybody I have been able to meet and work with in drama. I valued everyone and every memory we shared, I will hold dear. Writing this makes me emotional. I deeply love all of you and I miss everyone. Any opportunity I get to be around, Ifedrama is the home we come back to
Stage Voice: Awwwn awwwwn... We miss you, Jude. Thanks for creating time out of your busy schedule to be here. Stage Voice appreciates it.
Jude: My regards. Thank you too
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