Reviving TV drama with Glo’s Professor Johnbull

In any epoch, when things go awry, the society responds in sundry ways to correct the anomaly. Getting things back on track often requires the collaborative effort of all members of the society.
One of the veritable strategies for correcting social ills is the massive deployment of mass media specifically the use of television drama. This time proven axiom must have informed the production of the newly debuted TV series by Globacom, Professor Johnbull. The drama series can be summed up as a response to knotty contemporary issues tearing the fabrics of the Nigerian society apart.
Scripted around an erudite academic and martinet, Johnbull Eriweagwuagwu Macathy Macnwigwe aka Professor Johnbull, the series is a satire probing various ills of the society, especially when such vices disrupt the time honoured values the old professor holds in highest esteem.
In the maiden episode of the drama series entitled, Claimant, Professor Johnbull, acted by the peerless Kanayo O. Kanayo (KOK), is in his didactic element as he takes a sarcastic swipe at impersonators of celebrities, a rampant vice ravaging the society. It is common these days to see some young folks abandoning the virtue of hard work and adopting a short cut to success through impersonation, name-dropping and other vices.
One of the characters in the series, Makuachukwu Ilodibe, who has an arresting resemblance with pop star, Oladapo Daniel Oyebanjo aka D’banj or Kokomaster, impersonates the musician by dressing and speaking like him.
Ilodibe, who also displays the trademark mannerisms of the award-winning act, effortlessly swindles unsuspecting members of the public, including the lead character, Professor Johnbull, who relishes using words with pedantic pomposity.
The chance encounter between the erudite professor and the fake D’banj at a restaurant owned by Olaniyi, played by Yomi Fash Lanso, leads to the professor inviting the phony Kokomaster to his house and extending the unique Igbo hospitality to him and his accomplices. The deception is eventually exposed when Professor Johnbull’s engineer son, Churchill, saunters in and identifies the impostor as his schoolmate.
With the cat out of the bag, the game is up for the fake super star, as Churchill, and also Olaniyi, who often gives him free food and drinks at his eatery, beat him to stupor. Expectedly, the lead character calls in the police, giving a ponderous closing remark on the repercussion of impersonation.
Beyond the interface between Professor Johnbull and the impersonator, other sub plots are built into the episode to underscore the devastating effect of scams on victims. The long list in this instance includes Jumoke, a beautiful and impressionable undergraduate played by Bidemi Kosoko, and Mai Doya, the Hausa man selling yam in the community who is so thrilled by the news of ‘D’banj’ being in town that he’s eager to honour him with some tubers of yam.
The television series is set in the coal city of Enugu, which serves as home to Professor Johnbull, who to all intents and purposes is an Igbo icon and poster man.
Sharing his thoughts on the drama series, the producer, Tchidi Chikere posits that Nigerians would be full of gratitude to Globacom for bringing back social satire to the entertainment industry.
Chikere observes that Professor Johnbull is a hilarious satire that appeals not only to the young at heart but also to everyone that can appreciate drama and its ability. “It is high time we had more corporate bodies coming to support the entertainment industry like Globacom is doing. Honestly, I think it is highly commendable that Globacom has moved from just endorsing entertainers as brand ambassadors to sponsoring full productions as executive producers,” he says.
Without mincing words, the first episode of Professor Johnbull is not only hilarious but also thought provoking and topical. Lead actor, Kanayo O. Kanayo describes his involvement in the series thus: “It feels so fulfilling playing the lead role of Prof. Johnbull. I feel honoured to be chosen to interpret this role.”
On her part, award winning actress, Mercy Johnson, who plays the role of illiterate housemaid, Caro, submits that “Professor Johnbull will have a huge impact on the society because it is a social satire meant to teach and entertain at the same time.”
Another interesting feature of the drama series is Professor Johnbull’s use of language which excites and intrigues. Though, his choice of words may be bombastic, they are usually grammatically correct. This flowery use of words distinguishes Professor Johnbull from other characters of yore who spoke largely grammatically incorrect English, thus making malapropism an art
In all, the successful airing of the first episode on Tuesday and the repeat broadcast on Friday signals the rebirth of profound television drama series proffering solutions to vexed social issues whilst entertaining the audience.