How late producer, Emelionwu‎ discovered us – Nollywood actors, Aki, Pawpaw

Nollywood actors, Osita Iheme, popularly known as Pawpaw and Chinedu Ikedieze a.k.a Aki, have revealed how late veteran producer, Chukwuka Emelionwu brought them into limelight.

It was the late Emelionwu, also known as Kasvid that created their screen name ‘Aki and Pawpaw.’

The producer died last month in a fatal accident while on his way to his village in Anambra State.

He also produced popular movies such as “Mr. Ibu in London”, The last Burial”, August Meeting”, Isakaba”, ‘Aki na Ukwa among other movies.

The same person created such movie characters as Mr. Ibu.

The actors spoke with reporters during a candlelight night organized by Nollywood stakeholders during the week to paid their last tribute to the late producer.

Osita Iheme said that Kasvid was his boss before he later became his friend.

He said, “Kasvid was my boss who later became my friend. I met him in 2002, in Enugu.

“Then I was based in Aba, where I was horning my acting skills. I decided to relocate to Enugu to hustle. While in Enugu, Kasvid was shooting a film.

“When he sighted me, he developed interest in me. He just believed in me immediately he sighted me.”

Pawpaw recalled how the late film maker created the ‘Aki and Pawpaw’ brand.

Narrating further, he said “Kavid asked me if I would like to go into acting.

“I told him, I have been into acting way back in Aba. He then asked me again, do you know Chinedu Ikedieze who featured in the ‘Last Burial.’

“I answered him in the affirmative.

“Then I didn’t know he was the producer of the Last Burial. Later, he invited a writer to write a script around Chinedu and I. That was how the movie, ‘Aki na Ukwa’ came about.

Also speaking, Aki said, he met the late film maker while he was an undergraduate at Institute of Management Technology, IMT, in Enugu.

“I went for an audition, and he saw one-smart looking small boy and he immediately developed interest in me.

“A week after that encounter, he visited me in my hostel on campus. Kasvid took a risk in us. He invested his money in us.

“He saw something in us that other producers did not see.

He made us who we are today.”