The first child of the late Lari Williams, Femi, has described his father as a perfectionist par excellence.
The deceased’s last born, Seun, has also recalled moments with the late actor who was the first to perform on Zuma Rock, Abuja.
Femi disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Lagos.
NAN reports that the veteran artiste died at 81, on Feb. 27 in Cross River, after a brief illness.
Femi, a civil servant who lives and works in the United Kingdom, said his father was survived by six children, three boys and three girls as well as 12 grandchildren.
He said that his father impacted on the lives of many young artistes through training and mentorship.
“He was quite a determined perfectionist who never compromised the profession; he lived and died loving the theatre instead of financial gains.
“My dad took interest in training young people, making them repeat their lines over and over again.
“Even when he was given a short notice to go and perform on stage, he would gather his troupe, train the dancers and make them perform at their best,” he told NAN.
He noted that his father, the only son out of three children, was not particular about financial rewards but perfection in the profession.
He said his father’s training in England moulded his belief that training boosts professionalism in the industry instead of making it an option for the unemployed.
“He was invited by the Federal Government to participate in FESTAC ‘77 and that brought him back to the country,” Femi said.
Also speaking to NAN, the last child, Seun, a lawyer who is also undergoing further studies in Germany, described his dad as the most talented Nigerian artiste.
He said his dad, who was his closest friend at his young age, loved and lived for the profession.
“My dad was an artiste par excellence, he wasn’t an orthodox father; we were very close friends. As his last baby, it was difficult for him to let go of me.
“Chief Lari Williams, which he loved being called, was the most talented all-round artiste I’ve ever known.
“He was a playwright, poet, musician, dancer, and drummer, spoke French, Italy, and was very good in English Language because he travelled far and wide,” he said.
NAN reports that Lari Williams attended CMS Grammar School Lagos, Nigeria’s first secondary school.
He was the first actor to perform on top of Zuma Rock in Abuja, FCT, 1, 200 feet high, where he performed with his late friend, Maj. Gen. Mamman Vatsa’s poem, ‘The bird that sings in the rain’.
He was in the cast of ‘Village Headmaster’, Nigeria’s first soap opera, and also in the first home video titled, ‘The Witch Doctor’.
As a lover of native art, he was the first to bring on stage, ‘Egun Lapampa’, the dreaded Lagos Island masquerader, as part of his play, Awero.
The theatre icon was the first Nigerian artiste to be honoured by two successive Nigerian presidents.
He was honoured with Member of Order of Federal Republic (MFR) by President Umaru Yar’ Adua, in 2008 and a Lifetime Achievement Award by President Goodluck Jonathan in 2013.
Lari Williams was a columnist with Vanguard Newspaper with “Stage and Screen” and founder of a theatre company, ‘Lari Williams Playhouse, theatre of Edutainment’, specialised in music, poems, dance and acting.
Away from entertainment at his formative stage, Lari Williams was the ABA Bantam Weight Champion at Olowogbowo Boy’s Club, Lagos, Table-Tennis champion of University of Iowa, USA, 1980-1981.
Williams was very passionate about drums, especially Yoruba traditional drums such as Gangan, Bata, Omele, and talking drum.
JNEO/ESAN/JNC
