'We can create efficient institutions, and it is time we did that'
Elsaphan Njora is an actor, poet, writer, rapper, singer and dancer. PHOTO | COURTESY
What you need to know:
There are so many characters in this region that I would be thrilled to portray.
There are many other ordinary people whose impact in our society is extraordinary.
We have great stories and I want to tell them.
1. What is your proudest memory of 'Briefcase Inc'?
I remember the culture of brotherhood that we had established among ourselves, and how hard it was to film scenes in hot afternoons after we had taken a lot of chapati and ndengu. I also remember the hard work we all put in. On average, we would film 30 scenes every day. I am so proud of every member of that crew. We can only get better.
2. You recently appeared in the rerun of 'Too Early for Birds'. Why do you think that show was such a hit?
Imagine if someone told you that the history you learnt in school was mercilessly truncated, and then made you aware of all the missing pieces in a detailed and entertaining manner. Wouldn’t you be thankful?
It is unfortunate that most of us seem to know very little about our history. Tom Mboya featured in just a few pages of our history books but the former cabinet minister was a very important character in our country’s history. He did legendary things and was a prominent and intelligent character with a bit of mystery and controversy around him. Now imagine all this information being relayed to you by talented narrators who have a succinct grasp of our country’s history. Why wouldn’t it be a hit?
3. Does your performance shape your perceptions about life?
Good question. Whether consciously or sub consciously, I always learn something new with every performance. When I’m on stage, I experience true freedom, and I felt it recently when I appeared in Too Early for Birds. That freedom is so rare to find and in that state, you get to see and experience things quite differently, and this may challenge the perceptions you previously held dear.
4. Which character would you like to play in future?
There are so many characters in this region that I would be thrilled to portray. For instance, I would love to play an ordinary Kenyan such as Saitoti the watchman who guards many homes in Nairobi, Njoro the guy who sells movies at the tiny corner shop next to the milk ATM, and many other ordinary people whose impact in our society is extraordinary. We have great stories and I want to tell them.
5. What’s your plan for the future?
I would like to lead the East African region to prosperity, through my detailed strategy called Vision 51. We can create efficient institutions, and it is time we did that. It is our responsibility as citizens.
