Renowned playwright and CEO of Roverman Productions, Uncle Ebo Whyte, has recounted how his journey in theatre began as an actor before evolving into a celebrated playwright and director.
Speaking on The Career Trail programme on Joy News and Joy Learning TV, he revealed that his first encounter with theatre came during his secondary school days, when a friend introduced him to a drama group.
“My encounter with theatre was as an actor in secondary school. A mate of mine, who is now deceased, told me about the Youth For Christ Ministry’s theatre company in town. I joined as an actor, then later became the artistic director. Within three months, I found myself inheriting the group because the leader had been transferred from Accra to Tamale,” he recalled.
According to him, the group, made up of about 40 to 45 young people, met every Sunday. Hence, in order to keep them engaged, he began writing plays.
“That is how I became a playwright. I started writing because the group kept meeting although there was nothing happening. To keep them occupied, I learned to write and direct. I did this for about 11 years,” Uncle Ebo explained.
He added that for more than a decade, he balanced this passion with full-time jobs, including his role with First African Group Limited.
Uncle Ebo also noted that although he had long recognized theatre as his calling, as far back as 1976, he initially struggled to see how it could be viable as a career.
“I knew without a shadow of a doubt that this is my calling. But at the time, there was no way of knowing how it could be commercially viable. So I did all kinds of things while still trying my hands at theatre,” he said.
He eventually decided to fully commit to his gift, moving into commercial theatre and later establishing Roverman Productions, which has grown into one of Ghana’s leading theatre companies.
Looking back on that moment, he remembered a voice that changed his direction in life:
“The voice that spoke to me said, a lot of people work with their certificates and training, but real fulfilment and success come when you work within the area of your gifting. That was when I accepted the challenge to enter commercial theatre,” he recalled.
Source: Irene Adubea Aning
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