NOLLYWOOD is still mourning. The industry is yet to smart off the death of three prominent members of its fold — the actress Rachel Oniga, the actor Rich Oganiru, Victor Olatoye and actor and administrator Prince Ifeanyi Dike. Tributes flowed freely and has continued to flow for all of the four personalities who will be sorely missed for their contributions to the growth and development of the Nollywood industry.

Rachel Oniga

 The first to bow out, the news of her death late July caused dark cloud to eclipse the Nigerian movie industry. The native of Eku in Delta State reportedly died after a brief illness. A family source said she died of heart-related complication and didn’t die as a ‘result of covid’ as some bloggers insinuated. Indeed, the family had in a statement signed by Deaconess Toyin Odusote indicated that the actress died at 10pm on Friday July 30 from ‘a heart-related issue; an ailment she battled for a short period before her demise.’ The statement put her age at death at 64. A committed, disciplined, loving and professional who is not new to acting on screen, Chief Rachel Tabuno Oniga holds the traditional title of Yeye Amuludun of Ile-Ife. Her strength as an actress in Nollywood was in her ability to act both in Yoruba and English language movies, a reason she is described freely as a crossover actress. That multi-lingual acting ability served her well as an actress as it is the reason she has earned super roles in movies in Yoruba language and her native Eku dialect. Left to be mourned by her children, immediate family, colleagues and fans, ‘Mama Rachel’ as younger colleagues called her featured in movies such as ‘Take Me to Mama’, ‘Onome’, ‘Owo Blow’, ‘My Mothers Pregnancy’, ‘Big Time Chick’, ‘Kada River’ and ‘Lady in the Forest’. The single mother and grandmother won several awards including the Best Yoruba actress by the organisers of the THEMA awards in 1998.

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Rich Oganiru

Next was notable Nollywood actor Rich Oganiru. Again, Nollywood was thrown into mourning with the news that notable actor, Rich Oganiru had passed on. Rich, the ‘Sugar Daddy’ or wealthy dude in most Nollywood movies he starred in, passed on, on August 10 after being ill for months. Said to be in his early 60s, the actor who got into the news for the wrong reasons in 2012 over an allegation that he killed his wife featured in a lot of movies among them ‘Wasted Effort’, ‘Last Confession’, ‘Battle of the Rich’ and ‘His Majesty’. A native of Owerri, Imo State, Rich an evangelist was until his death, an active member of the Abuja Chapter of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN).

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Victor Olaotan

Nollywood mourned yet again when news broke that notable Nollywood actor Victor Olaotan had bowed out. The actors’ case was sad. Victor was bedridden for almost five years. The bearded Lagos State-born actor had a ghastly motor accident along the Apapa-Oshodi expressway that left him incapacitated. Until he passed on, he never got back to the turf after the incident. In fact he was flown to Turkey for medical attention from where he eventually died. Married and blessed with children, the award-winning actor shot to the limelight playing the character of Fred Ade Williams on the MNet flagship soap ‘Tinsel’. An accomplished stage and screen performer, Victor studied drama at the University of Ibadan, at the Obafemi Awolowo University and at Rockets University, USA. He would be remembered for his masterful portrayal of the role of Fred Ade Williams in Tinsel.

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Prince Ifeanyi Dike

Practitioners who were on their way back from the interment ceremony of veteran actress Rachel Oniga were speechless when they were informed that veteran actor, businessman and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) Prince Ifeanyi Dike had passed on. President of the AGN Emeka Rollas who broke the news confirmed that the actor who few years back had a successful surgery in India died after a brief illness. “The news of the death of our dear Actors Guild of Nigeria BOT Chairman, Prince Ifeanyi Dike comes as a rude shock and my heart is heavy. I am saddened by this latest development and in rude shock,” Rollas said even as he urged the whole body of actors in Nigeria to take heart, and have faith in God at these trying times. ”May the souls of all who have departed rest in peace,” he surmised. A founding member of the AGN and at a time President of the guild, Dike was until his death the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the AGN.

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REVIEW

Title- Take Me To Mama

Producer- Saint Obi

Director- Saint Obi

Actors- Saint Obi, Rachel Oniga, Ebi Sam, Emmanuel France and others

Here is a satisfying fare; Saint Obi’s Take Me To Mama. The movie ranks as Obi’s very first credit as a movie producer and director. The story briefly: Shackled by the accusation that she was responsible for the death of her husband, Nnenna (Rachael Oniga) heads to the city with her kids Jerry (Saint Obi) and David (Ebi Sam) to make ends meet. In the city and now fully grown, Jerry takes to drugs while Dave a lawyer takes up a job at the Human Rights Foundation. Way down, Dave takes up an abduction brief involving Jerry’s drug gang. Jerry talks him into dropping the brief but he is obdurate. Dave is marked for death but Jerry is shot instead. “Take Me to Mama” he insists. He finds ‘mama’ moments later and… end of story.

A rather ambitious but yet plausible account, Take Me To Mama, Obi’s first behind the scene credit, came close to what can be regarded as a well-thought-out movie. The story is likable and simple in structure — more about words and the characters. It is tinged with just enough reality and there was this conscious effort to get some production details right. There were a few exciting shots but nothing yippee that could have earned the director a diadem. Novel too was the idea of using some Nigerian classics like Majek Fashek’s “Mother’ as soundtrack. The movie pulled a good cast and threw up the acting potentials of Nse Abel (Jessica) the banker and Jerry’s fiancée who died in an explosion. But Ebi Sam, that chap who played Dave was a misfit and was just too woody in his interpretation. Someone simply said that acting was not his forte. If you have not seen it, grab it. It has one or two sweetening that is impossible to discount. Ignore that part where Jerry (Saint Obi) talks about how he had to sacrifice his prized car to satisfy us. Phew! Even Obi knows that there is a word called “simulation” in movie lexicon. Again, was Jessica an orphan? Not a single soul sought her whereabout after that explosion? Anyway congratulations ‘Saint’. This is just the beginning, I hope?

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Filmdom Notice Board

Award-winning film ‘Ojuju’ screened in Lagos

The private industry screening of Juju Stories, an anthology feature film by the Surreal 16 collective (winner of the Boccalino d’oro award for Best film at the 2021 Locarno Film Festival) took place on August 27. The screening held at Alliance Française de Lagos/Mike Adenuga Centre, Ikoyi and was supported by the Embassy of France, Nigeria, and Bombay Sapphire, the world’s most desired premium gin that inspires and unlocks people’s creative potential using the arts for self-expression. Juju Stories is a 3-part anthology film that explores Juju, West African supernatural beliefs, urban legends, and myths. It was directed by Abba T. Makama, C.J Fiery Obasi, Mike Omonua, and executive-produced by Francis Neebot. It is the first-ever France/Nigerian collaboration.

In attendance was the French ambassador, french consular general, cast and crew of Juju Stories, members of the Cinema Exhibitors Association of Nigeria, alongside prominent influential people in the creative scene – Nengi Adoki, Falana, Amaka Osakwe (Maki Oh), Eric Nwanso, Osione Itegboje, Tolu Itegboje, Paul Utomi, Papa Omotayo, Wunika Mukan, and Belinda Yanga. With guests refreshed by Bombay Sapphire, as they stirred people’s creativity with their sizzling signature gin cocktails. Juju Stories will be released on Halloween of October 2021 by Canal Olympia across 12 countries in West Africa. ‘

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US-based Nigerian actress, Oghenekaro Itene, floats ‘The Agnes Fikieme Foundation’

Popular Delta-born US-based actress, Oghenekaro Itene, has delved into charity with the setup of ‘The Agnes Fikieme Foundation’, a non-profit organisation with the sole aim of engaging in life-changing events and immeasurable community services. The mission of the foundation, according to the actress and philanthropist, is to enhance the standard of living in the community and increase its efficiency through advocacy, mentoring, creating access to basic necessities and equal access to a resourceful, safe and sustainable society. For Oghenekaro Itene, the drive to create The Agnes Fikieme Foundation came during the time when Covid-19 was raging hard and people were ordered to stay safe in their homes. “The Agnes Fikieme Foundation was birthed to reduce homelessness and hopelessness in the community,’’ the actress said; adding that the foundation was named after her late mother, who according to Oghenekaro, was a very charitable person. “I named the foundation after my Mother because when she was alive all she did was help strangers, the homeless community and building businesses for many women and men, awarding scholarships to those that wanted to be educated but had no means to fulfill that dream. So, I want to continue the work she did while she was here — reduce homelessness, educate and empower girls and possibly take folks out of the street for good. Every homeless person has a story, we want to hear it and see what can be done to help the situation.’’ The Agnes Fikieme Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit charity organisation based in Beverly Hills, California. Since the foundation started, many programmes have been held to empower people, enhance lives, and provide for the basic needs of the less privileged, to mention a few.

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Filmdom WORD BITES:

“Success and its sustenance is never easy, neither is it a destination, some just don’t show the hard parts of their journey while others do. Personally, I have had my rough patches, I just look at it all as a wholesome adventure of life, understanding it helps shape character and experience. We have only scratched the surface, the journey continues. Maybe I should add that for me, I always believed in possibilities. I always found excitement envisioning things and watching them manifest in time. That kept me going. Almost like a sport for me’’ 

– The Actor Enyinna Nwigwe on the Journey so far

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“I have not taken the backseat. I have also not really disappeared from the industry or from the scene. It is just that I have not been working as much as I used to. You know back then I was single and all alone, so I can afford to be away for a long time and jump from one location to the other. But now that I have a family and a toddler at home, I had to slow down because I want to spend time with her. I don’t want her to get used to just house-helps. I don’t want her to feel alone. So most of the time, I have to share between staying at home, taking care of her and making my presence felt and going out to work. So the balance between both is what I don’t have a choice about. Unless you want to be a mother that won’t be taking care of her baby. She is still a baby. So this is the time she needs a lot of attention of a mother. That is why I made the decision to space out the jobs I accept. So it is about sharing the time between my home and job but given a greater part of attention to my home. I mean if I focus so much on the work and forget my duty as a mother, people will talk. So it is just to have a balance so one aspect does not suffer.

–Popular Nollywood actress Queen Nwokoye responding to a question on why she is missing in action  

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Star Fad & Hobbies

The actress Omowunmi Dada –

“I love discipline, hard-work, sincerity, loyalty, and smelling good. I dislike the opposite. I don’t like laziness, indiscipline, and body odour. I love to dance Salsa, watch movies and listen to good music. I love to be comfortable and classy. I drink water a lot, I make sure I wash my face every night, cleanse and moisturise. As for role models, I love Tina Mba (love her), Genevieve Nnaji, Meryl Streep and Charlize Theron and Mo Abudu. Qualities for ‘Mr Right’ will be God-fearing, kindhearted, and goal-oriented’’

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The Actor Keppy Ekpeyong Bassey-

 “Well the sweetest part of it is that you get acknowledged everywhere you go. In the same vein some members of the public would embarrass you. The area boys would grab at you demanding of your own share of the booty. We have all those kind of moments. But for most of us we have come to realise that we should expect all those things. I mean there are some people believe that you are who you are from the character you play in movies. I mean I have been having difficulties convincing some women who encounter me on the streets that I don’t beat my wife in real life. They think I do. But it’s just make-believe. And that’s why there is a problem in allowing yourself to be stereotyped. If they see you play a nasty person all the time they would actually assume that you are such from the outside.’’

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MILESTONES & ROUGH CUTS

 #Still In A Cinema Near You- ‘Crazy Grannies’, the new movie by Rosemary Idornigie’s Elrab Productions is still showing in cinema nationwide. The movie was released in cinemas nationwide on August 6, 2021. Crazy Grannies explores the adventures of three grannies. In a bid to relive their youthful days and rediscover themselves, due to a health scare, three sexagenarian women (Omodele, Ere, and Cheta — childhood friends with very different personalities) take a trip to a resort, where they have the adventures of their lives! Things get more interesting as the possibility of one of them finding love again is very high. Written by Joy Elumelu, the film boasts of a stellar cast, including: Shaffy Bello, Ngozi Nwosu, Princess Damilola (Princess comedienne), Bolanle Ninalowo, Mercy Aigbe, Debo Adebayo (Mr. Macaroni), Jimmy Odukoya, Onyebuchi Ojieh known as Buchi comedian, Bayray Mcnwizu, Chinonso Arubayi and Abazie Rosemary. Crazy Grannies is produced by Elrab Entertainment and distributed by Blue Pictures Entertainment. It is directed by Tope Alake and Kayode Peters.