The historic Elgin Theatre was a colourful sight, as the cast and crew of ‘The Wedding Party‘ comprising Kemi Adetiba, Richard Mofe-Damijo, Banky W., Iretiola Doyle, Sola Sobowale, Adesua Etomi, Zainab Balogun, Beverly Naya and Mo Abudu rocked the red carpet before and after the screening of the romcom.
Incidentally, the film of the night, ‘The WeddingParty‘, directed by Kemi Adetiba, is among the eight Nigerian films that have been selected by the festival through its City-to-City programme, profiling Lagos this year.
This fall, Cameron Bailey, Artistic Director, TIFF, had programmed the selection from Africa and the Middle East. Thus, there were other artistes and film promoters of the other seven films from Nigeria, which include: ’76 by Izu Ojukwu; ’93 Days by Steve Gukas; ‘GreenWhite Green’ by Abba Makama; ‘Just Not Married‘ by Uduak-Obong Patrick; ‘Okafor’s Law‘ by Omoni Oboli and ‘Oko Ashewo‘ (Taxi Driver) by Daniel Emeke Oriahi.
The role call also had OC Ukeje and Kunle Afolayan, who is being profiled by the festival as an exemplary model of filmmaking from Nigeria, even as his latest film, ‘The CEO‘, has been scheduled for an industry screening.
The night showed so much promise for the next 10 days, as Bailey, David Oyelowo, a special guest and notable British-Nigerian actor, and Steve Ayorinde, Lagos State Commissioner of Information and Strategy, led the opening ceremony with remarkable speeches that captured the essence of Nigeria’s participation at this year’s event.
“We have been doing City-to-City for many years, featuring cities like London, Seoul, Athens, Mumbai, Buenos Aires, Istanbul and Tel Aviv. But then, it became obvious that the place to go next is Lagos. Although we have been having Nigerian films at the festival like Abeni by Tunde Kelani andHalf of a Yellow Sun by Biyi Bandele, we have not really given the kind of attention that filmmaking from Nigeria deserves,” said Bailey.
He further said: “When the City- to City discussion came up, we thought of the remarkable and strong productions, incredible artistes and great talents based in Lagos as well as the new generation of filmmakers whom we thought we should introduce to the international audience. For these reasons, we said this year, it has to be Lagos.
“One of the first people that I told is an actor who is one of the best actors working anywhere on the planet earth, given that he has shown the range of his skill as an actor-he is David Oyelowo of Selma.”
With this, he introduced Oyelowo whose name immediately called for a standing ovation.
“My people!” David Oyelowo thundered with excitement, keeping the applause going.
He said: “I feel great standing in the presence of people who can call my name correctly. I stand before you as David Oyetokunbo Oyelowo,” stressing the right pronunciation.
“My dad gets worried sometimes about how my name is pronounced and he would tell them that they have to call it like the town crier… Oye-Oye-Oyelowo. This is one of the moments I must tell you that I am a very proud Nigerian. We are story tellers by nature. We have been telling stories traditionally, comically and poetically. Tonight, I would tell you the reason I have so much confidence in what is happening with Nollywood. The confidence I have as an actor came from my Nigerian heritage. I lived in Nigeria for seven year from the age six to 13. And something I learnt there was how to walk into any situation as they came. We don’t know how to be shy. We don’t know how to walk into a room sideways. Working as an actor in the UK, we get so formal with the lines when we go for auditions. But in Naija, we say… ‘‘just give me the part now, let me play it.’’
“People say Nollywood is number two or three, but I say we are going to be number one.’’
And when it was the turn of the leader of the Lagos State delegation to speak, his speech captured the essence of Nigeria’s representation at the festival.
He said: “I bring you good tidings from Lagos State and particularly from the governor of Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode. Lagos, as you know, is the home of Nollywood. Without Nollywood, there won’t be contemporary Lagos and without Lagos, there won’t be Nollywood. So, the two have worked together.”
He recalled that 10 years ago, Toronto recognised Lagos and picked a film by Tunde Kelani titled Abeni to come to Toronto.
“10 years ago, there was only one journalist who was here and only one government official because the other government officials couldn’t get visas to come. But tonight, and throughout this festival, Toronto will see that Lagos is here. Because the industry has grown and that is why Lagos State government in particular and Nigeria in general is very proud of this opportunity,” he added.
Ayorinde hinted that Lagos is a 21-million-people state, “which means that it is home to the largest number of black people anywhere in the world.”
According to him, “If Lagos were to be a country on its own, it would be the fifth largest economy in the entire world – that says something about its resources. Lagos wouldn’t be what it is without the creative industry like Nollywood. Therefore, we are proud that Lagos is the first city in Africa that is the focus of the City-to-City programme. What can I say other than to congratulate Cameron Bailey and his team for a job well done and for believing in Nollywood. I also congratulate Kemi Adetiba, the director of tonight’s film, Mo Abudu and the entire team, Kene Mkparu and all other people behind this film. Also, I congratulate all the other directors and people behind the other eight films that will be shown throughout the festival. What will not be in doubt, by the time this festival ends, is that Nollywood has arrived and this is the renaissance that African cinema needs.”