Special screening of Soyinka’s ‘The Man Died’ movie adaptation to hold in Lagos

Category: Nollywood

THE MAN DIED, a feature film inspired by the “Prison Notes” of Africa’s first Nobel laureate, Wole Soyinka, will have its “Special Premiere Screening” on 12 July in Lagos.

The screening, a “Strictly by Invitation” event, is designed as a flagship of the global celebration of Soyinka’s 90th birthday on 13 July. It is expected to be witnessed by a gathering of eminent dignitaries, members of the diplomatic corps, industry stakeholders, family, friends, and associates of the Nobel laureate, as well as key members of the cast and crew of the film.

“This is not the premiere yet but a special screening to commemorate Professor Wole Soyinka’s 90th birthday,” stated the organisers, stressing that guests would only be admitted based on their invitation and RSVP.

The event managers assure that a later date will be set for the formal premiere of the film.

Shot entirely in Nigeria—Lagos and Ibadan—in late 2023, the 110-minute feature is directed by the cineaste, culture scholar, and academic Awam Amkpa and produced by the ace storyteller and media content producer Femi Odugbemi for film company Zuri 24 Media.

A fictionalised adaptation of the stories narrated in the prison memoirs, the screenplay written by Bode Asiyanbi is “not a bio-pic of the prison life of Soyinka, but an expanded narrative on his prison experiences, and includes stories that you would find in his subsequent memoirs on his life stories,” stated Mr Amkpa.

More insight

Mr Amkpa, a former student and long-standing associate of Mr Soyinka, said stories from Mr Soyinka’s subsequent memoirs, Ibadan Penkelemes Years and You Must Set Forth at Dawn, are also accommodated in the film.

A trained theatre artist, filmmaker and culture scholar, Mr Amkpa is currently Professor of Drama, Film and Social and Cultural Analysis, Dean of Arts and Humanities and Vice Provost for the Arts at New York University Abu Dhabi.

Produced by ZuriMedia24 with generous financial support from New York University, Abu Dhabi, the film is shot by an entire Nigerian crew with no input from any foreigner except in post-production. The director of photography is Agbo Kelly, while the Production Designer is Theo Lawson, an architect who has been involved in other film projects in recent years.

Local production resource

As a reason for relying entirely on an entirely local production resource to realise the film, unlike projects of its status, which usually bring certain crew members from outside, Mr Amkpa said this was a deliberate choice.

He said authenticity is essential in making such a film based on the “colourful and fascinating life of an enigma who is also an eminent global citizen. We need to stress the input of people intimately familiar with the cultural and political environment that shaped the Nobel laureate and his narratives, irrespective of their skill sets.”

He continued, “I have an army of former students who are big-time filmmakers in Hollywood and elsewhere that I could just call on a whim to make the film and shoot in Nigeria, but there’s no learning curve for me. Every creative project is like returning to the basics and building back upwards. That was why it was very educational for me to come here.”

In an interview, Mr Odugbemi, a veteran of the Nigerian movie and television sets, stated, “As you probably know, it is a very intimate account of Soyinka’s 22 months in solitary confinement for his role in trying to halt the civil war. I hope this narrative of resistance and courage inspires this generation.

“It is also an ambitious adaptation that brings to life an iconic literary work offering a deep, personal perspective on Nigeria’s conflicted political history and the intense challenges of nation-building. By transforming Soyinka’s poignant narrative into a visual medium, I hope to reach a broader audience, particularly young people, who might be less inclined to engage with the written text but can be profoundly impacted by the film.”

100 film workers

Over 100 film workers of varying specialities and industry experiences were featured in the project, with notable performers, including Wale Ojo in the lead protagonist role of Soyinka and Sam Dede as the main antagonist, Yisa, Soyinka’s interrogator and torturer.

Aside from the Hollywood rising actor Abraham Amkpa, who played Soyinka’s bosom friend, Femi Johnson, other lead actors are Nobert Young (Prison Superintendent), Francis Onwochei (Prison Controller), Edmund Enaibe (AIG), Christina Oshunniyi (Laide Soyinka), Similoluwa Hassan (Emeka Ojukwu), Segilola Ogidan (Morenike), Dili Ezugha (Agu Norris), Ropo Ewenla (Olusegun Obasanjo), Henry Diabuah (Yakubu Gowon), Temilolu Fosudo (Bola Ige), William Idakwo (Victor Banjo), among others.

Mr Odugbemi, renowned for his indelible signature on many successful movies and TV series projects, including Maroko, Gidi Blues, Eve, Code Wilo (movies) and Tinsel, Battleground, Movement JAPA, The Covenant (TV), continues: “Of course, this is not just a memoir; it is a testament to the resilience and courage of the human spirit in the face of oppression. It vividly chronicles Soyinka’s experiences during the Nigerian Civil War, highlighting the brutal reality of political imprisonment and the relentless struggle for justice and freedom.

“Through this film, we aim to inspire young people to embrace their role in demanding humanistic ideals from our nation’s political leadership. In a world where authoritarianism and corruption often threaten democratic values, we hope the film will resonate as a call to action for citizens to remain vigilant and proactive in pursuing justice and equity. We hope it sparks meaningful dialogue to inspire positive change in our country.”

Lagos premiere

The 12 July premiere in Lagos, supervised by the film’s Associate Producers Makin Soyinka and Jahman Anikulapo, with the support of the Production Manager, Adewale Emmanuel Orosun, and managed by ONE Management, promises to be a memorable event.

It is supported by the Lagos State Government, Providus Bank, Dr Kayode, and Erelu Fayemi, among others. The media partners are Arise TV and Afia TV.

After the Lagos premiere, the film will be screened next on 25 July at The Africa Centre (TAC), London, where it will feature as part of WS90 — a nine-day programme of events jointly organised by the Wole Soyinka International Cultural Exchange and the TAC, also to commemorate the 90th birthday anniversary of the poet, playwright, essayist, memoirist, human/civil rights activist and global cultural icon.

After that, it will tour select festivals around the world before hitting the public cinema screens in Nigeria, the UK, the USA, Europe, the UAE, and other centres around the African continent.