The Most Expected Nigerian Films in 2014

The most expected Nigerian films in 2014 are Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen’s most ambitious film production to date, the historical epic "Invasion 1897", Kunle Afolayan's historical fiction "October 1" and Izu Ojukwu’s thriller "'76", the historical epic on the catastrophic botched military coup that led to the assassination of Head of State Gen. Murtala Muhammed in 1976 in Lagos. All the residents of Obalende (including my family and I) and Ikoyi near Dodan Barracks witnessed that bloody coup that fateful day on February 13, 1976.

 “’76” is star-studded with some of the best actors and actresses in Nollywood, including Ramsey Nouah, Rita Dominic, Ibinabo Fiberisima, Chidi Mokeme, Memry Savanhu, Adonijah Owiriwa, Daniel K. Daniel, Nelly Ekwereogu and Shuaibu Ebenehi Adams.

Kunle Afolayan’s “October 1” recently won the Best Fiction film trailer of the 2013 International Movie Trailer's Festival, the first online movie trailer contest showcasing 1-4 minute trailers from around the world. “October 1” has an international cast of accomplished actors and actresses led by Sadiq Daba as "Inspector Waziri"; Aderupoko as "Sergeant Afonja"; Fabian Lojede as "Corporal Omolodun"; Demola Adedoyin as "Prince Aderopo"; Kehinde Bankole as "Miss Tawa", Nick Rhys as "Winterbottom"; Lawrence Stubbings as "Tomkins" and Colin David Reese as "Rev Dowling".  

Synopsis:
It’s September 1960, and with Nigeria on the verge of independence from British colonial rule, a northern Nigerian Police Detective, DAN WAZIRI, is urgently despatched by the Colonial Government to the trading post town of Akote in the Western Region of Nigeria to solve a series of female murders that have struck horror in the hearts and minds of the local community. On getting to Akote, more murders are committed, and with local tension high and volatile, Waziri has a race on his hands to solve the case before even more local women are killed. Set against the backdrop of the national celebratory mood of the impending independence, Waziri is pulled into a game of cat and mouse as he and the killer try to outwit each other… leading to the climatic end in which the life of a popular local female teacher and village belle, TAWA, is held in the balance. Waziri has to race against the clock to capture the killer, save Tawa and solve the crime before the British flag is lowered and the Nigerian flag raised on Independence Day… October 1.

"Invasion 1897" is the most anticipated film to celebrate the Nigeria Centenary in 2014 (modern day Nigeria came into being on January 1, 1914), and to mark the centenary of the death of the great King of Benin, Omo n’Oba Ovonramwen Nogbaisi in exile in Calabar on January 14, 1914, Lancelot Imasuen will host special guests from corporate Nigeria and leading journalists at his Lagos studios on January 14, 2014. "Invasion 1897" (Nogbaisi Ovonramwen) is perhaps the most daring film project in the history of the Nigerian film industry, because no previous movie can be compared to it, both in scope and perspective of the historical context. The epic is based on the invasion of the Benin Kingdom by the British Empire in 1897 and looting the priceless ancient artifacts of the Benin kingdom, including the famous commemorative head and pendant of ivory mask representing Queen Idia (from court of Benin, 16th century) who was the mother of Esigie, the Oba of Benin who ruled from 1504 to 1550. The commemorative head is at the British Museum, while the pendant is at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, USA. The film has an international cast of proven actors such as famous Caribbean born British Actor Rudolph Walker, OBE, Charles "Chucky" Venn, Annika á Lofti,Hannah Raehse-Felstead, Nollywood stars Segun Arinze Paul Obazele, Mike Omoregbe who played the lead role as Oba Ovoramwen, Charles Inojie and the late Justus Esiri.


 ~ By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima, Publisher/Editor of NOLLYWOOD MIRROR® SERIES.

 
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