WITH the passing of filmmaker Obi Madubogwu, Nollywood has recorded another death that reminds one of the early days of VHS home video – ‘Battle of Musanga’, produced by notable marketer, Gabriel Okoye, aka Gabosky, was one of those films that defined what today is called Nollywood, and Madubogwu carried his role as royalty with gait and energy worth remembering.
While celebrating the life of Madubogwo who was said to have died of complication arising from a fever on August 28, 2017, after suffering Diabetes for years, the background of the deceased in the film industry is of essence, because, even during his lifetime, he was often addressed as the ‘King of Musanga’.
The budget for that film in 1996 may not be alarming, but prior to this moment when the Bank of Industry is supporting filmmakers with loans as much as N50 million under its NollyFund scheme, ‘Battle of Musanga’, according to Gabosky was the biggest budget film produced in the history of home video in Nigeria.
Talking more about the landmark of the film, Gabosky said some years ago: “Battle of Musanga is also the first epic movie in Nollywood. It was the first time that artistes were moved out of Lagos and were all camped in a hotel for a movie production.”
Obi Madubogwu, it was, who led a cast of other notable actors like Alex Usifo, Chiwetala Agu, Eucharia Anunobi, and Chika Anyanwu to deliver in motion picture, a history of an African society before the advent of the white man and what happened to that society when the first white man ventured into the hinterland – area East of the Niger Delta, in 1863.
That said, Madubogwu had gone ahead to produce his own films, some of the titles which include ‘Mothers-in-Law’ (2004); ‘Passion of My Blood’ (2007); ”Conspiracy’ (1999) and ‘Grave Dust’ (2015).
‘Conspiracy’, for example, resonates with Onyenka Onwenu’s song, “You and I,” adapted by Stanley Okorie for the movie. The film, which features Onyeka Onwenu as Grace, the mad mother of a set of twin boys, who grew up to become doctors, and found a cure to their mother’s madness was one of the classics by the Ogidi, Anambra state-born filmmaker.
I was with the deceased in September 2015 in Frankfurt, Germany, where he had joined show promoter, Isaac Izoya, on the shoot of ‘Diplomatic Strings’. He was as cool and calm as ever. Our parts first crossed in 2006 as members of the 8-man Screening Committee of Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) which also had Iyen Agbonifo-Obaseki, Ernest Enobong, the late Mohammed Musulumi, the late Chike Bryan, Stanley Okoronkwo, and Acho Ugenyi. We had also embarked on several trips together, relating to Nollywood industry events. And my impression of him was a total gentleman who loves his family dearly.
But his diabetic ailment got worse in 2016, and he had to be hospitalised at the Federal Medical Centre, Ebute-Metta, Lagos. Obviously, he had been managing the ailment for long because, in 2009, he founded the Saving Life for Africa Diabetes Foundation.
But just as many thought that the battle was over, death sneaked in, claiming the strong man in ‘Battle of Musanga’. He was just about shooting another movie after a long time in the hospital.
Here is how his colleagues reacted to the news:
His close friend and colleague, Nobert Ajaegbu broke the new when he said: “I am pondering at the nodding of the lizard, your goats are bleating, an outstanding king, Obi my good friend, where are you? Tell me it is a dream.”
In no time, the news has gone round.
Kate Henshaw could not believe the news. “Jesus! Lord have mercy!” she exclaimed, saying; “It can’t be true… he sent me a script a while back that he wanted to shoot… haaaaaaa!!!”
Robert Peters corroborated her: “How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle. He recently sent a script he wanted us to work on… we spoke a couple of times and he sounded so strong. God knows best. Rest in Peace Obi the King of Musanga.”
Some of his colleagues reached out to his wife, just to be sure it wasn’t another bad rumour. “Confirmed. Obi is dead. We just spoke to his wife. He developed fever yesterday, went to the hospital this morning, had complications and died. The family is taking him home tomorrow. May his soul rest in peace,” said Chidi Nwokeabia.
Recollecting their good times together, Lanre Falana said: “Obi will call me the “thick man” and I would call him the “muzanga king”, we’ve been like that since 2002, wow! 2002 is a long way back man; my muzanga king has gone to rest. Hmmmmm! Till we meet to part no more my dear friend. My one and only muzanga king is gone, God knows best.”
This was just as Opa Williams pondered: “This guy went to inspect my Studio last Thursday to start shoot soon. Abeg, life na waya.”
Indeed, life is a journey; it ends when it would end. Adieu, Obi Madubogwu, King of Musanga.
