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  • Wale Ojo premiere’s new movie, This is not a Nollywood movie

    Wale Ojo premiere’s new movie, This is not a Nollywood movie

    If you think you have seen actor Wale Ojo in all his elements, then you need to look out for and watch his newest movie, ‘This is not a Nollywood Movie.

    The movie, which is produced by Boma Akpore, premiered recently at iMax Cinemas, Lekki with movie buffs and enthusiasts equally turning out in show-stopping outfits.

    Shot in Nnewi, Southeast Nigeria and Lagos, the movie, which features Samuel Animashaun Perry aka Brother Shaggi, Bimbo Akintola, Chidi Mokeme, Hanks Anuku, and a host of other fast rising acts, showcased Ojo’s talent in comedy.

    Known for his role in movies like ‘Breath of Life, ‘The man died’ and several other blockbusters, Ojo toes a totally different path in ‘This is not a Nollywood movie’, evoking lots of excitement and laughter all through.

    For a man often described as a British Nigerian actor, Ojo in this funny, fast, furious and breath-taking movie underlined the fact that he may have imbibed the British culture; but he is also very well grounded in Nigeria’s culture and pidgin English.

    READ ALSO; Aregbesola’s ally, Adeoti, set to join APC

    The film tells the story of a struggling actor who, in company of his bosom friend, gave up everything in his Nnewi village to come to Lagos armed only with faith, having dreamt of being honoured with an international award, to shoot an award-winning movie.

    On arriving Lagos, things moved so fast that he could hardly recognise himself.

    Speaking just before the premiere, Ojo said: “Today’s event is going to be a landmark in the scale of Nigerian movies. ‘This is not a Nollywood movie’ is something that I have devised and I hope the audience are going to love it. It is full of laughter and action and I want people to come into the theatre and have a good time.

    “There is going to be a lot of the unexpected in the film; a lot of things that you’ve never seen in any other Nigerian film, and I just hope it builds up the level of what we have right now.”

    Of the challenges, he said: “There were a few challenges, but we got over them. But that was because we were trying to do a lot of stuff that had not been done before. So it’s a lot of hardwork. Overall, it was fun producing the film. I believe I gathered together a very good cast, so I’m just excited. I want people to enjoy and criticise it, and see if they love it.”

    And of the message, Ojo had this to say: “The message in this movie is that we should hold on to our own very strongly, very positively. We’re in very difficult times, and we as artists are the cultural leaders; we are the conscious warriors of a nation, and we have to build the spirit of our nation. And I think the movie does that in a great way. Right now, we should be a Country of Particular Entertainment.”

    Budget? “Very expensive”, he said. “I can’t give you a figure but it is very expensive. Even the promotion!”

  • Actor Wale Ojo loses mother

    Actor Wale Ojo loses mother

    Award-winning British Nigerian actor and producer, Wale Ojo, has lost his mother.

    Wale, popular for his peculiar role in the movie: “Breath of Life”, announced the death of his dearest mother on Saturday. 

    He wrote on Instagram: “My world has crashed all around me. Mama is gone. Goodnight Mum. I will miss you terribly, terribly…”

    Read Also: Wale Ojo completes directorial debut

    Wale Ojo recently won the Best Lead Actor award at the 10th Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) 2024.

  • Wale Ojo completes directorial debut

    Shooting has ended for actor Wale Ojo’s directorial debut titled Don’t get Bad, get even.

    Shot on location in Cotonou, Benin Republic, the film, a comedy, stars Femi Jacobs, Deyemi Okanlanwon, Kenneth Okolie, Toyin Abrahams, Patience Ozonkwor, Jide Kosoko, Nancy Isieme, Ayo Adesanya, Said Balogun (who replaced Afeez Oyetoro), Jumoke George and a host of others.

    “Don´t get mad, get even’ is an intriguing romantic comedy that is extremely hilarious and entertaining and will surely cheer you up even in difficult or stressful situations,” says the executive producer, Raphael Dedenuola.

    The film tells the story of Jaiye and Juwon Kuti, two brothers whose relationship becomes estranged when the younger brother Juwon drops out of school to pursue a music career.

    It is a production of RGD Media Productions, which has roots in Germany, Nigeria and the Republic of Benin.

    Wale Ojo took to stage at an early age in London. And he is well known for his role as Bayo in the comedy television soap Meet the Adebanjos (2012-2014) which won a Nigeria Lite Entertainment Award in 2006 and an AMVCA nomination in 2015. His feature film debut was in the movie Rage (1999) in which he played a schizophrenic gangster and a cameo in Guy Ritchie’s first short film The Hard Case (1995). Since then he has appeared in feature films Johnny English Reborn (2011) and The Guard (2011). He has appeared in the popular television BBC series Grange Hill and the Heartburn Hotel as well as supporting roles in the Number One Ladies Detective Agency (2009) and The Philanthropist (2009).

    His first feature in his native country, Nigeria, was Phone Swap (2012) which bagged him an NEA award for Best Actor and other films include The CEO (2016), Ojukokoro (2016) and White Colour Black (2016).

  • Bami Gregs, Wale Ojo, others storm location with ‘Entangled’

    Nollywood movie writer and producer, Airebamen Maureen Irene, well known as Bami Gregs in the industry, is set to present  her debut movie, ‘Entangled’on Sunday.

    Directed by Saheed Apanpa, ‘Entangled’ is a story about a young girl in her early thirties who keeps having her heart broken until she

    finally meets the perfect man only to find out he may just be the worst of them all.

    The movie features the likes of Wale Ojo, Lilian Esoro, Beverly Naya, Kenneth Okoli and Frankincense Eche-ben. Also starring in the movie are Eucharia Anunobi and Femi Adebayo.

    “I couldn’t have asked for a better cast for the movie ‘ Entangled’” said Bami Gregs who has been writing since she was 10 but only started writing professionally five years ago.

    “I have a blend of the old and new Nollywood. I also have a very popular Yoruba actor on board which I am very excited about. My cast is also a blend of ethnicities. It took me a lot of time to get my casts together. My crew members are amazing too. The director, Saheed Apanpa, has made everything easy for me. He is great and knows his onion.”

    Bami Gregs, who hails from Esan in Edo State, is a writer, an actor and is now a producer. She disclosed that the movie script took over two years to be completed.

    “I kept going back, readjusting it until I felt it was good enough to be produced by me,” she said.

    “I’ll say it’s kind of a real-life story that almost happened to me but I became very creative about it and decided to turn it into a cinema movie.”

  • ‘Witness Box’ to be screened at NBA conference

    AMCVA nominated movie, ‘Witness Box’ will be showing exclusively at this year’s edition of the Nigerian Bar Association Conference taking place at the International Conference Center, Abuja on August 27.

    The movie which has a legal touch and style will be thrilling over 6,000 lawyers alongside other reputable dignitaries and movie-goers.

    ‘Witness Box’ features Nollywood heavyweights including Wale Ojo, Sola Sobowale, Chiwetalu Agu, Femi Branch, Tunji Sotimirin, Keira Hewatch, Soni and Betty Irabor, ex -Big Brother Naija house mate, Ahneeka and a host of others.

    The producer,  Wole Ojomo,  takes you on a self examining session with her scenes and acts which illustrate the everyday life and challenges of balancing life and work. The story is of a defined appeal and a

    different touch leading you in your own thought direction only to take you on a different turn.

    The all stars movie kicks off with an insight into a life of a couple who were faced with a desire to balance work and family life. Wale Ojo played Ben Arinze, a man saddled with the challenge of managing  a young wife, two daughters and a banking career.

    Keira Hewatch took the role of Bolanle Arinze, a young wife who sacrifices it all for her marriage and family with the hope and thought it will all fall in place for her home and make things right

    while enduring loneliness served to her. She finds sanity in social media. Virtual friends are increasingly filling gaps everywhere. A deficit in marital devotion becomes inevitable.

  • YEMI SOLADE, WALE OJO, SHAFFY BELLO IN VOICELESS SCREAM

    YEMI SOLADE, WALE OJO, SHAFFY BELLO IN VOICELESS SCREAM

    A new movie that exposes the scourge of child abuse and its effects, homosexuality, and HIV is about to hit the screen. Titled Voiceless Scream, the script was written by Titilope Ogundipe and directed by one of Nollywood’s finest directors, Dotun Taylor.

    The flick tells the story of a young girl who was abducted and sexually abused for several years. She eventually ends up in the psychiatric hospital due to her unfortunate experience.

    Speaking at the cast unveiling, Dotun stated that Voiceless Scream is an attempt to look at a very common social issue that is going on at the moment.

    “When you open up a newspaper in this part of the world today you will find that a sixty year old man is having sex with a four year old girl and it is becoming common. We do not want to leave it to the western world to make movies and tell stories about it, so we decided to pick up the story. We are trying to tell the world from the mind of an abused person. We want to see the mind of an insane person who has turned out like that as a result of abuse,” he said.

    Also speaking was a cast of the film, Yemi Solade. “My encounter with the script is just like an encounter with what the late Professor Ola Rotimi will call an encounter with the devil himself, because it’s a unique script and it is technically written. While I began reading, my mind flew elsewhere because this is what you would witness in Hollywood,” Solade adds.

    Other casts in the movie include Wale Ojo, Shaffy Bello, Niyi Johnson, Michael Bassey, YinkaAdewale, TitilopeOludipe, Victor Olaotan and Toye Olaotan among others.

  • WALE OJO BECOMES ART COLLECTOR

    WALE OJO BECOMES ART COLLECTOR

    NIGERIAN born, London based actor Wale Ojo, has his hands full at the moment. The actor is not only presently collecting archives of African heritages; reports have it that he will also be releasing one of his works before the year runs out.

    In a chat with The Nation, the actor reveals that his foundation, Virgo Foundation, is the first to be given the privilege to take pictures of some remarkable Benin Bronzes from the British museum where they have been hidden for years.

    “I am working on my charity called the Virgo Foundation, which is about the promoting African arts and culture, its vast history and heritage to a public hungry for the true knowledge of African affairs.

    “Our first budget is the Benin Bronzes; it’s like an archive of the Benin bronzes that has been locked away in museums all over the world. Already we have photographed four of these pieces from the British museum. Our organisation is the first to be permitted to photograph the bronzes brought out from the underground where they are kept and put them on the website. That way, our children can have access to them while growing up. They should not be locked away,” he stated.

    According to the actor, part of the aims of Virgo Foundation is to promote the works and achievements of its numerous historical individuals who have contributed to the immensity of a misunderstood continent.

    “Today we live in times fractured and wrought with religious, ethnic, political and socio-economic tensions. We are too easily blinded and misguided by purveyors of a great white lie. A lie which, simply put, whether due to ignorance or just pure malice, aims to say that the African has no worthy achievements of note. Most people know this to be untrue, but would be hard pressed to provide scientific, concrete evidence that buries such a lie. Virgo Foundation wishes to provide such concrete proofs from the various Yoruba sculptures to the writings of Usman Dan Fodio, the remarkable Benin Bronzes, the female warriors of Dahomey, Queen Nzinga of Angola, Moremi Ajansoro of the Yoruba tribe, the Kushites of Ancient Ethiopia, Imhotep the original father of medicine, the great Songhay Empire, the revolutionaries of Haiti, the sons of Africa, Bishop Ajayi Crowther and so on and so on and so forth.”