By Hassan Sanusi
A new movie encapsulating the story of Oloibiri, the historical location where crude oil was first discovered in Nigeria, is ready to go to the cinemas. The cinematic production, featuring, Olu Jacobs, Richard Mofe Damijo, Taiwo Ajai-Lycett, Ivie Okujaye and others, has its central theme built around ‘governmental pacification of a long abused people.’
Titled Oloibiri, the name of the historic town, the movie addresses this theme through three subject matters: The tragic journey of Oloibiri into developmental retrogression, the socio-cultural under-runs that gave birth to militancy, and the governmental intervention to compensate a land, which arguably, has been raped of its resources.
An action thriller, Oloibiri mirrors the fear, dread, international exploitation, governmental responsibility and unseen benefits of desperate hope as veterans and award winning thespians like Olu Jacobs and RMD join William R. Moses (CSI, Touched by an Angel), Ifeanyi Williams and several others in this blockbuster.
Produced by Canada-based producer/director, (Mnet Tinsel, Africa Magic Original films, Rogers Ofime and directed by Curtis Graham (GreyHouse Films, USA) with script written by Samantha Iwowo (Bristol, UK), Oloibiri, will premiere across Nigerian and international cinemas in May 2015.
The movie is scheduled for screening at the Cannes Film Festival; one of the biggest film festivals in the world on May 19, 21 and 22 this year.
