By Bisola Bello
Born September 30, 1974 to famous theatre director and producer, Ade Afolayan (popularly known as Ade Love), Nollywood director, Kunle Afolayan, is 41. To celebrate the iconic movie director, here are some ground breaking movies produced and directed by him.
Irapada (Redemption)
Kunle Afolayan’s directorial debut, Irapada, was released in 2006. The movie tells a tale of Dewunmi, a successful engineer, who was doing so well in his field until a warning came to him from his guardian about a dream which has to do with deliverance. Dewunmi believes tradition is archaic and turns deaf ears to the advice of the elders. He soon realises there’s more to life than the physical. When all he has worked for begins to crumble and go sour, he accepts that he needs to be delivered to win it all back.
Irapada was the first Nigerian film shown at the Silverbird Galleria in Lagos. The movie won the Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) for Best Film in an African Language in 2007. It was also featured as one of the Best African Films of the 21st century on CNN African Voices in 2013. Irapada was released on DVD in July 2008.
Figurine
In 2009, Kunle Afolayan came with Figurine, a multi lingual movie that cuts across every tribe. The movie highlights the essence and efficacy of tradition, friendship, betrayal and love. It transcends both the ancient and the modern.
The story goes thus: Two buddies and a girl – all down on their luck – have their lives changed after they discover “Araromire”, a mysterious figurine in an abandoned shrine during their NYSC. According to ancient legend, the deity bestows seven years of good luck to whoever possesses it. But, they ignore the part about what will happen for the next seven years.
Written by Kemi Adesoye, Figurine features Kunle Afolayan, Omoni Oboli, Ramsey Nouah and Funlola Aofiyebi. The film was first released at the 2009 Rotterdam International Film Festival and was met with wide critical acclaim. It received 10 nominations and won five awards at the 6th Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA), including the awards for Best Picture, Heart of Africa, Achievement in Cinematography and Achievement in Visual Effects.
Phone Swap
Also written by Kemi Adesoye, Phone Swap is a story about Akin, an arrogant business executive and Mary, a fashion designer, who bumped into each other at the airport and accidentally swapped their identical phones. This unusual turn in event and mistaken text message caused a change in location and they have to do each other’s biddings. They experience a new world from their ordinary lifestyle and found true love.
Released in 2012, it stars Nse Ikpe Etim, Wale Ojo, Joke Silva, Chika Okpala, Lydia Forson and Hafeez Oyetoro.
The movie was highly successful at the box office as it recorded ₦3,720,000 in its domestic opening weekend. It topped the charts in its first week of release in Nigeria by grossing ₦20,713,503, beating films like Wrath of the Titans and John Carter. It received four nominations at the 8th Africa Movie Academy Awards (AMAA) which include the category Best Nigerian Film and won the award for Achievement in Production Design.
October 1
Written by Tunde Babalola, October 1 was set in the Colonial Era in Nigeria. It narrates the story of Danladi Waziri (Sadiq Daba), a police officer from Northern Nigeria who is posted to a remote town of Akote in Western Nigeria to investigate the frequent female murder cases in the community, and have the mystery solved before the Nigerian flag is raised on October 1, Nigeria’s Independence Day.
It stars Sadiq Daba, Kayode Olaiya, David Bailie, Kehinde Bankole, Kanayo O. Kanayo, Fabian Adeoye Lojede, Nick Rhys, Kunle Afolayan, Femi Adebayo, Bimbo Manuel, Ibrahim Chatta and introducing Demola Adedoyin. October 1 won three awards at the 2014 Africa International Film Festival, including the awards for “Best Feature Film”, “Best Screenplay” and “Best Actor” for Sadiq Daba.
The film led at the 2015 Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards, winning nine awards out of 12 nominations, including awards for Best Movie of the Year, Best Movie Director and Best Actress for Kehinde Bankole.
Recently at the AMAA 2015, October 1 clinched three awards for Best Costume Design, Best Nigerian Film and Best Actor in a Leading Role for Sadiq Daba.
