Chief executive officer of video production and technology company IBST Limited Aderemi Ogunpitan has recalled how he and others produced the music videos ‘Black on Black’ and ‘Turn Your Light Down Low’ the hit songs from Afrikan Oyinbo the debut album of the late Tyna Onwudiwe.
The videos were produced by Ilupeju-based Solar Productions which had Mr Ogunpitan, Gboyega Adelaja, and Olumide Ofere.
‘Black on Black’ went on to become the first Nigerian music video played on MTV.
According to Ogunpitan, the production “almost sent the crew to an asylum. But we made history.”
Describing what transpired, the technology maestro wrote: “1991 – five days non-stop, no blink of sleep, 24/7 action. We were barely surviving on a low production budget, garri and hope when Tyna announced that she wanted a camel in the video. And she wanted it shot as if she was in the middle of the Sahara Desert. Nawa o! In Lagos, ke?
“So off went Pat Afun our DOP, who probably aged a decade in that moment, down to Olosun rubbish tip. Why? Because rumor had it there was this giant sand crater at the back. Tyna rounded up 28 dancers all decked out in wild costumes, each one crazier than the last — all designed by the one and only Tyna herself, with Tyna on top of the camel, riding it across the skyline with 28 dancers jigging behind her.
“Back in the studio, Pat Nebo, our Art Director of blessed memory had somehow managed to paint a massive blue screen that he decorated with fake plants and desert props. This was Hollywood meets Nollywood meets “God help us o.” But he was the best and it looked so real.
“Then, in walks Tyna — with another camel. Yes, an actual camel! Inside the studio! She insisted on finishing her “desert scene” indoors, sand or no sand, camel and all, expecting us to use chroma key to layer in another desert scene. Day six, no sleep, we were all seeing visions. I swear, only God knew where Tyna was getting her energy from because the rest of us were ready to faint.
“Finally, we had it. We dropped our tools and told her, “Madam, enough! If you do not let us go home, we go burn all the footage we’ve filmed, finish!” She saw our determination, sighed, cried and begged, and finally let us go. The crew scattered home faster than NEPA takes light, and that, my friends, was the day we almost went from filmmakers to olodo desert wanderers.
“She was a brilliant creative force. Rest in Peace Tyna.”
Nicknamed Afrikan Oyinbo after the title of her debut album, Tyna Onwudiwe was signed to Tabansi Records.
Her feisty and uncompromising nature also earned her the tag Tyna Onwudeyvex.
Born on June 12, 1954, she died from cancer in South Africa on June 29, 2021, 17 days after her 47th birthday.
