Follow Us on Google
Tony Ogaga
Leading Felasophist, Dede Mabiaku is set to dazzle in Andy Boyo’s latest movie entitled, Itsekiirii, which hits cinemas across the country any time from now.
According to Boyo, Itsekiirii is a social responsibility-messaging movie designed to promote unity among the Itsekiri people and create the pride of belonging to a minority but resource rich tribe.
Speaking on what inspired the movie, he said: “What inspired the movie is the fact that the population of Itsekiri people is less that one million but they are a very educated and completely detribalised people who had their first graduate in the mid-15th century in Portugal. However, they are gradually eroding in language and custom. This is because they have a very high inter-marriage with other tribes.
“With father and mother not speaking a common language, the children are spoken to and thus understand and speak English. This movie encourages the learning of the language by indigenes who do not currently speak the language and also encourages a sense of belonging among the Itsekiri people.”
On why he chose to cast Mabiaku, Boyo continued: “Aside being a superb musician, by training he is a Theater Arts graduate from UNIBEN. This shows from how he interprets his role. Take for example his role as king in the film Inale, and now his role as the diplomatic peace-brokering chief in Itsekiirii The Movie. As director, I would say he nailed the role.”
Itsekiirii also stars Fred Ariko, Olaja Olu, Sampson Amatotsero, Gbubemi Ejiye, Jolomi Mejebi, Félix Omoregie, Tony Dudu and Matel Eyingho.
Boyo promised to screen Itsekiirii in many Itsekiri villages as well as the Niger Delta creeks and in the Diaspora.
