Kajola, the most expensive film ever produced in Nigeria which was premiered at the Silver Bird Cinema, Abuja on Friday 30th July 2010 is a must watch as it is the first special effects block buster action movie to be produced in Nigeria. It is a timely warning for our leaders to be people centred to avoid the kind of future catastrophe that the movie suggests.
The movie jointly produced by Prince Tonye Princewill and prolific Nollywood producer Adonijah Owiriwa, was directed by foremost Nollywood Director Niyi “The Genius” Akinmolayan, the Founder and Creative Director of Anthill Multimedia; a post production facility based in Lagos and Port Harcourt. The whooping production cost of one hundred and thirty million naira (N130 million) also stands it out as the most expensive movie ever produced in the country. Equally of interest is the plot of the movie set in Nigeria 2059, which is expected to appeal to all Nigerians in the sense that it explores the implications of the continuous neglect of the poor and the widening gulf between the rich and poor and the ensuing catastrophic outcomes stemming from such neglect.
Kajola the title of the movie is the Yoruba word for commonwealth in the year 2059, Nigeria becomes a totalitarian state. After a second civil war, the rich relocate to the Island areas of Lagos State and turn it into an ultra modern city. The war torn mainland of Lagos state is disconnected and abandoned. A rebel leader, Allen learns of a plot code named Kajola to build cities on the mainland and eliminate the remaining survivors. He leads a rebellion against the government. And must be stopped by Yetunde, the police chief. Though mortal enemies, both discover that everything they thought they knew were nothing but lies. It’s a story of love and lust and it heightens the fact that if we don’t deal with the segregation and negligence issues facing the country today, then out future is quite predictable because TOMORROW IS TODAY.
Prince Tonye Princewill former AC Leader in Rivers state, who is also the Executive Producer of the movie, has described it as a must watch and most importantly a timely warning to our leaders to be people centred to avoid the kind of future catastrophe that the movie suggests.
Kajola is the second movie from the stables of Adoni Productions that Princewill is involved in, having been actively involved in the September 2009 premiere of Nnenda, a movie about the ills of orphanhood. It is commendable that his involvement with that movie has thrown light on this often neglected disadvantaged group thereby lifting the standards of the orphanages in Port Harcourt. Princewill was also involved in the October 2009 premiere of the Kunle Afolayan produced “The Figurine”, a delightful movie that has won both local and international awards and is said to be the second Nigerian movie to hit box office status after Stephanie Okereke’s ‘Through the glass’.
This politician of repute, who anchors his foray into politics on his need to engineer change sees his involvement in such projects as a way of acknowledging and supporting the contributions of people who like him have chosen to use their craft as a vehicle for change. To him life is nothing if we can’t impact on those who have little as opposed to those who have a lot. Prince Tonye is a vibrant force for change in the Niger Delta region with keen interests in youths empowerment and development. He is also a lover of entertainment preferring to help set high standards in Nigeria Entertainment by investing in laudable projects like the movie Kajola.
Starring in this movie that is poised to change the landscape of movie production in the country is hunky Nollywood actor Desmond Elliot as Ayub, a power drunk inspector General of Police with an eye on Keira Hewatch in the role of Yetunde, a police chief bent on bringing to justice a notorious rebel leader. One of the producers Adoniyah Owiriwa also stars as Allen.
