The recent flick by Andy Boyo titled “Itsekiirii the Movie” is set to be screened at the National Maritime Museum, Romney Road, SE10 9NF, London on August 13, 2022, from 12:00 – 14:00 BST.
The movie is about the Itsekiri tribe of the oil-rich South-South, Nigeria and one of the main minority groups in Nigeria. Set in 1800, the movie is the story of how the Itsekiri nation was founded. King Okotie ruled Rii with a stern arm while Prince Olu is Chief Oboyo’s ward from the Itse kingdom. Princes Alero meets and falls in love with Prince Olu and King Okotie gets stroke when he finds out his heir perished during the invasion of the Kii Kingdom as Chief Eyiesan plots a coup to transfer royalty to his lineage by poisoning King Okotie.
Meanwhile, if no male heir to the throne, custom demands the oldest princess’ hand is won in a betrothal wrestling match and the winner become king. Chief Eyiesan’s son Emiko is the strongest warrior in the kingdom and is set to win the tournament. However, unexpectedly a masquerade appears from the Itse Kingdom to challenge Emiko. In a strange twist of events, chaos is thrown into the plans of Chief Eyiesan after which emerges a winner that unifies the three kingdoms of Itse, Kii and Rii into one nation, the Itsekiri people.
Boyo added that the movie was also inspired by the fact that the population of the Itsekiri people is less than a million but they are a very educated and de-tribalised people who had their first graduate in the mid-15th century in Portugal but it was alarming that they are eroding in language and custom because of a very high prevalence of inter-marriages with other tribes.
It is a story of forbidding love, palace coup and counter-coup. It is Game of Throne meets, Merchant of Venice, only this time, it actually happened. Stars in the movie include Dede Mabiaku, Fred Ariko, Olaja Olu, Sampson Amatotsero, Gbubemi Ejiye, Jolomi Mejebi, Félix Omoregie, Tony Dudu and Matel Eyingho.
Attendance is free but donations will be greatly appreciated.
The Director of the movie, Andy Boyo, is a patron of the Association of Movie Producers (AMP), the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) and a notable promoter of the Nollywood industry. The President of Diamond Pictures Limited who is also a highlifist in Enugu. He was recently inducted into the CCFF Hall Of Fame.
