A Nigerian movie, ‘Elesin Oba (The King’s Horsemen), will have a limited cinema run from October 28 to November 4, 2022.
According to a statement sent to The PUNCH, by EbonyLife Films, the film producers, the movie which is based on real-life events in Nigeria in 1943, will feature in various cinemas including EbonyLife, Filmhouse, Genesis, and VIVA in cities such as Lagos, Ibadan and Abuja.
Set in the old Oyo Empire, between sunset and sunrise, the king’s horseman, Elesin Oba, must commit ritual suicide to follow his deceased master into the afterlife.
However, his best intentions are derailed by his sexual desires, which leads to catastrophic consequences and ends in a deadly clash with the British rulers of the day.
The horseman is unable to fulfill his ultimate commitment to the king, leaving his spirit to roam the earth, spelling doom for the land and its people.
The original ‘Death and the King’s Horseman’ was a stage play written by Nobel laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka. This marks the first time that one of Soyinka’s works has been made into a feature film. It was also the last project by the late Biyi Bandele.
The film stars Odunlade Adekola as Elesin Oba, Shaffy Bello as Iyaloja, Deyemi Okanlawon, Omowumi Dada, Jide Kosoko, Taiwo Ajai-Lycett; and singer, Brymo.
Expressing excitement at the release of the film, the co-founders of FilmOne Entertainment, Kene Okwuosa and Moses Babatope, said, “There is a new wave of indigenous epic dramas steering the course of African storytelling on to the global stage, and we believe that ‘Elesin Oba’ will make a massive, positive impact on our continent. We are excited to partner with Ebonylife Films in bringing this masterpiece to the big screen.”
On her part, the Chief Executive Officer of EbonyLife Group and executive producer of the film, Mo Abudu, said, “In making this film, we chose to stay close to the original work, which is already well-known globally as a great example of African drama. It’s an honour to see this compelling introduction to African thought and tradition on screen. It is interweaving of European and Yoruba ideals, to depict universal themes of cultural responsibility, has never been more important than now.”
