Nigeria’s history should be told through literature and cinema, and we say this over and over here at Party Jollof. These 4 activists need to be immortalised on film.
1. Kenule “Ken” Beeson Saro Wiwa
Writer, TV producer, is it safe to call him the father of environmental activism in Nigeria? Yes. Green yes. He is most famous for being at the forefront of the Ogoni struggle, a struggle we can all agree is far from over. In fact, the memory of Ken has become synonymous with the Ogoni struggle. He was executed by the Abacha junta along with eight other Ogoni leaders for alleged involvement in the murder of some Ogoni chiefs.
Who we think should play the role.
Amara Onoh who played Emmanuel Ifeajuna in the short film The Encounter.
2. Olufunmilayo Ransome-Kuti
Teacher, political campaigner, womens rights activist, and first female to drive a car in Nigeria. She is also the mother of famous activist and afrobeat father, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti. She was thrown from a third floor window of Fela’s famous Kalakuta Republic. She fell into a coma in February of ’78 and died in April from the injuries.
Who we think should play the role.
Kunle Afolayan already made the call for us when he cast designer, Deola Sagoe as the activist in his October 1 movie.
3. Jaja of Opobo
Statesman, Businessman, slave, freeman, Jubo Jubogha was born Igbo and taken as a slave at the age of 12, but it didn’t slow him down. His peculiar business skills were key in making him pay for his freedom at a young age. He then enculturated into the Ijaw tribe, eventually becoming leader. Thus began his journey into the world of “fuck the British”. He was not only taxing British traders, he was selling palm oil directly to Liverpool and cutting out the British middlemen. By deceitful methods, he was forcefully exiled from his home and he never set his eyes on Opobo again. His people mourned him for two years and immortalised him as a deity. We call him an activist because he challenged the status quo.
Who we think should play the role.
There are so many young actors but if there is anyone we can all agree should play the old Jaja, it would be Olu Jacobs.
Who plays king better?
4. Madam Ikonna
Madam Ikonna is famous for organising the historic Aba Women’s Riot in 1929 to protest a new tax that was to be imposed on women. It worked. 28 years later, she was protesting against Nnamdi Azikwe’s Eastern government’s heavy taxes on the men, since they refused to do it themselves. It worked again. Another two years later, she protested the deaths of school children who took a food formula shared by the government. She was jailed but quickly released days later for fear of the wrath of the women.
Who we think should play the role.
Tough one, but of the current crop, Rita Dominic looks like the kind of woman to conjure up the market woman drama. We aren’t quick to forget her character in The Meeting.
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