By Tony Ogaga, Lagos
Following months of filming and editing, moviemaker, Andy Boyo has unleashed the trailer for his much-anticipated movie, Itsekiri The Movie, starring Dede Mabiaku, Fred Ariko, Olaja Olu, Sampson Amatotsero, Gbubemi Ejiye, Jolomi Mejebi, Félix Omoregie, Tony Dudu and Matel Eyingho.
According to Boyo, Itsekiirii The Movie is designed to promote unity among the Itsekiri people and create the pride of belonging to a minority but resource-rich tribe.
Set in 1800, Itsekiri 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.