By Damilola Fatunmise
Jide Awobona is popular for his comedic role in Funke Akindele’s Jenifa’s Diary. Now, he has taken up a more ‘serious’ character in his new film, Alabede, which was premiered amidst glamour and panache at Viva Cinema, Ikeja, Lagos last Sunday.
In this chat, Awobona talks about the epic movie and gives reasons why culture-loving Nigerians should see it. Here are excerpts.
You were part of the ‘Jenifa’s Diary’ series as an actor, is this your first film as a producer?
This would be the seventh film I am producing, but this is a first of its kind; I have not done a film in the epic genre before.
How does it feel branching into that genre and taking all the risks that come with it?
It feels great. It is a way to tell people that I am more than what they think I am. It is a way to let people see another side of me… to let them know that I am a deep Yoruba man.
What is the movie, Alabede all about?
The film revolves around a particular family whose sole responsibility is circumcising male adults. I really would stop here because I wouldn’t want to say so much about it. I want people to come out and experience it without spoilers. The film delves into why people shouldn’t joke with culture, norms, and traditions.
What brought about the idea of the movie?
The story was conceived over 10 years ago, and I have been nursing it. And yearly, I was always putting in something new, but then, the entire production: pre-production, production, and post-production took more than a year.
Is this film inspired by true-life events or is it purely fiction?
It is fiction, but then on the backdrop of our culture and tradition. It’s all about culture and tradition. Your culture, your language is part of your identity; so don’t throw it away.
Who are some of the popular Nigerian actors that were cast?
You can’t do a story like this without the legends in the industry. I have Antar Laniyan, Peter Fatomilola, and Jumoke Odetola to mention a few.
The topic of circumcision on adults or females, especially in the Western world is a sensitive one, where does the film come in to tell a story on circumcision?
This one is centered on male circumcision; it is not talking about female circumcision. Female circumcision is quite complicated; hence I didn’t touch it. It is the male circumcision that even the Western world still embraces, we only showed it to viewers how it was done decades ago.
What do you want potential moviegoers to expect in cinema?
A different Jide Awobona. You are coming to see the beauty of African culture, Yoruba culture to be precise. You are coming to see a great story.
Would you say this is your most challenging project so far?
I would say it is my most challenging so far because of a lot of things that you can see right now, like going all the way to Oyo to film… taking all these unique faces down there was very uncomfortable. I am more of a perfectionist, so it wasn’t easy for me.
You play a comedic role in ‘Jenifa’s Diary’, how does it feel switching to a more ‘serious’ role often required of drama films? Also, what were some of the unique challenges experienced?
After reading a script, automatically, I am wearing the character. If it’s a comedy, I will get into it. If it is a ‘serious’ character, I wear it; I own it. It is about understanding what you are playing; it is about understanding the character and ‘living’ it for that period. About challenges, there are several.