93 Days Movie -The Review

 

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As I settle down to write this, I am bursting with excitement, not because of the movie but because i have so much to say about my experience (the good and the ugly) at the official premiere of the 93 Days Movie. Before I get into my  review, I must alert all you extra perceptive ones reading this that there might be some spoilers as you read this. This piece also includes a report of what went down at the Premiere, from Ebola jokes on the red carpet to a near audience riot so grab that cup of coffee or drink and enjoy your read.

The Official Premiere

The official Premiere of 93 Days was attended by way more than 8000 people at the Rock Cathedral in Lekki owned by the House on the Rock Church. The 6pm scheduled time turned out to be the start time for the red carpet as is the tradition with most Nigerian events, I was particularly impressed with the level of external organization and security at this event, believe me with what i was personally subjected to as a guest it would have been practically impossible to smuggle a nail into that venue. The Security also came in layers and all attendees were directed to a particular entrance while other entrances were either cordoned off or restricted to VIPs.

After passing security checks I headed  into the Cathedral to get settled in and to my surprise despite coming in early the hall was packed and sitting was only allowed on the 1st and 2nd galleries as the entire ground floor sitting was reserved for dignitaries and special guests of the organizers, this didn't make any sense to me at initially when i got there thinking we were all guests but alas when the Heads of the U.S and German Embassies walked in and much later other dignitaries like Bishop Mike Okonkwo (General overseer of TREM), Mr. Rotimi Amaechi (Nigeria's Minister of Transport), Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, Member of the Nigerian National Assembly and representatives of the Lagos State Government, it became clear why such reservations had to be made- There is indeed hierarchy even in heaven :)

It must have been quite a tedious day for the technical personnel behind the scenes  because while guests granted interviews on the red carpet, Producers of the movie led by the event Chief Host Pastor Paul Adefarasin simultaneously held a PRESS conference at another location within the facility which was also beamed to the audience in the cathedral intermittently with the visuals from red carpet celebrities like Sammy Okposo and  MC Abbey, Who managed to throw in an Ebola joke about how some were practically cooking with Sanitizers during the outbreak throwing the viewing audience into uncontrollable laughter.

Eventually the program properly kicked off a few minutes after 7pm, there were several things i found particualr uncomfortable one of which was the singing of the United States National anthem in a gathering of more than 8000 NIgerians

(while i understand the need for that considering the production and event was supported by the U.S Embassy  there may have also been a need to honor the Diplomatic Corp. I think it was unnecessary, we could as well have sang the German National anthem while we were at it).

There were  addresses from Pastor Paul Adefarasin, and the producers of the Movie (Steve Gukas, Bolanle Austen-Peters, and Otunba Dotun Olakunrin), Ambassador Martin Brennan Chargé d'Affaires ad interim, U.S. Mission Nigeria and more. I felt like people basically came to watch the movie, while it was insightful to hear about the pain behind the production of the movie, we didn't  necessarily have to be bludgeoned with the constant detail of how dangerous we came to extinction.. We all lived through the Ebola experience first hand!! which leads me to my earlier point on the near riot that almost took place.

Considering that most people in the audience had to be at work the following day after the long Sallah holidays, all through the initial formalities and speeches there was  growing impatience in the audience manifesting as groans and side comments for a while. The audience must have tried to be as polite as possible after-all they didn't pay a dime to see the  movie. About past 8pm they had had enough of formalities after a loud revolt, the hosts managed to stylishly sneak in a remark from the representative of the Lagos State Governor who wasted no time in expressing his anxiety to see the movie and kindly walked off the stage -then crunch time!

I must say that because the movie was such a good one it covered for the pain of sitting through all the formalities. And i would recommend this one as a must watch it opens this Friday the 16th of September at the Cinemas.

Screenplay

While i appreciate the challenges the producers must have faced in making this movie, making a movie about Ebola had in the idea itself a ready made recipe for a box office hit considering the wide spread fear we all had to live with for the 93days of its sojourn in Nigeria- that's like the soccer equivalent of leading the Barcelona FC in its present constitution against Eyimba FC (sorry had to slip that one in :) ). The Screenplay was well executed for TV and would compete globally as we have already seen at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).

Steve Gukas, The Director referred to a comparism made by a panelist at TIFF to the star studded Hollywood movie 'Contagion' where it was said that '93 Days' was a better movie than the Contagion. Also in my Opinion Alastair Mackenzie playing Dr. David Brett-Majors (the Ebola expert from the W.H.O) had some of my favorite and most inspiring lines in the movie. Two of my favorite quotes from his dialogue include:

"Pick a bed and start fighting, the sooner you start the sooner you would win" this he said to Dr. Ada Igonoh after she was quarantined.

"It is not what's in this ward that matters, but whats inside you" - His response to Dr. Ada's complaint about the state of the hospital ward.

There were many other epic one liners sprinkled throughout  the movie.

Cinematography

From wide angle shots to a clever use of aerial shots, Yinka Edward the -DOP and Steve Gukas out did themselves on this production capturing the actual beautiful chaos of the city of Lagos from the good to the near ugly. 93 Days was so Beautifully rendered it made you proud to be Nigerian and it effectively showed what we as Nigerians can achieve when we unite to solve a common problem if we can put aside our political, religious and tribal biases.

Casting

Save for one or two actors, the casting was phenomenal. Bimbo Akintola brought home the role of Dr. Adadevoh Ameyor, Charles Etubiebi Oke also did great in playing Bankole Cardoso- Dr. Adadevoh's son to whom he bore a striking resemblance to. Keppy Epkeyong Bassey effectively portrayed Patrick Sawyerr (The Ebola Importer) as perceived by most Nigerians, but we may never know considering at the time most Nigerians were too angry with Mr Sawyerr to be bothered about his personality. Seun Kentebe could have been better playing Godwin Igonoh. Somkele Idhalama was also quite impressive. Overall the casting crew did a phenomenal job compared to what obtains in typical 'old Nollywood'

Make up

Going by the pictures emanating from Liberia and Sierra Leone the visuals in the 93 Days movie seemed more like a diarrhea epidemic than an Ebola pandemic thanks to the Makeup from Imoteda and Thelma Ozzy Smith. While it wasnt totally bad there should have been more facial and bodily sours and boils for the advance stage patients admitted. There is room for growth here and i am aware that SFx makeup is a whole different science even in Hollywood.

Fluffs

Attention to details is one thing that makes production budgets go through the roof. Kunle Afolayan another thriving and consistent Movie Director  knows this all too well. It is this simple fact that makes a mockery of spectacular productions and i could only pick out two of such fluffs in this movie:

1. There was an in-car scene where the radio announcement in the background referred to the Shiite/Army clash that occurred in Zaria earlier in 2016, the Ebola outbreak happened to have been 2 whole years before that clash and it had no business being in the movie.
2. I am not totally certain about this, but i would have sworn i saw an iPhone SE in two of the scenes, that product was also released this year.

Overall this movie is a must watch, and i recommend this movie as an instructional material on Sacrifice, Patriotism and leadership.

This movie has a healthy blend of wittiness thanks to the antic of Jatto played by Adebola Williams and that Cab driver, and drama and tragedy. that is a difficult blend to manage and these guys have done a spectacular job. You can watch the Trailer here. The movie comes to cinemas this Friday 16th of September, 2016.

ArCHiteCtuRe iN NiGeRia

I have often wondered why our local architects are too guarded in their renditions. There is just something in this country (Nigeria) that makes them play it safe in their designs. One can hardly be wowed on a drive across Lagos.

Perhaps it's the state of the Nation finding subtle expressions in their work, or perhaps it is the innate need to keep construction costs down, who knows.. 

SavE tHe DatE & make plans to #tunein

Post by HolyHolla.

gERmaPhoBes aRise..

All hail the new generation of Germaphobes Ebola has created!

This morning i decided to make a quick stop at the bank, GTBank to be precise. It was quite presumptuous of me to think i would be in and out in less than 10mins, how wrong i was. At the entrance of that particular branch i noticed a barel of urine looking liquid and it turned out that for me to get into the bank i had to wash my hands with that.

So i asked the security man who had on latex gloves and an infrared thermometer in his right hand what exactly was in the barrel and his response was: "its just chlorine". I laughed knowing that there had to be alot more than chlorine in a mix with that kind of coloring,  I was forced to use it, and discovered it had bleach in it. 

I think this Ebola outbreak has catalyzed a different kind of healthcare revolution that wouldn't have been achieved with a Billion Naira spent on National Orientation ads. From the scarcity of Hand Sanitizers, to the high demand for latex gloves, Hazmat suits and Infra red thermometers, This reminds me of how the seat belt discipline was permanently instilled in Nigerian city drivers.
That, like Ebola started with fear. Only time will tell how sustainable this new level of cleaniness will last, but i must say its a welcome development that we may have reduced in addition to the spread of Ebola the communication of common diseases like colds etc.

Managed Fear may just be the real cure for any outbreak.

-@gozzim

9yR oLd coNfroNts kiDNappeRs

i found this video on the channels TV YouTube page. while i was in utter disbelief as to how bad things have gotten in the world i couldn't help but admire the courage of this little girl who confronted her kidnappers in front of cameras. It seems to me that these days children are forced to grow up in life really fast doing away with their childhoods all because of the wickedness in the world.

- @gozzim

tHE U.S is eQuaLLy iNePT at tHE wAR on tERoR!

Libyans on the Wall of the U.S Consulate in Benghazi, 2012

As it turns out, incompetence is not only in the Nigerian governments DNA this trait is also shared by the U.S government to a great extent. The only difference is the U.S government may be just slightly better at PR or not! 

Two fox investigative reporters (Bret Baier and James Rosen) recently revealed in a report that the American Government and its State Department knew exactly what was happening at the U.S Embassy in Libya while it was under attack, but did nothing like our President (GEJ) did when the Chibok girls were kidnapped. Even shocking is the fact that the Terrorists communicated using U.S State department issue phones. To make matters even worse these calls were heard by multiple U.S spy agencies. It is not only the Nigerian government that has lost its military gear to Boko Haram insurgents, the Americans are only better at covering their losses to insurgents up. Did i hear you call the U.S government experts at fighting terror?

In the last couple of months Nigerians and even foreign governments have hinted at how corrupt and incompetent our government and our military is. Even though these allegations may be true it doesn't change the fact that the war on terror is waged world over against a faceless(forget the videos) enemy. From Kenya to India, From Newyork to Chibok, it has been made clear to all that Man can and will never be Omniscient irrespective of the amount of technology at our disposal.

The attack on the U.S Embassy in Libya that claimed the Life of the Ambassador and some of his staff and the consistent attack by Boko Haram insurgents on Nigerians has proven to us that even the technology used by our governments to protect life can be used by these Terrorists to destroy our way of Life. As we have come to realise no man is immune from Terror so while we all insult GEJ and his army of inept advisers we should all remember that at the end of the day it is we the citizens that have to face this insurgents, it is the citizens that gets killed, it is also citizens that get drafted to the military to be slaughtered by this people. so at the end of the day our safety is in God's hands and we should also be wise enough to put personal measures in place to protect our own lives.

some special forces from the Nigerian Army

The government doesn't really care about you, they only care about the narrative in the media as evidenced from the recent clamp down on various media houses in Nigeria. Lets face it we generate our own power, jobs, water, provide our food, shelter, roads etc. it shouldn't be too hard to provide our security. So what exactly do we need the government for since we have become so self sufficient as a nation. The goevernment probably realizes this so there is very little for people in government to do but collect our taxes and embezzle public funds.

Take consolation in this simple fact, that God always has a better agenda. No matter how many politicians gather to make political calculations on how to take over government NO MAN know better than God. And while we wait on he we all should do our part to contribute to the peace and growth of our Nation.

Have a beautiful day (June 12).

-@gozzim

aRe tHe bEst tHinGs in NiGeRia tRuLLy fRee?

They say the best things in Life are free! Being a Nigerian does bring a certain level of complexity to that statement. Coming from a Nation where everything is generally designed to keep the strong in power, the rich, richer and the poor, even poorer; it is hard to accept that statement. I stopped having blind optimism about our hopes on becoming a developed country, though this doesn't mean i stopped being patriotic. Why? well as long as i am not in the sphere of the powerful leaders yet and cannot even get a glimpse of their activities, i cannot continue to believe in the good will they so proclaim.

I have come to learn that nothing happens by accident in this country. Like the former CBN governor Malam Sanusi once said the issue of vested interests is our biggest challenge yet, but is it really not a problem even in the developed world? I tweeted yesterday that everything in life revolves around relationships, so at the end of the day words like 'Merit' are hardly in our vocabulary as a nation. As i have always said, nobody owes any one anything in this life not your parents (save for caring for you in your formative years and providing a good education), not your government (that is if it is not clear to you already that majority of the officials in our polity are not there for any one but themselves). 

In a country where the average Nigerian generates his own power, provides his own security, provides his own jobs, there is hardly ever any need for dependence on the government. But then again it is so hard to make any grand nationwide impact as a citizen without being in the above mentioned sphere.

I also understand that as a Leader it is hard to please everyone, but there will forever remain that middle ground of performance acceptance that both the governed and the government can agree on. I also think its only human nature to pick people or individuals you have established a relationship with over individuals on merit. That relationship is what creates that edge over people who truly deserve that job or position. We need to accept the fact that we are a peculiar Nation and those peculiarities need to be adapted to by any one willing to make a difference. So my advice to those looking to make any impact as far as the government is concerned is to build meaningful relationships in your chosen endeavor. Nothing good comes easy, nothing is ever free and there will always be a price to pay.

-- @gozzim

oNos oN hOLyHoLLa- 23rd fEB. 2014

last sunday we had the unique privilege of hosting the very beautiful and talented Onos Ariyo, Worship leader at House on the Rock,  Artiste, Mother wife and certified French Translator. I personally had a blast on that interview cos i got to learn some very wierd warri slangs. This lady is indeed a blessing to the world. and she can sing! Enjoy the interview.

OZicHi oN hoLyHoLLa- tune in 2nd March, 2014

This Sunday on our show Holyholla, I would have the unique privilege of interviewing one of the most underrated vocalist in Nigeria. From the sweet sensation jingle to the Fidelity bank jingles, there is simply no doubt most Nigerian have heard her voice. In addition to being a spectacular vocalist she is the daughter of the 1st Nigerian to graduate from a post graduate Harvard program. her story will touch and inspire you. Tune in to rhythm 93.7fm on Sunday morning from 8am. 

..bEfoRE yOu set tHose goALs fOr 2014

Over and over again i have voiced my preference for setting goals over making new year resolutions. I won't concern myself about explaining away the difference. The objective of this piece is to nudge you towards political and social awareness especially since we are entering into another election year. I am still very much an optimist and a patriot but blind optimism and patriotism is way behind me.

We all generally have the tendency to make yearly resolutions at this time with the mental assumption that all will continue to be well in our environment, except you are doing that in faith it may be a dangerous way of living. As a matter of fact most of us hardly ever have backup plans for when things ever go south. It might be already apparent to some that as we inch closer and closer to the general elections funds are generally being taken out of the system and stored up by the political class and in this new era of subtle political threats as portrayed by our sudden love for letter writing in Nigeria especially as seen in the last month, it is my believe that you would be doing yourself and your family for those it applies to, a great deal of injustice if you don't plan for that. So based on the subtle premise above i would like to suggest a few points for you to have in place while you set those goals for 2014:

1. If you carry the ECOWAS passport as your only form of travel ID. ensure you still have ample time before expiration and get valid VISAs to one or two foreign countries of your choice.

2. Have a Stash of funds saved up preferably in hard currency for such a time as may be needed for an emergency exit should the need arise.

3. Stay informed and Keep your plans to yourself...lol

4. Hope and Pray for this Country especially for Only God's counsel to stand concerning the affairs of this country irrespective of what political class may say or do.

5. Stay in constant touch with your family and loved ones.

6. Be smart enough to know that nobody owes you anything irrespective of your relationships with them. In context these politicians will put their pockets and their families before you and yours in exactly that order. Be your own government and be wise enough to look out for your own.

All that said be smart about your activities and decisions this new year. let Gen 1:28 guide you as the benchmark at which God appointed you to operate, if any business endeavors, relationships, or commitments will make you fall short of God's original desire for you to subdue and dominate the earth from your aspects of endeavor then rethink and retrace. Plan well  and have a wonderful 2014.

-g.d

bAskEtbALL- D' tiGeR's oLympiC sPirit

Tony Skinn, the Nigerian point guard who went to George Mason University, wound up in a hospital, having surgery for a torn quadriceps Monday. 

 

LONDON — The buzzer sounded the end of the fairy tale, and the Nigerian team limped off the court in slow motion, unwilling, unable to let go. As they filed into the tunnel, the crowd stood in unison and cheered the team they call D’Tigers.

D’Tigers lost against on Monday, this time to France, standing ovation notwithstanding. To their list of firsts — first Olympics appearance, first Olympics victory — they had added something less historic: their first Olympic exit.

The run ended with the point guard in the hospital, with Sunday’s leading scorer nursing a broken toe, with only eight players healthy enough to practice. It ended with another comeback against a France team stocked with N.B.A. players. It ended with another round of questions about what it meant, a basketball team from Nigeria here in the Olympics. 

Afterward, not even the D’Tigers could make sense of the events of the past six weeks. On one hand, with a roster cobbled together at the last minute, they toppled established international teams — Lithuania, Greece and the Dominican Republic — just to qualify. It was not hyperbole to say they inspired a nation. 

On the other, they finished Olympic group play with a 1-4 record, lost to the United States by a whopping 83 points and endured racist chants and a rash of injuries. Disappointment mixed with pride.

“People think that was the goal for us, to get here,” forward Derrick Obasohan said. “It wasn’t. Coach said we were the first African team to win an Olympic game. We earned respect, but. ...” 

His voice trailed off. The man Obasohan called Coach, Ayodele Bakare, sat nearby. He looked tired, his eyes bloodshot, his shoulders slumped. He spent the morning at a hospital with Tony Skinn, the guard who led George Mason on that magical N.C.A.A. tournament run in 2006.

Skinn had surgery for a torn quadriceps on Monday, his teammates said. It surprised no one that Bakare went to see him.

For weeks, he and his staff performed so many jobs they forgot where one ended and another one began.

Bakare, the coach of the Ebun Comets in Nigeria’s professional league, constructed the roster on the fly. He built the team around Ike Diogu, a former Arizona State star, and Al-Farouq Aminu, a forward for the New Orleans Hornets. Bakare managed to find 10 players with college basketball experience to fill the roster out. 

He later traded his general manager cap for his coach’s one, and after less than a month of practices, Bakare took that makeshift team to Venezuela, where, Diogu said, “we were just supposed to come in and get blown out.” Only D’Tigers stunned three opponents.

Diogu said the local crowd embraced the Nigerians, and although Diogu heard from his brother about celebrations in Nigeria, reality awaited, so many tasks and not a single person with experience to perform them.

Bakare had to arrange travel plans for his team. He even booked the flights. He found gyms for practices. He helped those without insurance to obtain it. He did so in a country fraught with political infighting, even for its sports teams. He and his players alluded to the politics Monday but declined to go into specifics. 

“I don’t think a lot of people realize all the stuff that we really had to go through,” Diogu said. “If people really knew the true story, it would be an accomplishment in itself, just us making it here.”

Only Nigeria did not simply show up for its first contest and ask for autographs from its opposition. In the first game, D’Tigers defeated Tunisia, jumping ahead early and holding on late.

A country in turmoil rallied around the team that had been introduced six weeks earlier. Bakare’s voice mail filled.

Hiccups followed. A fan from Lithuania was fined for making Nazi gestures and yelling monkey chants during a Lithuanian victory. The United States scored 156 points against D’Tigers, the most ever in an Olympic game.

Yet Nigeria refused to yield. It stormed back against France on Monday, behind 35 points from Chamberlain Oguchi, he of the broken toe. Bakare said that as D’Tigers tied the game late in the fourth quarter, he wanted to yell, in reference to the United States coach, Mike Krzyzewski: “Bring on Coach K! We want a rematch! Tonight!”

Afterward, unbroken, Bakare and his players dared to dream. This summer, the run, allowed them that.

They noted the injuries that plagued them, the way the roster thinned. They talked about the limited time they spent together, how, come the African championships next summer, much more could be accomplished. Bakare guaranteed Nigeria would improve more than any Olympic team over the next four years.

“You haven’t seen the last of Team Nigeria,” Obasohan said.

Players and coaches decided Monday to leave the cosmic questions, the what it meant, for later. Most planned to visit Skinn at the hospital, then scatter back across the world.

Bakare called the reaction in Nigeria uplifting, but said he received negative phone calls, too. Diogu hoped his play over the past six weeks had earned him another shot at the N.B.A. Obasohan wanted to return to his 3-month-old son, Darren, before he returned to Spain in one week for another season.

The three of them sat in a circle, in the near empty news conference room, as if competing to look most tired. The experience that inspired others had drained the men involved. Bakare even said he would consider stepping down as the coach, perhaps in 30 days.

“Nigeria basketball has come of age,” he said. “Nigeria basketball doesn’t need me anymore.”

His players quickly dismissed that notion. Bakare, their coach, general manager, insurance agent and travel secretary, embodied what D’Tigers became over the past six weeks. Not simply a basketball team. A historic one.

courtesy of the New York Times

pOwER fAcAdEs!

Being quite familiar with Public Relations antics i totally see what this picture is about. The Prez heads on to DICON in Kaduna to commission a locally built armored personnel vehicle. Notice the Prez in full military combat uniform---yeah he is the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic, but then again who are we kidding??

mis-'spaced' priorities!

using space technology to boost the economy??? that has to be the most ridiculous thing i have heard since i was hooked to a placenta. Our misplaced priorities as a nation is an ever present source of amazement. A few days ago i did say while discussing with some friends that from govt. to govt. in the last 10 years, there has been very little care for the people. Incase you have no idea what i am on about, The Nigerian government recently announced it will send astronauts to space by the year 2015, that's in 3 years. Isnt there a reason the American government recently put an end to its space program?

Riddle me this, is it the same nation that lost a communication satellite in space over night with out the slightest idea where the said satellite drifted to that now wants to endanger the lives of some  'wanna be Nigerian astronauts'. There a  pressing issues we have to contend with which in all fairness even the US govt.has challenges coping with, so far i have yet to see or read about any creative solution or positive move towards reducing this. I know for a fact that the SSS and DMI are working hard to fix this but as i always say: 'any organization/entity is a reflection of its leadership'. Until we begin to place value on human life and the welling being of the people misplaced priorities would be a norm.

TONY® AWARD WINNING SENSATION FELA! MAKES HISTORIC ARRIVAL IN LAGOS, NIGERIA APRIL 20-29, 2011

The hit Broadway musical about the life and music of Nigerian performer and political activist Fela Anikulapo-Kuti is scheduled to be performed in his home town of Lagos, Nigeria making it the first Broadway show to be performed in Sub-Saharan Africa.

FELA!, the landmark Broadway musical, which won three Tony Awards (Broadway’s highest honor) including Best Choreography (Bill T. Jones), is coming to Lagos from April 20^th to 25^th.  It will be performed at the prestigious Eko Hotel’s New Expo Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria. This critically lauded musical will star its original Broadway cast with Sahr Ngaujah reprising his Tony-nominated role of Fela Kuti with music provided by the internationally renowned Antibalas as well as other members of the New York City Afro-beat community. 

Concurrently with the Broadway production, FELA! opened and triumphed at London’s Royal National Theater for a three-month sold-out run.  That production was nominated for three Olivier Awards, London theatre’s highest honor, including Best Musical, Best Actor (Sahr Ngaujah) and Best Choreography (Bill T. Jones). This Nigerian engagement will be the first since the closing of the Broadway and London productions and the NTLive performance which was broadcast to in 370 cinemas worldwide.

The aim of FELA! in Lagos is to unite and connect Africans in spirit and unity, to serve as a catalyst for cultural revival in Nigeria, and to celebrate Fela Kuti, for the contribution he has made to Nigeria and the world. FELA! depicts the true story of the legendary Nigerian musician Fela Kuti, whose soulful Afro beat rhythms ignited the spirit of empowerment and cultural awareness in a generation.  It is a tale of courage, passion and love featuring Kuti’s captivating music and the visionary direction and choreography of Tony Award winner, Bill T. Jones. FELA! in Lagos is being produced by a Nigerian production company, Broken Shackles in conjunction with Lagos State Government.

Upon its Broadway opening Ben Brantley of The New York Times wrote, “There should be dancing in the streets.  The hot (and seriously cool) energy that comes from the musical gospel preached by the title character of Fela! feels as if it could stretch easily to the borders of Manhattan and then across a river or two.  There has never been anything on Broadway like this production."  The New York Post’s Elisabeth Vincentelli cheered, “There’s enough energy to short circuit Con Ed.”  David Cote of Time Out New York, in giving it 5 stars (out of 5) raved, “Fela! is more than a musical; it’s an ecstatic phenomenon."  And Jennifer Farrar from the Associated Press exclaimed, “An exuberant celebration!”

The English critics were equally effusive after the London premiere of FELA! One critic, Baz Bamigboye of The Daily Mail, summed up the critical sentiment with his review saying FELA! is a “groundbreaking show that shook Broadway and London’s Royal National Theatre to the rafters. Getting Brits to get on their feet and ‘get loose’ as Bill T. Jones puts it, was a rare feat.  FELA! pulled it off by sheer exuberance and theatrical showmanship. At the same time, FELA! explored the soul of an artist and the darkness of a government that tried to block what Fela’s beam exposed.”   

In addition to rave reviews from critics, FELA! has also won numerous awards and received standing ovations from such personalities as Mick Jagger, Madonna, Bruce Springsteen, Spike Lee, Ben Okri, Janet Jackson, Denzel Washington, Professor Wole Soyinka, Robert De Niro, and Hugh Jackman.  First lady Michelle Obama, former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and President Obama’s Head of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano are but three of the dignitaries who have embraced this show.    

Bill T. Jones, director and choreographer of FELA!, was recently honored with the prestigious Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts award along with Sir Paul McCartney and Oprah Winfrey. The Kennedy Center Honors are awarded annually for exemplary lifetime achievement in the performing arts. FELA! also won two Astaire Awards for its cast and choreography.

FELA! on Broadway was conceived by Bill T. Jones, Jim Lewis and Stephen Hendel. Its producers include the entertainment legends Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter and Will & Jada Pinkett Smith. 

A spokeswoman for Broken Shackles suggests that “with a series of media partners and sponsorships, FELA! in Lagos will be the most talked about show in Nigeria for years to come. We have created sponsorship, branding and advertising opportunities for those who wish to be a part of this historic theatrical event.”

For sponsorship, advertising opportunities, please email sponsorship@felainlagos.com

For more information on FELA! please visit http://www.felainlagos.com

For all press and public relations matters please email pr@felainlagos.com

 For more information on ticketing and group sales please email tickets@felainlagos.com