Eastern Nigeria International Film Festival Opens With Vibrant Cultural Displays And Screening of Wole Soyinka’s The Man Died

The Eastern Nigeria International Film Festival (ENIFF) began on Wednesday, November 27, 2024, at Grenhauz Cinema, Spar Market, Enugu, and will run until November 30. The festival opened with a vibrant display of Eastern Nigerian culture, captivating the audience with traditional music, dance, and performances.

A dance troupe wearing hats adorned with poultry feathers and cowries kicked off the event. Wielding machetes and accompanied by a drum crew, the performers thrilled spectators with their synchronised moves. The highlight of their act was a dancer firing a shotgun into the air, startling and energising the crowd.

Later, the red carpet buzzed with anticipation as attendees awaited the arrival of Nollywood icon Chief Pete Edochie, culturally known as “Ebube Dike”. Accompanied by an “ogene” music crew, Edochie graced the event with his signature charisma, performing the ceremonial breaking of the kola nut to declare ENIFF 2024 officially open.

Adding to the cultural richness, an Igbo masquerade, known as mmọnwu in Igbo language, joined the festivities. Guided by a bellringer, the masquerade danced gracefully to the rhythms of the ogene crew, enthralling attendees.

In her welcome address, the CEO and co-founder of ENIFF, Ujuaku Nwakalor-Akukwe, expressed gratitude to the audience for attending the event. She highlighted that the festival was envisioned to showcase the culture and stories of the Southeastern region, emphasising,

The real Nollywood actually started from here. Nwakalor-Akukwe also acknowledged her co-founder, Ike Nnaebue, for his pivotal role in bringing this vision to fruition.

The festival transitioned to its first film screening, The Man Died, an adaptation of Wole Soyinka’sbook. Directed by Awam Amkpa, the film depicts Soyinka’s 22-month imprisonment during the Nigerian-Biafran Civil War under General Yakubu Gowon’s regime. Soyinka, accused of collaborating with Biafran rebels, endured solitary confinement during this period.

A standout moment during the screening was introducing the character of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, played by Simileoluwa Hassan, whose striking resemblance to the historical figure stirred strong reactions from the audience. Ojukwu led the Biafran movement in southeastern Nigeria during the civil war, a poignant chapter in Nigerian history.

Associate producer Jahman Anikulapo revealed that Wole Soyinka initially resisted involvement in the project.
At the beginning of the project, Wole Soyinka told us that he didn’t want to be a part of it. Eventually, we convinced him to have a sit-down with the writer, and that was after the third draft. When the writer sat down with him, he told some of the personal stories.

The Man Died features a star-studded cast, including Wale Ojo, Sam Dede, Nobert Young, Segilola Ogidan, and Simileoluwa Hassan. Scripted by Bode Asiyanbi and produced by Femi Odugbemi, the film will premiere officially in July 2025 to coincide with Soyinka’s 90th birthday.

ENIFF’s opening day showcased the vibrant heritage of eastern Nigeria while honouring significant historical narratives, setting the tone for a festival filled with culture and storytelling.

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