Nollywood: Omoni Oboli and Gender Equality

(By Ijeoma Chinonyerem) - Before now, I rarely watch movies by Omoni. But since I came home, the family and I have watched plenty of her movies on Netflix and I just have to stan. 
In all the movies produced by Omoni's production company, there is a conspicuous or subtle promotion of egalitarian ideals. 

No matter how trite the storyline is or how weak the jokes are, you cannot miss the infusion of these feminist ideals here and there.

In Wives on Strike, they reinforced consent even in marriage. Did you notice that NONE of the husbands in the movie forced the wives to have sex. Did you notice? Did you? Nothing like "your body belongs to me cos you're my wife".

The wives retained FULL bodily autonomy, starting from the senator's wife to the mechanic's wife to even the prostitute. Reinforcing what we've been preaching that NO IS NO even in marriage. It was a teachable moment that even when married, consent can still be denied and forcing it is rape. No husband raped their wife.

In Okafor's Law, Toyin's character said something which resonated with me. She said "you women think that by slaving away for men, he will pick you. Get some self esteem. Grow up".

Gbowam!!!

"When Women Gather..." - A Movie Review

(By Tony Kan) – “When Women Gather, There Is War!” – A Review of The Women 

 Every movie has an emotional core, its beating heart.

In The Women, Blessing Egbe’s latest movie which opened in cinemas yesterday, the core lies in a statement mouthed by Teni (Omoni Oboli) who tells her long-suffering husband: “Where two or three women are gathered, there is a silent war.”

Cold, hot or silent, wars lead to casualties and there are casualties aplenty in The Women.

The premise of The Women is not absolutely original and neither does it pretend to re-invent the wheel. What Blessing Egbe, who gave us Lekki Wives, has done is to present us with a story (sprinkled with her inventive touch) that is real-to-life, thought provoking and funny as hell.

Consider this killer exchange between Chubby and Omo.

Chubby: Does your husband know you are here?

Omo: No. If he finds out he will kill me

Chubby: So why are you here then? You want to die?

Omoni Oboli: The Trial of A Nollywood Brand

(By Zik ZuluOkafor) - OMONI OBOLI:- THE TRIAL OF A NOLLYWOOD BRAND...

Omoni Oboli is the Director and Producer of the movie, Okafor's Law. And she is supposed to be the writer of the screenplay. 

The premiere of this much talked about movie had been hyped to heavens' doors. Film makers, film enthusiasts, corporate players and even ordinary people waited for Friday, March 24 for the opening night of this much anticipated movie at the IMAX Cinema, Lekki Lagos. 

The Friday came. But on her way to the venue of the premiere, Omoni as she is simply called, received a terrible gift. A court order stopping the premiere and further distribution of the movie was coldly handed to her. A company with a jaw-breaking name, Raconteur Productions had handed Omoni this mortal legal blow. And so the premiere couldn't hold.

But on Thursday, March 30, Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, put a smile back on Omoni's face as he vacated the injunction. The high flying Nollywood Director is now free to show her movie anywhere she pleases. An ecstatic Omoni, on hearing this delightful news went on her knees to give fervent thanks to God and pronto announced that the movie would begin to show nationwide from Friday, March 31.

Nollywood's 2014 Best 5: Female

THE BEST 5 NOLLYWOOD ACTRESSES OF 2014

(As complied by Charles Novia)

Last year, charlesnoviadaily.com instituted a reward system of sorts which gave to deserving recipients, citations of excellence based on the films released in 2013. Mercy Johnson was the top actress of last year and deservedly so.

As 2014 comes to an end, I and a few professional critics, keeping to the criteria we used last year, have drawn up a list once again for 2014. We watched quite a number of films which were considered outstanding and through a professional process of elimination, shortlisted names were finally arrived at. May I state here that these actresses on this list have been judged on universal  templates for acting and not on what I term ‘perceived popularity’on red carpets, social media or feisty fan clubs. There is a clear difference between being an overt socialite with tepid performances in afterthought movies ‘just to be relevant’ and wholeheartedly taking the business of acting seriously.