Veteran actor and Labour Party chieftain Kenneth Okonkwo has told how his belief that Nigerians do not get along with one another was altered by the film Living in Bondage, in which he appeared. CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
In a 90MinutesAfrica exclusive interview with Rudolf Okonkwo, Kenneth Okonkwo said that the original Living in Bondage film, which was filmed in the Igbo language, lacked subtitles. According to him, viewers of different ethnic backgrounds who saw the film in that format and found it entertaining demanded subtitles so they could follow the dialogue.
He said, “That movie helped to change my perspective about Nigeria. Because when it came out the first time, it was not subtitled. That subtitle you are seeing in it, the original one that came out didn’t have it.
But the clamour of our brothers, the Hausas, the Igbos, they were the ones who insisted that we must subtitle it. Because they were enjoying it and they wanted to know everything that was said in the movie.
If they had anything against an Igbo man, if they had anything against Igbo language, they wouldn’t fall in love with that movie. And so we went back and subtitled it. That was how it kick-started Nollywood. That was why I believe that the spirit of excellence is the greatest antidote to any primordial sentiments.
This country, they do not have any problems against each other. It’s the leaders that are formulating all these divisions in other to divide the people so they will continue to rule them irrespective of their incompetence and corruption.
And you cannot convince me against the Hausas, the Yorubas, the Efiks. So when I sit down and say they love me, I am saying it factually because they’ve demonstrated it. When I sit down and say they don’t hate Igbos, I am saying it factually because they’ve demonstrated it.” CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
