Yoruba movie, ‘Ebi Tayese’ to premiere in London Dec. 22
A new Yoruba movie titled ‘Ebi Tayese’, sponsored by the Tayese Academy of Arts and Culture (TAAC), London, is set to premiere on December 22 in London.
The executive producer of the film, Mr. Olanrewaju Sharafa, popularly known as Tayese of London, disclosed this in an interview with the newsmen in Abuja.
Supreme News reports that the movie, which promotes Yoruba indigenous culture and heritage, featured His Royal Majesty, Adesola Laminisa 1, Timi of Ede Land, his queens, and Baba Peter Fatomilola.
Others are Tunde Bamgbode, popularly called Baba Fokoko, and Toyin Oladiran, known as Abeni Agbon, among other legends who played massive roles in the movie.
According to Sharafa, the film brings back the memories of legends in the Yoruba movie industry who have worked so hard to promote Yoruba culture on several creative projects.
He said, "We are blending the legendary experience with modern-day characters within the movie industry.
“Viewers will also see a blend of comics that make them laugh and, at the same time, articulate the culture and heritage of the Yoruba race.
“From a comedy perspective, we consider that our viewers will enjoy a blend of Sisi Quadri, Mummy GO and others.
“A very great talent and character of reference in the film is also Olori Ebi Tayese played by Hammed Oyediran, known as Oni Gege Ara, who delivered strong messages that promote the arts and culture of the yoruba people.”
He added that the special appearances of the Timi of Ede Land and his queens in the movie were intentional, as Yoruba Kings were known to be preservers of Yoruba culture and heritage.
Sharafa, who said that the film was shot in Nigeria, said that it was scheduled to premiere in London.
According to him, this is because TAAC is incorporated in London with the mission to promote Yoruba arts and culture through education, creative projects, events, and networking.
“The film will enrich viewers’ knowledge of Yoruba culture, promote the beauty of ‘Omo Odudua’, and, of course, help viewers reimagine Yoruba culture and heritage.
“We also believe that the film will help yoruba sons and daughters in the diaspora to remain proud of their identity, culture and background, which is one of the core missions of TAAC.
“At the moment, Tayese London has a strong tie with TAMPAN-UK and looks forward to expanding our collaboration and partnership with other organisations, creative industry experts, and individuals whose mission aligns with ours.
“ We have firmed up plan and are already preparing all the logistics to help us achieve a successful movie premiere of this exceptional creative work and also welcome our casts in London.
In his contribution, the Film Director, Mr Olamide Laoye, popularly called Olami, said that the storyline of the movie was tailored to restore the glory of the yoruba culture and heritage that was already going into extinction.
According to him, yoruba culture is known for beauty, origin, idiomatic expressions and very strong cultural values; hence must not be allowed to perish.
He hinted that the character, Olori Ebi of Tayese in the movie was presented to teach children their indigenous culture, liberate them from foreign ways of life and preserve the yoruba heritage for future generations.
The director said, the Yoruba culture known for beauty, ‘origin, Asa’, Owe, is losing its value on a daily basis because we are importing foreign values into it, but we must not allow it to die.
“Every tribe has its own culture, but the Yoruba people are known for respect, modesty, communism, and beauty, and as such, we must sustain our culture for generations to come.
“Even if many of us now live abroad, we owe our children the duty to teach them our culture and ways of life, which are totally different from the western world.
According to him, the film represents the totality of the Yoruba culture and gives the younger and even older generations more insight into the culture and heritage of the different Yoruba clans featured in the movie.
Olami commended Sharafa for bringing in the best hands in the industry to shoot the film and also mobilising funding partners to invest in the project.
He named some other cast in the film to include Bose Aregbesola, Quadri Oyebamiji, Akinola Akano,among others.
NAN also reports that Olami was the writer of the popular trending yoruba cinema movie, Orisa, produced by Odunlade Adekola and director of the Yoruba blockbusters films, Kessari and Jankariwo produced in 2021 and 2022 respectively.
