By: Adeniyi Pelumi
Nollywood is living up to the billing these days, after the misdemeanour in recent years. Before now, there were a lot of Nollywood movies produced that were low quality. It seemed that the Nollywood producers and writers were focused on just producing movies. The lack of quality in the movies showed the lack of quality, innovation and creativity on the path of the directing, producing, writing and even editing of the movies. It was because of the development that the Nollywood industry was made a butt of jokes, even in Nigeria. Various editing errors made the movies have a comic effect it was not planning to have. It could also be seen that the writers lacked creativity and innovation. Nollywood films that were being produced had more or less the same story, some even seemed like a sequel to the story. They had the same concept, storyline and plot. They also had the same ending.
There are, however, some writers that have dared to do something different. Kemi Adetiba is one of the writers who have dared to make a change in the Nigerian movie industry.
Kemi Adetiba is a writer that has dared to do differently. She has shown that she is a different breed, not just a different breed, but a very kind of special and different breed. The quality, creativity and innovation she puts in her film writing significantly improve the quality of the movies. They make the movies some of the best movies ever produced and place them among the very top and the very best.
The movies in which she contributed her writings can prove the fact. The Wedding party part 1 and part2, Across the Bloodied Ocean, King of Boys and the most recent one King of Boys: The return of the King (which is a 7-episode series on popular movie streaming platform, Netflix).
The first movie she wrote and directed “Across the Bloodied Ocean” was featured at the 2009 Pan-African Film Festival and also the National Black Arts Festival. This was just the beginning of greatness for her. Her first feature movie, that is the first Nollywood movie she got featured on, Wedding Party, was also screened and viewed at the Toronto International Film Festival. It was also the opening movie of the City – City Spotlights. This movie also received many favourable and positive reviews. It put her more in the spotlight than her first movie, Across the Bloodied Ocean.
King of Boys, the movie released in 2018, is still the highest-grossing Nigerian movie till date. The season movie of the King of Boys is currently one of the tops African movies on popular movie streaming platform, Netflix. It was the number 1 movie at a point on Netflix. The movie is still getting positive reviews from fans and movie critics alike. Kemi Adetiba has been receiving many plaudits of the movie. She is usually the reference point on how movies should be written.
Apart from being an amazing writer, Kemi Adetiba is also a very amazing director. She also directed King of Boys and Wedding Party. Most of the films and movies she has written were equally directed by her. She has also directed many of the movies and music videos. She is an acclaimed movie director that has earned a nomination for African Movie Viewers’ Choice Awards for her works in the directing field.
Before she delved into directing for movies, she was a host of various shows. She also directed music videos, the most popular ones being My Darling by Tiwa Savage, Sitting on the Throne by Olamide, Anifowose by Olamide, Tease Me and Bad Guys by Wizkid, and Today Na Today by Omawunmi. She also won awards and nominations for her works in the music video industry. She was nominated for Best Music Video Director at the Headies in 2014. A year after, she won the 2015 Best Music Video Director award at the City People Entertainment Award.
Kemi Adetiba has soared in Nollywood. She has succeded in etching her name among the very great writers and directors in the movie industry. She is already attracting many Nollywood actors and actresses in her movies. King of Boys attracted many elites and A-list Nollywood actors and actresses: Sola Sobowale, Nse Ikpe Etim, Adesua Etomi, Efe Iwara, Osas Ighodaro, Toni Tones, Paul Sambo, Jide Kosoko, Akin Lewis, Richard Mofe Damijo, Keppy Ekpeyong, among others. The season 2 of KOB: Return of the King will surely attract more A-list actors and actresses. Kemi Adetiba, through her writing and directing, has given confidence to people to take up a challenge in acting. Titi Kuti, Charly Boy, Reminisce, can all attest to the fact.
She brought her expertise in the music video industry into directing and writing in Nollywood. Her experience, talent and skill were seen in the overall turnout of the movies that she has directed and written. She has brought the revolution that Nollywood needs. She has inspired other writers and directors to tell and direct their stories the way they want to. Kemi Adetiba’s boldness and courage was seen evidently in the film she has worked. Kemi Adetiba has started the revolution Nollywood needed. If other writers join the revolution soon enough, Nollywood would be rebranded.
