The governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has called his city a “Bastion of Entertainment” from which the globe benefits from an influx of innovative ideas.
This was expressed by Sanwo-Olu during the Glover Memorial Hall, Lagos premiere of the film Last Man Standing, a biopic on President Bola Tinubu.
The film “Last Man Standing,” which had its world premiere in Abuja, is a biopic about the events that unfolded during Tinubu’s eight years in office as Governor of Lagos State.
Therefore, the governor, who was represented by Mr Jaiye Opayemi, a Public Relations expert and the Managing Director of Chain Reactions Nigeria, made an appeal for help from all quarters to ensure the continued success of the creative sector and the production of high-quality works in the future.
In the film Last Man Standing, Lateef Adedimeji portrayed President Bola Tinubu.
Since the creative industry has the potential to employ more people than the oil and gas business, he claims that Lagos State would provide it with the necessary resources.
“Lagos State is not just Africa’s entertainment capital, Lagos is indeed the bastion of entertainment.
“It is the place where we export the very best of creativity to the rest of the world.
“This is to say thank you to the producers and the cast and crew who have put this biopic together in recognition and celebration of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” he said.
Creator and Executive Producer Dr. Abisoye Fagade In his speech, he said that honouring Tinubu via historical preservation was the best way to recognise him.
However, Fagade pointed out that records of past events and occurrences in Nigeria were a significant challenge.
“Our major problem in Nigeria is that we do not document things. If our forefathers had documented some of the things they knew, things would be different for us today.
“But I was privileged to be alive at the time Asiwaju was the governor of Lagos State and l can remember Lagos State in the 80s through the 90s, and how the Island, the Maroko in those days, has become the choice of the people today.
“I realise that there is no better way to celebrate Asiwaju and to contribute my own quota to the history of this country and to document it,” he said.
The Deputy Speaker of the Lagos House of Assembly, Hon. Mojisola Ojora Meranda, AIG Hakeem Odumosu, the Boss of Corporate Pictures, Alhaji Abdullahi Abdulrasaq, and Dr. Abisoye Fagade were all in attendance.
Bimpe Oyebade Adedimeji, who played President Tinubu’s wife in the biography, was also there, as was Shushu Abubakar, who played Remi Tinubu.
Director Tunde Olaoye, actress Kofoworola Abiola Atanda, also known as Madam Kofo, who played Iyaloja Abibatu Mogaji, actor Foluke Daramola, and actor/host Segun Arinze also attended the premiere.
Dr. Shaibu Husseini, Zeb Ejiro, Gbenga Adeyinka, Jide Kosoko, Sam Olatunji, and others were also in attendance.
Mr. Seun Oloketuyi, the film’s producer, discussed the challenges he had in recruiting the film’s actors and crew.
He said: “It was a difficult task for us getting the cast and crew together because it was casted few months before 2023 general election.
“It was a difficult task getting someone to play the role of Asiwaju because that was the time when social media was volatile on the subject of politics.
“The social media was agog with all sorts of abuses but l appreciate all those who took out their precious time to be part of the Tinubu biopic,” he said.
Oloketuyi discussed the meaning of the biopic, saying it exemplified President Tinubu’s energy, determination, and resolve.
“On how for eight years, the former governor masterfully withstood Federal might over issues like the creation of more local governments to bring government closer to the people.
“It serves as a raw showcase of the brilliance of Nigeria’s number one citizen who became a political enigma against all odds,” he said.
