Factual Pursuit of Truth for Progress
The movie ‘Anikulapo’ has been rejected by the Nigerian Oscar Committee alongside two other related movies.
Anikulapo, directed by popular filmmaker and actor, Kunke Afolayan, Femi Adebayo’s ‘King of Thieves’ and Biyi Bandele’s Eleshin Oba: The King’s Horseman, have all been rejected.
The Nigerian Official Selection Committee (NOSC) led by Chineze Anyaene-Abonyi, has been heavily criticised for the selection process.
According to sources, the committee had a deadline of October 3 to submit a film for the 2023 Oscars but on September 19, the committee had already announced that no movie would be eligible for submission.
The movie was supposed to be submitted for the International Feature Film (IFF) category of the 2023 Oscars. A ‘No Film is eligible’ was sent to the prestigious award.
A source from a news outlet revealed that a group of eight members out of 15 voted for ‘No Film is Eligible’. Eleshin Oba allegedly got five votes while King of Thieves and Anikulapo got one vote each resulting in a vote ratio of 8:5:1:1 on September 3.
“… The committee’s job is not to determine the film that will win an Oscar but to submit one that meets the criteria.
“Getting a title mention alongside other countries that have films submitted for the Oscars – even if we do not win – would have been good for the Nigerian film industry… ”
In reaction to this, Kunle Afolayan has expressed his disappointment.
He wrote, “I am so pleased and delighted that the whole world has decided to tag ANIKULAPO film a masterpiece even though the Nigeria Oscar selection committee think its not worth submitting for the Oscars. Will keep doing my own thing.”
Members of the NOSC for Oscars
Members of the committee are; CHINEZE ANYAENE – ABONYI (Chairperson), Ego Boyo, Omotola Jalade Ekeinde, John Njamah, MAHMOOD ALI-BALOGUN, Stephanie Linus, Shaibu Husseini, BRUCE AYONOTE, Izu Ojukwu, ODUBAWO ADETOKUNBO, Moses Babatope, Yibo Koko, Meg Otanwa and Kenneth Gyang.
The last movie submitted to the Oscars was The Milkmaid in 2020.