The years may pass, projects may come and go, but the friendships and shared memories remain among the most rewarding parts of this work.
ONE of the best gifts of my journey through film, television and storytelling has always been the people. Over the last few days, in different post codes across the UK, I have had the joy of reconnecting with some old friends, collaborators and colleagues whose paths have intertwined with mine over many years of creative work.
From catching up with Yinka Oduniyi, producer of the seminal documentary Mothers of Chibok and a dear friend and collaborator of over three decades, to spending time with Mike-Steve Adeleye, with whom we created several long-running projects including #BRETHREN, to founder of the Nollywood2Hollywood Film Festival LA, my old friend, filmmaker Ose Oyamedan, and the ever-brilliant actress Christina Oshunniyi, who has played leading roles in a few of my work, lately ‘The Man Died.’ The conversations all felt like picking up exactly where we left off.
The week was made even richer with collaborative explorations with Dr. Samantha Iwowo, leading film scholar at Bournemouth University, and the amazing co-founders of the Eastern Nigeria International Film Festival, Ike Nnaebue and Ujuaku Nwakalor-Akukwe, whose passion for cinema and cultural storytelling continues to expand opportunities for filmmakers and audiences alike.
The years may pass, projects may come and go, but the friendships and shared memories remain among the most rewarding parts of this work.
