Lagos, Nigeria — Yoruba actor and filmmaker, Ademola, don talk say e don decide to remake im 2004 award-winning movie, *Ori*, after more than 20 years.
The original film na massive success, wey carry multiple national and international awards, including Africa Movie Academy Award (AMAA) for Best Indigenous Movie. E also mark Ademola’s first trip outside Nigeria. For 2025, the actor don reboot the story with new title, ‘Ori: The Rebirth’. Ademola explain say di film’s “legacy and constant fan demand” na wetin push am to revisit di story.
“As a producer, na always get that one film wey when you don do am, things begin change for di better, and na wetin happen for di film ‘Ori’ wey I shoot for 2003 and release for 2004,” he talk. “E be like say na di film wey take me out of di country for di first time, and e win plenty awards, including AMAA for di ‘Best Indigenous Movie.’ So, e bring plenty beautiful things.”
Ademola continue say, “Every time I step out from my house, people dey ask me wetin I go do for ‘Ori’. I even try to make stage play and write book, but I discover say people no dey read again; I just get plenty ideas.”
“When e clock 20 years, I think say I go immortalise di film and make something wey go outlive me. So, for 2023 we shoot ‘Ori: The Rebirth’. Na di things wey come with di first ‘Ori’ inspire me to do something about am, and now e don happen.”
He talk about di financial strain wey come with funding di film by himself, explaining say him family gatz cut down for expenses to make am work. Di filmmaker also reveal say dem build one private jet wey dem use for one crash scene from scratch to make sure say e look realistic.
“When I start filming ‘Ori: The Rebirth’, I put everything wey I get for am, borrowing money from friends and family because I be di executive producer. I raise all di money by myself because I no wan make anybody call me out if di film fail,” he share. “For my house, we gatz reduce some spendings, but my wife and children support me.”
“Di plane crash scene wey dey di film na one reason, because I wan make am look real, we build di private jet from scratch,” he add. “Na serious investment, but I believe say di outcome go worth am.”
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