Nigerian film producer, director, and music maker, Femi Lasode, who produced the legendary movie Sango is warming up to hit location soonest. And this time, he is to work in conjunction with the government of Osun State, to make another epic movie titled: Osun! Lasode, who is a former President of the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN) speaks with Paul Ukpabio
We learnt that the coronavirus has been most unkind to people from 40 years upwards, how have you been coping, and your survival strategy?
First of all I am an introvert by nature and do not encourage a lot of people in my space (most especially Nigerians because they are usually looking for someone to off load their problems on someone’s head. They always want to suck one dry. I can’t remember the last time someone came to me and said “take”, always “I beg”!) I don’t entertain friends, so I don’t have fear of catching Covid-19 since I stopped going to social events, years ago, and I neither encourage anyone into my space (except of course a pretty chic!). My life right now is very peaceful, plus I do not have a large family. I Stay clear of Nigerians and intend to live a long, stress-free life.
For a multi-talented person like you, has the lockdown period been a necessary idle period to you?
I am a very fortunate person because my studio and my residence are close by, and I am always working on my productions 24/7. There is no idle time for me. In any case I am usually living between Abuja and Lagos these days before the lockdown. I am winding down my PhD course at University of Abuja presently, so I am in Abuja Lockdown. My laptop keeps me very busy. Thank God for the invention of laptop. With it, I can reach the whole world.
In your opinion, do you consider the period of lockdown to have been worth it, considering the economic woes?
The period of Lockdown is very necessary because it focuses attention on this deadly scourge. Whether Nigerians, who generally hate to obey constituted authority, are ready to abide by the rules and regulations as stipulated by Health Authorities, is another issue. Whether they listen or not, this “Coro” plague is determined to wipe out the whole of humanity!
We hear that Osun the epic story, is your next big dream, but before this, which has been some of your works and which of your past work was most tasking?
Queen Mother Osun, the epic story is one of the many movie production “dreams” under the umbrella of the “Need to document our rich African history in movie format”. I produced a number of documentaries, as well as a historically-oriented movie such as “Sango, the legendary king,” as well as an adventure movie titled “Treasure Map”. Historical movies are most tasking because one has to replicate a particular period in time, and I often joke that one cannot showcase cell-phones in a 15th Century setting for a historical movie. In such a movie one needs to build sets that reflect the period. One definitely cannot use an uncle’s house, or Aunty’s “Lexus SUV”, and so on.
Now, Osun the epic movie, what is it going to be about?
I noticed, while attending a couple of Osun-Osogbo Festivals, that there were a lot of attendees from abroad – USA and Latin America. They go back home with beads, artwork, and Adire materials, but very few specially produced audio-visual materials for them to take back with them, to play for their families and friends. Especially few that tell the story of Osun, who she was and why she is so revered. From my research, I discovered that there are the spiritual stories, as espoused by artistes such as Adunni Olorisha Susanne Wenger and the historical narrative, as espoused in the book “History of the Yoruba” by Reverend Johnson. I was fascinated with his version and opted to research it further and someday put the historical version on film format for the benefit of generations yet unborn. ‘Osun’ the epic movie, will be our export through tourists annually, at Osun-Oshogbo festival.
Will there be a need to have a movie village for such a huge production in Osun state?
Everywhere in the world, film villages are tourism attractions, as well as provide employment opportunities for the teeming youth interested in working in the Culture and Tourism Sector. The idea of having a film village is important especially if one requires movie sets that can assist in the production of historical movies e.g. palace, and so on, tie it together with an entertainment centre and you are good to go for attracting foreign investment. Historical movies are popular all over the world, but African historical movies are not common because they are expensive to produce. Furthermore film villages are versatile and can be used and reused, while earning revenue for the state. Not to mention the collaboration between both the State television outfit and Theatre Arts Departments of the various Universities.
Have you identified the best location site so far in Osun?
I am advocating a main location which will be close to town and which will include a prefabricated administrative block, and palace set, as well as satellite film locations near tourism attraction sites. We are awaiting the appropriate authorities to assist in this area, especially since they will be managing it.
Shooting an epic of such nature, what exactly does it entail?
Movie making is “make believe,” putting it down as movie format to be enjoyed in the cinema, DVD, Online viewing and so on. First have your story, next put it in script format, sell your idea to investor to enable you get a good producer and production team. Select your actors, director, director of photography (DOP), and production crew. There is need for production locations, after production (shooting), then editing, promotion, launching, marketing, distribution-cinema, DVD, online distribution.
We hear from grapevine that the Osun government is hinting participation with you. What favourable plus will such a joint participation bring?
Yeah, we are already looking forward to a public-private partnership with Osun State and we definitely need the state’s support, clout, referral, network, advice. My interest is to shoot a movie, and handover any specially constructed sets, to the appropriate authorities in the form of a film village, to be used by other film producers. The movie will be an additional tool to promote the film village, and in turn enhance the state’s and nation’s tourism potentials.
You have also been big in music, grooming talents over the years, some from scratch and developing even the big ones. Which of the musicians do you recall working with and really enjoying it?
The musicians that I enjoyed working with the most are mainly the ones that worked with me on my cds: “Afrikan Rhythms”, “Afrobeat Sketches”, “Afro-New York Experience”, “Nigeria e dey kampe”…greats such as King Sunny Ade (MFR), Sunny Neji, Francis Goldman, Yinka Davies, Alariwo of Africa, Daddy Showkey, Kola Ogunkoya, Azeezat Allen, Eji Oyewole, Nelson Brown, Zilla Bee, Oscar Elimby, Eric Mann, RaDu Ben Judah, Naajah Noon, Papa Jungle Adichie, MCSmoke, Olubamidele Amenechi, Etim Bassey Etim, Oni Unokiwe, Israel Basset, Harriet, Lekan Oduntan and Beezeegreat, to name a few.
Let’s talk about covid-19, will the social and entertainment scene remain the same in post covid-19?
There will be more emphasis on on-line interaction and virtual world. But you need four essential tools, which are: handset, computer. data and electricity. Testing will become more prominent. Mad rush for local prevention and cure solution for the scourge, and social distancing will be the order of the day for a while. Everything will depend on the mortality rate. The lower the mortality rate, the greater are the chances that the period of large crowds will re-emerge.
And what can you say about our cultures, one of spraying money at parties and aso-ebi, do you see such surviving post Covid-19.
After this stressful period, I am very sure that it will take a long time for the era of ostentatious living to reappear. I believe that prudence will be the watchword and saving for a better tomorrow.
You have been on your Ph.D last year for a while now, when do you hope to finally complete it?
It remains the final submission and defending of my dissertation titled “The impact of Globalisation on the distribution of the Nigerian movie”, at University of Abuja, Media Arts Department. Here I develop a blue print to guide the replacing of Nigeria’s petroleum export, with cultural products, as Nigeria’s major export. Anyway “Covid-19” has put things on hold for now.
Are you considering a teaching job afterwards, considering your knowledge on African studies and so on?
No, I am more of a practical person, giving hands-on experience, but not a lecturer. I can’t imagine spending time reading people’s works. I would rather be in the studio creating and producing, then marketing and distributing