THE Oyo State government has encouraged film producers not to relent in showcasing Yoruba historical heritage, saying it is a means of passing across the cultural values to the public and importantly, the upcoming generations.
This was stated by the governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, who was represented by the Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr Toye Arulogun, at the auditioning sessions of a movie on the life and times of an Ibadan war generalissimo, Balogun Ibikunle, at the Cultural Centre, Mokola, Ibadan.
Stating the state government’s readiness in keeping alive Yoruba heritage, Mr Arulogun, who was also, auditioned said that artistes should always subject themselves to auditioning to learn better to be able to improve on their performances.
The President of Theatre Arts and Motion Pictures Producers of Nigeria (TAMPAN), Prince Dele Odule, who was vicibly happy with the calibre of the cast, including himself, opined that the standard of movie production must not fall, rather should be improved upon.
Prince Odule during his, auditioning, showcased his drumming prowess to the amazement of the audience.
The producer, Mr Biodun Latinwo Eleni, was happy with the turnout of people. He, however, expressed his displeasure over the revelations during the auditioning that Yoruba has lost a lot of its heritage, as many of the auditioned had no knowledge of their cultural values, such as songs, dancing steps, pernagerics etc He assured that no one would be left out of the production of ‘Balogun Ibikunle’, billed for shooting early next month.
and then