THE CONCUBINE FOR NIGERIA 'S 50TH ANNIVERSARY

By NBF News

Activities scheduled to celebrate the 50th Independence Anniversary received a boost with the announcement from Chescana Global Link Productions that the screen adaptation of Elechi Amadi's The Concubine will be formally presented to the public on October 1.

Chief Executive Officer of Chescana Global Link Productions and Executive Producer of the film Uche Chikendu said 'We have chosen that date as our own way of celebrating the significant role played by the arts in our 50 years of existence as a nation'.

Published in 1966, The Concubine is one of most successful books from African writers of the post-independence era.

While disclosing that the film directed by Andy Ameachi has been serialized for Television and that it cost N30 million to make, Chikendu said that it has been screened in different countries by critics, adding that it has been edited into over forty-five episodes.

He further disclosed that owing to demands made by some channels in Europe, the film is being voiced over in French and Italian. He said: 'Though we concluded work on The Concubine by 2007 and the expectation was that we should immediately take the film to the cinemas, we did not. This is because we want to present the film in style and we are poised to exploit the golden jubilee of our country. Our decision has nothing to do with the lull in the sale of home videos. After editing, the film was over nine hours long, so we thought it better for us to present it in a format that will not tire the viewer and at the same time retain the substance of the story'.

Chikendu who underscored the need to bring back the long lost reading culture in the country especially among the youths said his company will soon commence work on making Chinua Achebe's Arrow Of God. 'Many are of the opinion that Nigerians have forgotten where they are coming from and this has led to the loss of values in our society. But I believe that through films that tell stories, that project chore African values of respect, honesty, dignity in labour, honour and integrity, young ones will turn away from vice.

It may be gradual, but I tell you I invested over N30 million in The Concubine, because as a young boy in school I read and fell in love with the book. Indeed, the books I read as a young child greatly influenced my philosophy as an individual and I believe I can make school children read these books after watching my films', he concluded.