Lateef Adedimeji, right, playing the role of the late Ayinla Omowura, left and Tunde Kelani, the master cinematographer. Photos by Odolaye Aremu and Adegbenro Adebanjo
By Odolaye Aremu
The dullish, usually stoned, beady eyeballs that seemingly sparked tiny embers of fire on focus. The unusually distended esophagus, and those smoky-colored full lips looking ready to take a rich, long drag on a joint, all look familiar.
The facial resemblance is however uncanny even if it’s only passable. Even without the man’s enigmatic mystique, the young lanky actor Lateef Adedimeji, looks close to a younger, much skinnier Omowura. Now I can’t wait to hear him deliver his lines like Omowura.
That unmistakable dominant “shhh” sound. An impediment that more or less gave the Anigilaje speech pattern and sound its authenticity. The Omowura body mechanics that’s essentially razz, deliberately uncouth, streets and beautifully hoodlumish. I hope they have a dead-on fill-in for the dynamic rhythm maker – Pa Adewole Alao Onílù-Ọlá.
For an Omowura epic without him is like an ancient penny without a hole in it. And last but not the least, the ṣẹ̀kẹ̀rẹ̀ player who happens to be for me – the most enthusiastic entity in the Anigilaje band.
On every record, the ṣẹ̀kẹ̀rẹ̀ player – till today is a stunner! I just can’t hold myself long enough to see that much awaited biopic!
If this young actor can pull of this role of a lifetime, let me be the first to congratulate him on the forthcoming windfalls. His Nollywood career is certainly set!
-Odolaye Aremu is an Arts and public affairs analyst