Making an Epic from the Civil War
10.29.2009

Based on true life experience that led to the bloody three-year civil war in the country, a Nigerian film maker based in the United States is shooting a movie in other to tell the true story. CHINYERE OKOYE spoke to Sunny Ache, who brought various actors and actresses for the epic

After independence, Nigeria became a federation and remained one country. Soon afterward, the battle to consolidate the political legacy and military dominance of a section of Nigeria over the rest of the federation began with increased intensity. It is this struggle that eventually degenerated into coup, counter coup and a bloody civil war afterwards.
There was division, hatred, unhealthy rivalry, and pronounced disparity in development. The growth of nationalism in the society and the subsequent emergence of political parties were based on ethnic/tribal rather than national interests, and therefore had no unifying effect on the people against the colonial master.
The Nigerian Civil War broke out on July 6 1967 and ended on January 15 1970. The war was the culmination of an uneasy peace and stability that had plagued the nation from independence in 1960. This situation had its genesis in the geography, history, culture and demography of Nigeria.
The former Eastern Region under Lt. Col. Odumegwu Ojukwu saw the act of the creation of states by decree "without consultation" as the last straw, and declared the region an independent state of "Biafra", but to avoid disintegration of the country, the central government was left with only one choice of bringing back the region to the main fold by force.


In Nollywood today, international awareness about Nigerian filmmaker is increasing over the past few years by African-Americans in the US. Blacks in the Caribbean and UK are taking notes of videos being produced locally and they are looking for ways to bring these stories to the big screen.
Hollywood producers churn out multi-million dollar movie each year, while Bollywood has gained worldwide recognition in entertainment. For Nigerian filmmakers to gain international recognition in their own right, group of UK, US and Nigeria qualified young filmmakers have come together to take Nigerian stories from video to cinema, with the title: “Unbreakable Nation.” This is in collaboration with Tinapa.
Sunny Ache, the writer and director of “Unbreakable Nation” told THISDAY about his passion to make this film. He also stated the reasons why he chose the title “Unbreakable nation”. “I titled this film “Unbreakable Nation” because after my findings on the war, I looked at the reasons behind the war after the Eastern region voted to secede in July 1967, but failed in January of 1970.



The nation was placed under a sledge hammer but did not break despite the big cracks”, Ache said. Again, “Unbreakable Nation, the story about Nigerian Civil war tend to answer whether people like Odumegwu Ojukwu, was on a mission to self destruction or on a nationalist.
“Unbreakable Nation” will feature Hollywood actor, George Calil, actor/co-producer, Annie Carrington, an American based cinematographer and 2009 award winner in directing 31 North and 62 East film. Jennifer Belander is producer/casting director of “Unbreakable Nation.”
The film will also feature Nollywood actors and actresses like Segun Arinze, Jim Iyke, Genevieve Nnaji and Rita Dominic. Investors in to the film get 25 per cent pay back. “Unbreakable Nation” has the budget of the $10million dollar while the budget for the first quarter of advertisement is $2million.


Silverbird has indicated interest in co-producing and distributing the Film Unbreakable Nation. According to Mr. Guy Murray-Bruce, the entire African continent has to be signed over to them as Silverbird's jurisdiction for cinema distribution. The movie is now been produced by Motion Man Picture Studios in association with Silverbird Production.

According to the writer and director, Nigerian civil war, unlike other wars across international boundaries, was a war of unification, a war of reintegration. The human aspect was paramount. It was a contradiction and complication not easy to resolve or subdue without fatal and permanent injuries, how to feed and house civilian population without exposing troops to danger and risk of saboteurs and infiltrators, how to achieve surrender without inflicting permanent or long lasting psychological humiliation.
Communication in the field was a big problem to both sides in the conflict. The importance of good and reliable communication and gathering of adequate up-to- date intelligence of the enemy was a big lesson. However, the silencing of guns allowed the milk of brotherhood, love, understanding and sympathy to flow from both the civilians and the soldiers on the federal side to their fellow citizens on the rebel side.
“The war had come and gone. The story of the war and what led to it has been told, is being told and will continue to be told. What seems to me a human tragedy all through ages is the inability of man to learn a good lesson from the past so as to avoid the pitfall of those who had gone before”, Ache said.









http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=158405

Oh wow.

This would be the only Nollywood movie i'd be looking forward to.

If they execute this properly, the movie is gonna rake in @ least 5 times the investment. Especially if they market it well internationally.

As for the home market, they should forget it for the following reasons;

1. The Alaba mafia no go gree the movie comot dem don tidy the Blu-ray begin sell.

2. Topic is so controversial (i personally have investigated/researched, everybody has their take on the war both within & outside ethinic lines)
So it has the potential of heating up the polity that Madam rebranding might ban ze movie DISTRICT 9 anybody!

plus by heating up the polity i mean some Boko Haram types who aint never seen a TV set might take to the streets to prepare human suya.

all in all if it aint the usual posturing, The project is a laudable idea to be encouraged.

Topic is so controversial (i personally have investigated/researched, everybody has their take on the war both within & outside ethinic lines)

Dude, controversy sells. For this reason alone this movie will blow if properly executed.

The only thing that may stop this movie from seeing the light of the day in Nigeria is if it is banned but then again it is a far cry.

Segun Arinze will play the character of Odumegwu Ojukwu. Do you think he fits the role?

Aloy~Emeka:

Segun Arinze will play the character of Odumegwu Ojukwu. Do you think he fits the role?

What is Segun Arinze's spoken Igbo like?
I think the role will fit Pete Edochie nontheless, Segun Arinze is such a good actor.

OMO IBO:

Dude, controversy sells. For this reason alone this movie will blow if properly executed.

The only thing that may stop this movie from seeing the light of the day in Nigeria is if it is banned but then again it is a far cry.

I agree with u, If properly executed the movie is gonna blow, besides i believe the promoters of this project were not looking towards naija to recoup even 10% of the $10milla.

But believe me, some ppl have to be painted in a bad light or in a way unacceptable to em in this movie, and u & i know the major players in the war r all alive & still pull considerable weight.

So no matter what the controversy element in naija must be there.

As for me i'm more into the technical/Artistic aspects of the project, if it happens, Because once again, we too yan for this country.

OMO IBO:

What is Segun Arinze's spoken Igbo like?
I think the role will fit Pete Edochie nontheless, Segun Arinze is such a good actor.

First of all, you don't need to be a good igbo speaker to lead the role, that's why its called acting. Secondly, Pete Edochie is way too old for Ojukwu's role. I even think that Segun Arinze is too old for that role.

Odumegwu Ojukwu was 34 years old when he led Biafra. I think Jim Iyke will fit the role more because he is closer to that age range.

Well, I'd imagine that they'd incoporate some (igbo) language into the movie to bring it alive. hence my comment.

I've never heard Segun Arinze speak Igbo in any movie and he doesn't come across as someone who can or even does. This brings Pete Edochie into the equation but then he is prolly too old to play the character which leaves Jim Iyke as the only suitable person as you rightly suggested.

diggler:

I agree with u, If properly executed the movie is gonna blow, besides i believe the promoters of this project were not looking towards naija to recoup even 10% of the $10milla.

But believe me, some ppl have to be painted in a bad light or in a way unacceptable to em in this movie, and u & i know the major players in the war r all alive & still pull considerable weight.

So no matter what the controversy element in naija must be there.

As for me i'm more into the technical/Artistic aspects of the project, if it happens, Because once again, we too yan for this country.

Hmmmm. Fair point, fair point.

If the movie turns out to be controversial madam rebranding would be under pressure to ban it.

diggler:

I agree with u, If properly executed the movie is gonna blow, besides i believe the promoters of this project were not looking towards naija to recoup even 10% of the $10milla.

But believe me, some ppl have to be painted in a bad light or in a way unacceptable to em in this movie, and u & i know the major players in the war r all alive & still pull considerable weight.

So no matter what the controversy element in naija must be there.

As for me i'm more into the technical/Artistic aspects of the project, if it happens, Because once again, we too yan for this country.

If they go overboard with it, the Nigerian censorship board will not approve it and if they make it a Hollywood production, the district 9 issue will arise again. They don't have to go around making disparaging remarks about others just to tell a story besides, the actors and actresses have fans across the nation and will not like to kill their career with one picture alone . The likes of Udezue and Mekuslogan should be excluded completely from this picture if success should be attained.

OMO IBO:

Well, I'd imagine that they'd incoporate some (igbo) language into the movie to bring it alive. hence my comment.

I've never heard Segun Arinze speak Igbo in any movie and he doesn't come across as someone who can or even does. This brings Pete Edochie into the equation but then he is prolly too old to play the character which leaves Jim Iyke as the only suitable person as you rightly suggested.

Did Ojukwu conduct Biafra affairs in igbo language?. Was Biafra an only igbo affair?. Effiong, his assistant was not igbo and other Biafra officers were/are not igbos too. So, why should igbo language come into play here besides, any actor can act in any language. That is part of the job and all he or she needs is somebody conversant with that language to walk him/her through the script. I forgot the name of this Igbo Nollywood actor who also acts in yoruba movies; he was asked about his proficiency in Yoruba language and he said, " I neither speak nor understand Yoruba". So, acting in a particular language doesn't mean one understands the language. Ameze Imarhiagbe did few movies in igbo and she is a Bini girl who grew up in Lagos. I seriously doubt if she speaks or understands igbo.

I think you are missing my point.

Whethr the language is in Igbo, Efik or whatever. . . . .it doesn't matter.
In order to bring the movie alight, it'd make more sense if some of the conversation is done in some lingo.

OMO IBO:

I think you are missing my point.

Whethr the language is in Igbo, Efik or whatever. . . . .it doesn't matter.
In order to bring the movie alight, it'd make more sense if some of the conversation is done in some lingo.

I don't think so. There will be igbo and hausa spoken in different scenes by the people but I don't think the leaders do need to know how to speak either language. I am guessing they will use Segun Arinze as Gowon and Jim Iyke as Ojukwu. I also heard someone will play Obasanjo in the movie and I wonder who will be ugly enough to play Obasanjo. May be John okafor.

@omo ibo

Segun arinze's spoken igbo isnt the best, He certainly doesnt sound like a true native igbo speaker, I reckon some1 like pete edochie fits the role or perhaps ejike asiegbu,

john okafor playing a serious role?

bawomolo:

john okafor playing a serious role?

No, it was a suggestion since there will be a role for Obasanjo. Do you have any actor uglier than John Okafor to play the role?. Obasanjo's role must be played by an ugly actor.

Is the story going to be told from the Igbo point of view? I think that would not be a good Idea, it should be told from multiple views so that no one looks like a victim. The topic is still quite raw, so they better be careful!

So then, who plays Yakubu Gowon, Adekunle Fajuyi and the rest of the major players during the war? I have a feeling  we gonna see some new up and coming actors in this movie and this would be good for the industry.

Aloy~Emeka:

No, it was a suggestion since there will be a role for Obasanjo. Do you have any actor uglier than John Okafor to play the role?. Obasanjo's role must be played by an ugly actor.

now that's just wicked lol

For this movie to be a success, the true story of Biafra must be told and shown in its best graphic way as possible. It must show how the ibos were throughly brutalized, beaten, crushed, destroyed and almost exterminated. That is the real Biafra stroy. No propaganda to try and reverse the role that Biafra beat the Nigerian Army. The Nigerian Army must be shown to be in charge shelling the Hell out of the ibos 24/7.

Also those hungry looking kwashokior looking biafra children we see on BBC every now and then must be intergrated into the movie. It must show the pogrom at its very best and the highlight of the movie should be when the Biafra people finally surrendered to the Mighty Nigerian Army and General Obasanjo decided to forgive their stupidity by accepting their shameful surrender to the Nigerian Army.

Now i would pay top dollar to watch that movie over and over again because it would be a classic

AfroCynic:

[b]Is the story going to be told from the Igbo point of view? [/b]I think that would not be a good Idea, it should be told from multiple views so that no one looks like a victim. The topic is still quite raw, so they better be careful!

What do you mean by igbo point of view?. Biafra story has been there for anybody whether igbo, hausa or Yoruba to turn it into pictures. So, why should it have different tribal point of views?. Rwandans did not tell the story in Hotel Rwanda and so on. In the same vein, any Nigerian whether igbo, Bini, Yoruba, Hausa, Fulani etc can turn the Afonja war into pictures. There will not be any point of view issue here.

this is great!!!!
im gonna watch and try and learn EVERYTHING there is to know about this war.
i really cant wait!!!
i cant wait to buy it when it comes out tooo.

Pete Edochie should most def be in this movie!!
hmmmm and i think i got a list of a couple of other guys that should be in this movie too.
im looking out, cant wait.

Aloy~Emeka:

What do you mean by igbo point of view?. Biafra story has been there for anybody whether igbo, hausa or Yoruba to turn it into pictures. So, why should it have different tribal point of views?. Rwandans did not tell the story in Hotel Rwanda and so on. In the same vein, any Nigerian whether igbo, Bini, Yoruba, Hausa, Fulani etc can turn the Afonja war into pictures. There will not be any point of view issue here.

I really wonder about your comprehension of the English language sometimes. You see how the book 'half of a yellow sun' was told from the Igbo point of view? Is the film going to be like that? I feel if is it, it might stoke some ethnic tensions. Nigeria as a nation has not matured enough for us to be able to talk about these things without trouble brewing, dig?

The amaka has spoken, say no more, lol

german007:

The amaka has spoken, say no more, lol

huh?
lol

I cant wait

AfroCynic:


I really wonder about your comprehension of the English language sometimes. You see how the book 'half of a yellow sun' was told from the Igbo point of view? Is the film going to be like that? I feel if is it, it might stoke some ethnic tensions. Nigeria as a nation has not matured enough for us to be able to talk about these things without trouble brewing, dig?

Did it stop the book from selling and well known?It is the same attitude of trying to sweep everything under the carpet one of the reasons naija is the way it is now.

ITS A GREAT IDEA THIS MOVIE IF IT IS DONE LIKE ITS A REAL LIFE SCENE IT WILL TAKE OUR MOVIE INDUSTRY TO THE NEXT LEVEL AND I TELL YOU IT WILL BRING A NEW DAWN TO PROFESSION MOVIE PRODUCTION. THE FACT IS THAT THE WAR IS BETWEEN THE NIGERIAN ARMY AND THE IGBO RACE AND YOU CANNOT ISOLATE THE LANGUAGE FROM THE MOVIE,

FOR THE ACTORS SEGUN CAN FIT AS GOWON AND GIM IYKE AS OJUKWU THAT WILL SOLVE THE LANGUAGE ISSUE BUT I DNT THINK IS A BIG DEAL WHO'S FLUENT OR OT IN IGBO

FOR MADAM REBRANDING IF SHE DAREs IT SHE WILL HAVE HER NAME AND FULL STORY IN NEWSpers both local and international,she should stop forcing a good image on nigeria the country is already dead it will only rebrand itself if the leaders and politicians like her start thinking well and doing what is good for the masses. if she think because she did well when she was in the health industry she can use it as an excuse for right thinking she should rethink cos she is just wasting that portfolio she is on presently, i suggest she go for a three months class on information technology

It's about time. Good move. I will be subscribing.

Is this different from 'half of a yellow sun' book thats going be produced and released in 2011 by Kevin Macdonald