Lola Fani-Kayode, writer of Mirror in the Sun, the popular soap opera, which grabbed the attention of Nigerians in the late 1990s and the late Amaka Igwe, late movie producer and director, lead the pack of 17 women whose profile are contained in ‘Ladies Calling the Shots’, a book on female film directors in Nigeria.
The book is written by Niran Adedokun, a Lagos-based public relations practitioner, lawyer and writer.
Apart from Fani-Kayode and Igwe, other female directors in the book include, which will be launched on November 13 at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Kofo Abayomi, Victoria Island, Lagos, under the chairmanship of former Governor of Ogun State, Chief Olusegun Osoba, are Mildred Okwo, Pat Oghre Imobhio, Tope Oshin, Blessing Egbe, Stephanie Linus, Grace Edwin-Okon, OLA Selhurst, Belinda Yanga-Agedah, Adeola Osunkojo, Ema Edosio, Remi Vaughan-Richards, Ronke Macaulay, Funke Fayoyin and Vanessa Nzediegwu and Omoni Oboli
The book, according to Adeodokun, premised on the relatively obscure nature of the directors’ role in the film making process and the need to celebrate the women who are making Nigeria proud on this front.
Other dignitaries expected at the event are Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Akinwumi Ambode; President, Wellbeing Foundation Africa and wife of Senate President, Mrs Toyin Saraki; Wife of the Governor of Kwara, Dcns Omolewa Ahmed; Speaker Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Hon Onofiok Luke; Managing Director of The Nigerian Ports Authority, Ms Hadiza Bala Usman; Vice Chancellor, Kwara State University, Professor AbdulRasheed Na’Allah; Chairman Wale Adenuga Productions, Mr Wale Adenuga and President of the National Association of Nigerian Travel Agents (NANTA), Mr Bernard Bankole.
Multi-talented artiste, Femi Jacobs, will host the public presentation, which is scheduled to take off at noon, while the book will be reviewed by Toni Kan, a writer.