By: Douglas Ogbankwa Esq.@douglasogbankwa@gmail.com
The heights by great men reached and kept were not attained in sudden flight but, they while their companions slept, they were toiling upwards in the night-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
The aphorism indicated above aptly captures the successful trajectory of Nigerian International and Award Winning Film Maker – Lancelot Oduwarene Imasuen, in carving a niche for himself in the murky waters and the Herculean milieu of the Nigerian Movie Industry. Amb. (Dr( Lancelot Imasuen’s strides are depicted in a profound altruism, which states thus:
Life does not give you,what you deserve ,it gives you ,what you bargain for.
Let us briefly recap some golden moments of Nigerian Nollywood by depicting some of the block busters that can aptly be dubbed the cradle of Nollywood.
The Nigerian Television Authority played a prominent role in building the acting culture in Nigeria.It created several situational comedies and soap operas that gave the inspiration for the full development of Nollywood.
These soaps/sitcoms included “Echuku” ,”,The New Masquerade”, “Village Headmaster “, “Bassey and Company ‘, “Hotel De Jordan. “Willie Willie ” , “Cockcrow at Dawn” “Behind the Clouds “,”Ripples “, Checkmate”etc .
In 1987 ,the prolific producer and later Executive Director, Programmes NTA, Chief Peter Produced an audaciously burgeoning production called “Things Fall Apart ‘, an adaptation of a best seller written by Chinua Achebe with the same name This was the Movie that first put the Igbo Culture on the National Consciousness with Chief Pete Edochie being the poster boy , with his incredibly sur real performance as “Okonkwo “.
In 1992 , Kenneth Okonkwo featured in a Movie that can rightly be called Nigeria,’s First Home Video Blockbuster-“Living in Bondage “.The Movie explored the mystery of the alleged money ritual and the fabled perils that come with it.In 1994 ,Zeb Ejiro brought in another blockbuster called “Nneka the Pretty Serpent “, another story of the water Spirit, alleged to be a story of beautiful and light skinned African Women with esoteric powers .
In 1994 , Nollywood film industry was in a way redefined by a Movie Called “Glamour Girls ” ,starring Liz Benson, Eucharia Anunobi, and Pat Attah. The Movie explored the facade of money and fame clothed in glamour, but essentially a product of organised prostitution .
As a response to “Glamour Girls ” Jeta Amaya made another block buster titled “Glamour Boys” , which featured Kepoy Ekpeyong -Bassey ,J.T. Tom West , Hilda Dokubo , Victoria Inyama ,Uche Osotule ,etc .This seems to be assymetric exploration of “,Glamour Girls ” ,using the male gender as a symbolism.
Not along after that , Emeka Ike and the then Omotola Jalade starred in the emotional flick “Mortal Inheritance”, a film that chronicles the challenges of those living with sickle cell anaemia and the perils of same .
In 1997 the Movie “Most Wanted ” starring Genevieve Nnaji, Regina Askia, Bob Manuel-Udokwu, Ibinabo Fiberesima, Ayo Adesanya, and Liz Benson, gave a semblance of crime thriller . The film, directed by Tunji Bamishigbin, follows four unemployed female graduates who turn to robbery and disguise themselves as men to carry out their heists. It was an unusual occurrence in Nigeria then to have female armed robbers .It was like changing the paradigm.
There were several other movies before the year 2000 featuring Nollywood greats like Pete Edochie , Rota Edochie, Fred Amata, Enebeli Elebuwa , Late Tony Umole , Richard Mofe Damijo , My current King -HRH, Okey Bakassi , Stephanie Okereke -now Stephanie Linus ,Patrick Doyle ,Ireti Doyle , Jide Kosoko , Tony Umez , Late Saint Obi , Eucharia Anunobi , Bimbo Akintola , Shan George , Kate Henshaw ,Rita Dominic , Chiwetalu Agu , Late Francis Agu ,Bob Manuel Udokwu , Ego Boyo , Late Rachael Oniga Zack Orji , Kanayo O. Kanayo , Sola Sobowale , Joke Silva , Olu Jacobs , Sam Dede , Nkem Owoh , Late Sam Loco Efe ,etc.My apologies if I missed any one .
We had great Directors and Producers like Zeb Ejiro , Zack Amaka , Christian Onu , Opa Williams , Kenneth Nnebue , Kenneth Okonkwo ,etc.
Those were the days were most movies were distributed and marketed from 51,Iweka Road Onitsha , 1/2 Pound Road Aba and 42 and at one Lane , Idumota , Lagos .It was the year, when the marketers were kings .They were the masters of the game and they could run any one put of busy.
The coming of Amb (Dr) Lancelot Oduwanre Imasuen-De Guv’nor to the Nollywood Industry has however become a game changer .It altered completely the ownership and control structure of Nollywood.It was what lead to the formation of the Directors ‘ Guides of Nigeria, which has given Movie Directors a greater level of control and ownership over their creative work .
It was in the year 2000 that perhaps Nigeria ‘s most profound crime thriller till date -“Issakaba”, produced and directed by the Iconic Amb (Dr.) Lancelot Oduwanre Imasuen-De Guv’nor birthed.It was a movie of riveting suspense and no hold barred action , exploring the emerging issues of crime and society’s unorthodox approach in fighting same .
It is not a surprise, that Lancelot Oduwarene Imasuen was honoured as part of activities marking Nigeria’s 60th Independence Anniversary, by the Federal Government of Nigeria, through the Nigerian Film and Video Censor Board (NFVB), in an award tagged “60 Icons that have shaped the Nigerian Film and Video Industry.” It was an Award well deserved as Lancelot Imasuen was the only Edo person alive on the list The other Edolite, the very impressive Sam Loco Efe had exited the earthly stage to the great beyond.
And so there has been a season of celebration of this avatar in the month of June, every year as he celebrates his birthday.
When Lancelot turned 50 some few years ago, he used it advancing the arts in Benin One of the highpoints of this celebration was the Season of Words powered by the Benin Poetry Club, founded by Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen and the launch of 50 Poems in Honour of Lancelot at 50, powered by the Benin Writers’ Society, with the forward by Ahmed Mawaida Esq.,the National President of Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA)-Nigeria’s No. 1 Writer, by his office .
Nollywood has had its share of the best and within the best, Lancelot is among the best of the best.
So It was a Hollywood Director that came to Lagos to observe the process of making a Nigerian Movie. Seeing the cut and nail nuances at display he simply said “Not Hollywood- Nollywood”.That is the etymology of word “Nollywood,”.But for Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen, making one blockbuster movie to another has made him acquire an unrivalled image of distinction and excellence, for which he is aptly dubbed “De Guv’nor”.
It is said that madness is doing a thing the same way and expecting a different result .So, for Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen ,his selling point is departing from the established norm in making Nollywood Movies.Some times, when you depart from the norm ,you transcend to excellence.It was not a surprise ,that Lancelot Imasuen has to his credit, perhaps the most acclaimed Epic in Nigerian History invasion 1897, where my mentor , the Debonair Pastor Mike Osakpolo Omoregbee-the CEO of Standard Schools , Benin City played the Lead role of Oba Ovoranmen Nogbaise.
Personality profile of Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen
Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen
Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen, popularly known as De Guv’nor is a Nigerian film producer, director, and scriptwriter with over 25 years of experience. He is the CEO of Lancelot Imasuen Media Network (LIMN), Benin Film Academy (BFI), the newly formed Gospel Entertainment Network (HEN), a public speaker, and founding member of the Directors’ Guild of Nigeria (DGN).
Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen was born on the 20th of June 1971, to the family of Chief and Mrs Godwin Imasuen. He hails from Urhokuosa town of Uhunmwonde Local Government Area, Edo State, Nigeria. He had his primary education at Oguola Primary School, while his Secondary education was at Eghosa Grammar School, Benin City, Nigeria.
After his Secondary education, Lancelot proceeded to the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), where he studied Theatre Arts. As a child, Lancelot already had passion for the arts, and this was evident in his involvement in his secondary school’s drama society, and the literary and debating society.
He was also involved in the productions of his church drama group. Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen is married to Aimua Imasuen, and they are blessed with three lovely children.
Lancelot joined a professional theatre company called Earthpot Kulture in Benin at a young age. His career as a director started with Evangel Theatre, a TV Gospel Drama Series, at age 19.
From 1988-1991 when Lancelot relocated to Lagos, he worked as a casual staff of the Bendel Broadcasting Service (BBS). In 1994, he got a job as the Production Assistant of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA).
Lancelot rose to the limelight at the age of 26, with the film: Yesterday. Thus far, Lancelot has been featured and interviewed by CNN, BBC, America Public Radio, South Korean Broadcasting Service, Japan Broadcasting Corporation, Canadian Broadcasting Service, Nigerian Television Authority, African Independent Television, Channels Television, Silver Bird Television, African Journal Online, Washington Post, Guardian of Ottawa and several other International Broadcasting Network. He was the first African filmmaker to be a guest on CNN (Screening Room) in 2009 and he has also been featured in the CNN’s African Voices.
Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen is the Honorary Academic Chair on Filmmaking, Theatre and Mass Communication of the Department of Mass Communication, Benson Idahosa University, Benin City, Nigeria,where a special colloquium will be held in his honour in June ,2021 as part of his birthday celebrations.
▪︎Filmography
Yesterday – 1997
The Soul That Sinneth – 1999
The Last Burial – 2000
Issakaba – 2000
Private Sin – 2003
Enslaved – 2004
Moment of Truth – 2005
Family Battle – 2005
Games Women Play – 2005
Behind Closed Doors – 2005
Games Men Play – 2006
Yahoo Millionaire – 2007
Sister’s Love – 2008
Nollywood Babylon – 2008
Entanglement – 2009
Reloaded – 2009
Home in Exile – 2010
Bent Arrows – 2010
A Private Storm – 2010
Adesuwa – 2012,
Udeme Mmi – 2012
Lonely Heart – 2013
Invasion 1897 – 2014
ABC’s of Death 2 – 2014
The Insider – 2015
Enslaved – 2015
ATM (Authentic Tentative Marriage) – 2016
Darima’s Dilemma – 2017
Love Upon the Hills – 2017
Based on Principle – 2017
Idahosa – 2017
Shadows in the Dark – 2017
Crushed – 2018
Love Birds – 2018
Benin Fruit Seller (Documentary) – 2018
Wede – 2018
Rant Queens – 2019
The Wrong One – 2019
Sacrosanct – 2019:The First Film to be premiered in a Church in Edo State .
The Fall of Nekighidi (Stage Play) – 2019
Love or Quest – 2019,
Wede-2021 -the first Motion Picture to be premiered any where in Ishan Land ,Edo State
Gbege – 2021(yet to be released )
E’ Fendral Man:to be premiered on the 13th of June,2021,at the NBA Benin Bar House .
As A Public Speaker,He delivered a lecture at Howard University Washington DC.Lancelot delivered lectures at the Igbinedion University Okada, Nigeria, Ambrose Ali University Ekpoma, Nigeria, Benson Idahosa University, and Kwara State University.He delivered a seminar paper on Piracy in Nollywood on the 27th of March 2011. The seminar was organized by the African students of Columbia University, Washington DC.
He was the Guest speaker at the African series of African/Caribbean Society of the St. Andrews University, Scotland during the African student’s event.
Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen Awards And Nominations
Recipient of the Prestigious University of Port Harcourt Alumnus Award
Africa Movie Academy Award nominee for Best Director – 2006
Nominee for Best Feature Film at the Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) – 2010
Nominated at the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Director – 2012
Nollywood Movie Award nominee for Best Director – 2012
Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Nigerian Film – 2012
Nominated at the Nollywood Movie Award for Best Director – 2013
Audience Choice Award nominee at the Chicago International Film Festival – 2014
City People Movie Award for Movie Director of the Year (English) – 2015
Best Comedy Film at the Abuja International Film Festival – 2016
City People Movie Special Recognition Award – 2018
Award of Excellence at the Edo Talent Awards – 2018
Best Film Award at the Lekki International Film Festival – 2019
National Council for Arts and Culture Awards for propagating the Benin Cultural Heritage – 2019.
The Creative Industry Group’s Distinguished Veterans Recognition Award – 2019.
This expose’ will be inchoate if I do not give one of the Immortal aphorisms of Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen -,the sage ,which is not only inspiring but reassuring :
Locate your dream, then light up your passion, let the light burn as you keep doing what is right now , that you believe in and trust in your efforts. I tell you, one day, your candle will light up the world and time will celebrate you. This is exactly what is happening to Lancelot right ,as the Society stands still to celebrate an Enigma.Lancelot Imasuen is indeed a gift to this Generation.Congratulations sir on your golden birthday jubilee .It has been fifty productive years of impacting a generation !
It is not the years in your life that matters, but the life in your ways. -Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States.
▪︎Douglas Ogbankwa Esq.,a Lawyer is the Founder of Benin Writers’ Society, the Intellectual Hub and the Global Chairman of the Organising Committee of the Lancelot Moving Making @ 30.
