If there is anything the award-winning theatre director and filmmaker, Bolanle Austen-Peters, has proven to be passionate about, then, it is her felt commitment to tell Nigerian stories, culturally as well socially important narratives.
From stage to screen, and from 93 Days to Collision Course and to Fela and The Kalakuta, Bolanle whom a notable culture journalist christened ‘The Yeye of the stage and screen’, has left no one in doubt about her commitment to tell stories that unpack a lot of cultural, social and history lessons.
It is in line with this commitment that the lawyer turned theatre director and filmmaker has offered the highly anticipated biopic, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti. The biopic, which BAP, as Bolanle is simply called by colleagues and friends, produced and directed, chronicles the life of Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, the mother of the legendary musician, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti. It portrays her journey from being the first female pupil at Abeokuta Grammar School to her marriage to Israel Ransome-Kuti. Specifically, the film, one of the few biopics to have been made in Nollywood, highlights her relentless fight against injustices, her establishment of the Abeokuta Women’s Union, and the ensuing bloody conflicts with traditional and colonial leaders who resisted her quest for justice and fairness.
A star-studded film, which scored alpha in all departments, stars a stellar cast including the dependable Omowunmi Dada, Joke Silva, the AMVCA 2024 best actress Kehinde Bankole, Adunni Ade, Iyimide Ayo-Olumoko, Ibrahim Suleiman, and Iremide Adeoye made a remarkable impact at the box office, grossing ₦71 million in its opening week. This impressive figure was announced by FilmOne, the distribution company in charge of getting the film to the right prospect. Critics are of the opinion that the strong box office performance reflects both the film’s high production values and the enduring relevance of the subject matter the film explores.
Founder and artistic director Bolanle Austen-Peters (BAP) Productions and the foremost and prestigious arts and culture centre in Lagos –Terra Kulture, Bolanle who is also founder of Terra Academy for the Arts in partnership with Mastercard Foundation, set up Terra Kulture in 2003 to promote the richness and diversity of Nigerian Languages, Arts and Culture. With over a hundred exhibitions, several plays and concerts and an appropriate ambience, Terra Kulture has become a major cultural hub in Nigeria for expatriates, students, Hollywood and Nollywood stars, artists and members of the diplomatic corps.
Named one of the most influential women in Africa by Forbes Afrique studied law at the University of Lagos and nternational law at the London School of Economics and Political Science, she had previously worked with the United Nations. Prior to that, she had worked as a lawyer with United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, New York, Ethiopia and Namibia.
She returned to Nigeria in 2001, served as Consultant to UNDP, Lagos before venturing into cultural entrepreneurship. She started with setting up Terra Kulture in 2003 and 10 years later, specifically in 2013, she established her own production company Bolanle Austen-Peters Productions (BAP Productions) with the goal of changing the narrative about Nigeria and Africa. So far, Bolanle has signed a couple of stage and screen productions as producer and much later as producer and director. In her production pouch are titles such as Fela and the Kalakuta queens, The Bling Lagosians, ’93 Days, which tells the story of the Ebola outbreak in Nigeria, The Collision Course, Man of God and the most recent, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti.
But these are just films. On stage or in the Nigerian theatre industry, BAP is queen. The cultural entrepreneur who is married to Dr. Oluwarotimi Austen-Peters and blessed with children, has produced more stage productions that any female independent theatre producer.
In her pouch as a theatre producer and director are award-winning productions such as, Saro, The Musical, Wakaa, the Musical, Man Enough and Fela and The Kalakuta Queens, which chronicles the life of the Afrobeat legend Fela Kuti and the women that were an integral part of his band. It was produced and created with the support of Fela Kuti’s estate and it was staged in Nigeria, Egypt, London and South Africa.
What is her take on what is obviously the success story that Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti has become? BAP replies: “Making this movie, showing this movie and distributing this movie in and of itself is a story worth talking about. This movie shows us the strength that lies within us as Nigerians. It shows us the stuff that every Nigerian is made of.
It shows us the strength of a woman, it shows us that united we can take over the world. This is a movie I am gratified that today we get to show the world the incredible work done by my team members and myself. We fought to ensure that this movie gets to the cinemas so that Nigerians get to see it and ignite a fire within us and a sense of purpose. It is important that we all go out and watch this movie that impacts all of us, our legacy, our history. Please spread the word, spread the campaign. Let us change our narrative.”
