Tunde Kelani

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ignore those things. He was just responding to his environment through filmmaking. The major factors that influence him in the process of choosing a career were Yoruba literatures, Nigerian Education, Chief Obafemi Awolowo……I looked up to him and wanted to be like him [sic], Yoruba religion, Yoruba Philosophy etc.…….these are worthwhile rich experiences that will continue to influence me.

Tunde believes that culture is the absolute representation of a man. According to him,

“Your total being is your culture. The Yoruba culture is essentially a moralistic one. You can apply this to any other culture but what we know in our culture was the importance of a good name and a good character, “Omo Oluwa bi”, you have to bring honor to the family…why we are having so many problems today is because there is a cultural vacuum. People are cut off from their culture, therefore resulting to short of moral.”

2.3 Early Career

In the 1970s, Kelani worked as a BBC TV and Reuters correspondent, and in Nigerian TV. For Reuters he travelled to Ethiopia to cover the drought and to Zimbabwe three times to cover independence there. Once he finished from the London Film School, he returned to Nigeria and co-produced his first film with Adebayo Faleti called The Dilema of Rev. Father Michael. (Idaamu Paadi Minkailu). Other co-producers include Alhaji Lasisi Oriekun, Wale Fanubi – his partner from Cinekraft, Yemi Farounbi and screenplay by Lola Fani-Kayode. Tunde Kelani has also worked on most feature films produced in Nigeria in his capacity as a Cinematographer. Some of the 16mm feature films he worked on include: Anikura; Ogun Ajaye; Iya Ni Wura; Taxi Driver; Iwa and Fopomoyo. In 1990, Kelani was an assistant director and an actor in an American drama film, Mister Johnson, shot in Nigeria. Starring Pierce Brosnan and Maynard Eziashi, the film was based on a 1939 novel by Joyce Cary.

2.4 Literary Adaptations

TK developed a soft spot for reading at a very young age and this later developed into his favourite pastime. Starting with the 5 works of D.O Fagunwa, which include Igbo Olodumare, Ogboju Ode Ninu Igbo Irunmale, Aditu Olodumare, Irinkerindo Ninu Igbo Elegbeje and Ireke Onibudo, he immersed himself in any literal work he could get his hands on in both Yoruba and English Language. Once he discovered the relationship between literature and drama, he adopted literary adaptations as a working model for his filmmaking. Not only does he love the books, he love the authors too as he’s always found hanging among them. His favourite writers include Kola Akinlade, Pa Amos Tutuola, Cyprian Ekwensi, Akinwunmi Ishola, Adebayo Faleti, Wale Ogunyemi and Wole Soyinka.

Some of his most successful films are literary adaptations and they include: Koseegbe, Oleku, Thunderbold (Magun), The White Handkerchief, The Narrow Path, Maami and recently Dazzling Mirage. He has decided to maintain this model for his future films.

2.5 Production Company

In 1991, Tunde Kelani started his own production company, Mainframe Films and Television Productions – Opomulero, so he could produce films and not just lend technical support. Having emerged from the world of theatre and literature, adaptations of books and plays for cinema are the core of Kelani’s filmmaking practice and through them he celebrates writers and their work to what he sees as a public that reads less and less.

At Mainframe, he has produced movies such as Ti Oluwa Nile, Ayo Ni Mo Fe, Koseegbe, Oleku, Thunderbolt (Magun), Saworoide, Agogo Eewo, The Campus Queen, Abeni, Narrow Path, Arugba and Maami.

His Latest work, Dazzling Mirage, an adaptation from a novel by Olayinka Egbokhare is a love story of how a sickle cell suffer overcomes social stigma, prejudice and her own low self-esteem, to achieve success, marriage and motherhood. Through the movie, he hopes to bring much needed awareness and attention to the sickle cell condition and help people make better informed