Nigerian author and filmmaker, Onyeka Nwelue continues production for his upcoming biopic, ‘Other Side of History’, after wrapping up with additional scenes shot in Ghana.
The film focuses on the life of Emeka Ojukwu, between 1954-1960, before Nigeria’s Independence, as he spends time, frolicking with different women and throwing parties for his friends, inviting highlife originator, E.T Mensah, from Ghana to play for him and Bobby Benson, singing at his birthday party.
In an interview with Ameyaw TV, Onyeka Nwelue highlighted the significance of the highlife pioneer in his narrative. “The film is a biopic of E.T Mensah and his peers in the 1950s. So, how he came to play in Nigeria in 1958 and what he means to Nigerians. E.T Mensah is the pioneer of highlife and people like Flavour have grown to become what they are through the mystery of E.T Mensah. Anyone who could afford to bring E.T Mensah to Enugu in the 50s was really a rich man, and Emeka Ojukwu, the founder of Biafra, invited him. So I thought it was important to include E.T Mensah in the narrative of Ojukwu.”
Watch full interview with Onyeka Nwelue below:
Achara Man plays the role of E.T Mensah in ‘Other Side of History’. Filming has been taking place in Nigeria, Ghana and the US, before moving to Canada. An October 1st, 2021 launch is anticipated, which is Nigeria’s Independence Day.
Inspired by a 2012 Vanguard Newspaper article by Uduma Kalu, “Ojukwu: Sexcapades of the Biafran leader,” ‘Other Side of History’ is about Emeka Ojukwu, the son of Sir Louis Ojukwu, the richest man in Igbo land and friend of Queen Elizabeth. He has all it takes to attract any woman. He is from a wealthy family and was educated in Oxford. His voice is poetry and could spin women’s heads. It is said that he combines romantic poetry with love letters, and deploys very soothing words for his women.
Greg Ojefua is Emeka Ojukwu and further cast include Nollywood veteran, Chiwetalu Agu, Juice Egah, Rachael Okonkwo and Chika Anyanwu (playing Sir Louis Ojukwu).
Makinde Adeniran plays Wole Soyinka, Emeka Darlington plays Chinua Achebe, Hero Daniels plays Chris Okigbo, Emeka Okoye plays Olusegun Obasanjo, Ugo Stevenson plays Philip Effiong, Jammal Ibrahim plays Yakubu Gowon, while Emelie Obodoakor plays JP Clark. Others include Chukwuemeka Ike (played by George Onyebuchi), Emmanuel Ifeajuna (Fellowship Okereke), Mitterand Okorie as Nnamdi ‘Zik’ Azikiwe and Eze Justice plays Kaduna Nzeogwu. Acharaman plays ET Mensah, while Nigerian artiste and voice-over act, TerryTheVoice, plays Bobby Benson.
Other Side of History is directed by Onyeka Nwelue (Agwaetiti Obiuto) and based on a screenplay by Odega Shawa and Onyeka Nwelue. Lorenzo Menakaya for Blues & Hills Pictures Ltd produces the film.
