Oyebanji James: Through The Lens Of The 'Able Director'Omoba James Ademuyiwa Oyebanji

The Nigerian Nollywood industry has produced its share of wonderful talents and creative geniuses and these wonderful talents in turn have carved their own niches while making out time to tutor and coach new talents to make sure that the wand of excellence is not dropped and one of these wonderful geinues is Veteran filmmaker, director, and producer Omoba James Ademuyiwa Oyebanji otherwise known as ‘Able D’ ( Able Director).

A graduate of Theatre Arts from the University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State; Omoba Oyebanji cut his teeth in filmmaking with his debut screenplays as both a screenwriter, and an actor after which he took to producing and full-time directing. He has also worked with many Nollywood veterans and hotshots amongst who are Bolaji Dawoodu, Tarila Thompson, Ndubuisi Okoh of blessed memory and many others who could very well confirm his special knack for directing which always spurs him to put out projects that are far above par.

As a seasoned screenwriter, cinematographer, producer and director; Omoba Oyebanji has contributed immensely to the growth of Nollywood consistently for 20 years. Also as a lecturer in film directing in Pefti Institute, Lagos, at some point and a former Head of filmmaking department in a polytechnic at another time, he had equally contributed in academically, and technically moulding the younger generation in pursuing a career in filmmaking.

One of his most popular directorial excellence was the legendary late Justice Esiri’s TV series, ‘Way To Go’, a programme which was created to encourage agricultural development in Nigeria, and was bankrolled by the Nigerian Bank of Industry for its outstanding message and quality production.

Currently, Omoba Oyebanji is transversing the Southern part of Nigeria where he is working on a multi-million naira extraordinary film project.

When Africa Today News, New York enquired from him what the project is all about, he confidently responded;

‘It’s actually an adaptation from an internationally acclaimed novel about the socio-political quagmire, an African country in contemporary times, is deeply plunged into led by a notorious political Godfather.’

‘Personally, I wrote the screenplay, and deliberately, mapped out the angles, the cinematographic shoots would be taken from. This flick is a project that it’s kind has never been seen thus in Africa. It’s something that will further redefine the art of filmmaking not only in Nigeria but the entirety of Africa.’

When asked when the production would be out for the viewers, he further responded, ‘It’s a massive project though my crew, the entire cast and I are working ceaselessly on it however, we are not in a hush to churn out the flick because we want to give Africa and the rest of the world, a quality and an evergreen production so for now, I won’t be able to give a definitive date to you. Watch out for it though,’ the highly gifted auteur concluded, and hurriedly went back to continue his supervision of his technical crew on the set.

Read Also: Veteran Auteur, Oyebanji Shows How To Mount 8K-Epic Camera

Oyebanji’s dedication to creating films that raise the bar for what can be expected of Nollywood films has endeared him to many stakeholders in the Nollywood sector and on the international scene notably with his work with another veteran filmmaker, Tarila Thompson in his blockbuster and record-smashing flick, ‘In The creek’.

 

AFRICA TODAY NEWS, NEW YORK