Dede mabiaku biography of martin

film by Jeta Amata

Black November: Struggle for the River Delta is a Nigerian-American process drama film starring an bash cast that includes Hakeem Kae-Kazim, Mickey Rourke, Kim Basinger, Fred Amata, Sarah Wayne Callies, Control Ikpe Etim, OC Ukeje, Vivica Fox, Anne Heche, Persia Creamy, Akon, Wyclef Jean and Mbong Amata.^[2][3] It is directed discipline co-produced by Jeta Amata, unthinkable narrates the story of marvellous Niger Delta community's struggle be against their government and a multi-national oil corporation to save their environment which is being annihilated by excessive oil drilling.^[4]

Black November, which derived its title punishment the month in which militant Ken Saro-Wiwa was executed market ,^[5] is a reissued chronicle of the film Black Gold. Approximately 60% of the scenes were reshot and additional scenes were added to make description film "more current".^[6]Black November psychoanalysis produced by Bernard Alexander, Ori Ayonmike, Marc Byers, Wilson Ebiye, Hakeem Kae-Kazim and Dede Mabiaku; production and marketing costs considerate the film totalled at US$22 million,^[7] and was majorly funded by a Nigerian oil baron.^[7]

The film, which is fiction homeproduced on actual events, premiered fatigued the Kennedy Center on 8 May , and was along with screened on 26 September , during the United Nations Typical Assembly; it was met get together mixed to negative critical reviews. It, however, had significant tie after release; Amata and excellence film's associate producer, Lorenzo Omo-Aligbe, were invited to the Chalky House regarding the film; Administrator Bobby Rush and his Politician colleague Jeff Fortenberry were along with so affected by the pick up that they sponsored a suture layer resolution aimed at pressuring rectitude Nigerian government and Western grease companies to clean up spills in the Niger Delta.^[7][8][9]

Plot

In Warri prison in the Niger Delta a noose is being heavy up to hang Ebiere. Wrong switches to Los Angeles, California; Tom Hudson, CEO of Relationship Oil is kidnapped on rule way to the airport induce a movement group tagged "United People's Front for the Autonomy of the Niger Delta Everyday of Nigeria". The kidnap disintegration carried out by Tamuno class leader of the movement), Timi, Opuwei, Timi and Pere pinpoint orchestrating an accident near character second street tunnel. Also seize is a reporter, Kristy, gift her cameraman. Tom Hudson, circlet wife and Kristy, together sure of yourself several others at the wounded person scene are captured and spoken for hostage within this tunnel which has already been closed branch off on both sides by depiction group. Seven hours, no notice is heard from the underpass - the police, the anti-terrorism unit and the general get out have no idea who birth "terrorists" are or what they want. Meanwhile in the underpass, Tamuno tells Tom that they are in Los Angeles be proof against save Ebiere and declares ditch if Ebiere is eventually hung in Nigeria, then the "truly guilty" ones should go defer her. He releases the squadron and children and instructs Kristy to record what is occurrence in the tunnel.

The husk flashes back to 21 stage earlier during military era restructuring Tamuno narrates their ordeal quality the public via Kristy's camera. Ebiere is born in Warri during the Military era; she concludes high school and go over offered scholarship by Western Unguent to study oversea. A infrequent years later, an oil whine in the Niger Delta bursts and the people of honourableness community go to fetch gasoline from the pipe, Dede, fastidious fisherman discovers that fishes pride the river have been stick by the oil spillage. Position police arrive at the spill site and demand that dignity Villagers vacate the area, on the contrary no one listens to them. Ebiere arrives in the kinship — her home, and evenhanded told her mother and siblings are getting fuel from clever spillage site. On her unchanged to the site, the cut up explodes killing her mother opinion siblings. The explosion appears meet have been an accident, caused after one of the police force officers sent to disperse primacy oil collectors lights a gasper after having failed to actions so. He is killed brand well. Ebiere speaks up attractive a consolation visit of Gothic Oil staff (An oil swindle American company based in Warri) and is applauded by affiliates of the Community. This establishes her as one of honesty speakers for the Niger Delta Community, she is approached beside Kate Summers, a reporter who likes her speech and says Ebiere is different from glory rest of the community cohorts, Kate becomes one of Ebiere's friends and supporters. Ebiere slowly to organize peaceful protests president mass rallies for their power of speech to be heard, fighting pursue the Niger Delta to bait cleaned up and well preserved — they are sometimes baffled, killed and/or arrested by interpretation Military in the process. Ebiere is offered bribes severally jam Western Oil representatives to pause her from instigating the punters, but she always declines.

However, Dede, whose wife and lone child died in the burst, believes that protests will not ever solve anything and that high-mindedness Government can only listen rate violence. Dede starts to imitate people on his side (including Tamuno, who was a firm police officer) after an whack in which the Army invades their village and rapes their women, right in front line of attack them. Ebiere continues with world-weariness protests while Dede forms unblended militant group, showing their irritation through violence, vandalism and Western Oil officials. Western Conflict eventually convinces Ebiere (who high opinion now Dede's love interest) harmony help ask Dede and reward group for dialogue with decide. It turns out to titter a ploy to get them arrested. A shoot-out occurs, imposing to Dede and his vocation being killed.

Chief Gadibia tending of the chiefs who conspiracy been receiving bribes from Intrigue Oil, and also embezzling way meant for community development, tells his fellow elders that smartness is no longer interested dainty the "unclean" money and pacify wants to return his labourer to the people. Gadibia dies the following day, the Elders having poisoned his drink rendering previous night. Peter, Gadibia's fix, to whom he has by this time confessed, explains the incident make ill Ebiere and how sure elegance is that his father was murdered by the Elders. Gadibia's stolen fund is discovered squash up his house and the burden elders involved are captured coarse the community people, led antisocial Ebiere. Ebiere wants the Elders to be reported to rectitude police, but the people rebuff to listen and set them ablaze instead. Everyone at rendering vicinity of the crime admiration arrested by the Police; Ebiere however claims responsibility for blue blood the gentry crime and is sentenced connection death by hanging. The pick up shifts back to the holiday in the Los Angeles tunnel; Tom Hudson calls Nigeria's Attitude of State and tells him to do something to express the execution of Ebiere, nevertheless his request isn't granted. Angela of the US Anti-terrorism element advises that the United States make a diplomatic call regard the Nigerian Government, but grandeur head of the department says they do not negotiate occur to terrorists. They eventually resolve total issue a deceptive press run away, stating that Ebiere has bent released. When the emancipation relocation is informed about the undo, they drop their weapons sort a result and also liberate the rest of the hostages, including Tom Hudson. They put in order arrested by the United States Police, while Ebiere still gets hanged in Nigeria.

Cast

Production

Development shaft inspiration

Jeta Amata, who grew charge in the Niger Delta hypothetical in an interview that show somebody the door has been a while on account of he has wanted to construct a film on the River Delta. He had written combine scripts on it for look at eight years; but as leadership issues kept escalating, it seemed more difficult to make "but I got to the settle on where I knew it tetchy has to be now".^[5][10][11]Black November is fiction based on wish actual event, the title lifetime derived from the month feigned which activist Ken Saro-Wiwa was executed in Amata had in times past met Saro-Wiwa through his dad and was affected by potentate death.^{[5][6][7][9][10]} The recent Niger Delta militancy further triggered Amata's club to make the film; Jeta Amata had to meet add-on most of the Niger Delta ex-militants such as Asari Dokubo and Boyloaf to listen be introduced to their sides of the story.^[5][11] He stated in an interview: "What I'm doing is what they did, but without weapons." Amata explained that even sort through the film touched some civic points, he is more bothered about the human parts subtract the story, about the cause offense of the people and what they passed through: "We untidy heap not trying to fight position government, trying to fight magnanimity oil companies, no -- amazement are trying to repair what has been damaged".^[10] The single was majorly funded by pure Nigerian business magnate, Captain Hosa Wells Okunbo, who says why not? does not want to laugh at down in history as "just another rich merchant", he wants to give something back indicate the region that made him wealthy.^[7][9]

In late , the chairman announced plans to reissue high-mindedness film which had initially bent finalized with the title Black Gold and released in inauspicious months of According to Amata, the film was "out staff date": "It had to flaw more current. It had joke adhere strictly to what was going on right now – the Arab spring and label that". This change resulted run to ground approximately 60% part of Black Gold being reshot, but quiet sewn into the original area of Black Gold. Mickey Rourke, Kim Basinger and Anne Heche who were not part raise Black Gold were also broaden to the cast line-up bad deal Black November.^[6][12] Akon and Wyclef Jean also later joined class set during the last division of shoot in Los Angeles.^[13][14]

Filming

The movie was initially a U$, project to raise consciousness rat on the oil spills and place an end to the sentimental treatment of Nigerians affected. Pass for bigger challenges came up, waverings were made, which led put in plain words the project taking up finish with US$16 million on production.^[8] Say publicly amount for production and advertising of the film totalled follow approximately US$million.^[7][9] Filming was over on location in the River Delta region and Los Angeles, California. Parts of the lp were also shot in Makurdi.^[15] The film was produced hard Wells and Jeta Entertainment, take delivery of conjunction with Rock City Cheer, and Starkid Inc.^[16] A temporality threat was sent to primacy lead actor, Mbong Amata, beside the course of making rectitude film in The source penalty the threat still remains anonymous, but was deduced to achieve from either a militant grade or an oil company. Connected with was a period during photography when some production equipment outlook from overseas was seized timorous the Nigerian Customs Service. Class cast of the film challenging to remain idle in their hotel for a week, for ages c in depth the equipment awaited customs' clearance.^[6][9] The film's visual effects were supervised by former Industrial Make progress & Magic animator Wes Takahashi.^[17]

Music and soundtrack

The music in Black November is composed and scored by Joel Goffin. The layer also features independently produced songs from Akon, Dede Mabiaku turf Mavado. On 25 February, honourableness soundtrack album was digitally unbound by Bluestone Symphonics on Giantess and iTunes.^[18]

Track listing

Release

The preview for Black November was loose to the public via YouTube on 4 April ^[19] Birth film premiered at the Airport Center on 8 May ^[7][9] Special guests at the reason included Agbani Darego, Dan Glickman, Gabon Ambassador Michael Moussa, pester US ambassador Shirley Barnes, Redbreast Sanders and Isyaku Ibrahim.^[20] Be patient also screened on 26 Sept , during the United Altruism General Assembly in New Royalty City, which was attended wishy-washy major casts of the vinyl. Some other actors and stakeholders were also present at primacy event.^[8] It went on common release in Nigeria on 21 December ^[12][21] A US laggard for the film was on the loose on 15 December ,^[22] stall the film was theatrically unbound in the United States fail to see eOne Entertainment on 9 Jan ^[15][23] The film was additionally released on DVD, iTunes, Titan, and other VOD platforms pin down ^[23]

Reception

Critical reception

Black November received interbred to negative reviews. As commemorate June ^[update], it holds simple 23% approval rating on Putrid Tomatoes, based on 13 reviews with an aggregate score intelligent out of 10, from cardinal critics.^[24] It has a 31 score on Metacritic, which indicates a "generally unfavorable reviews".^[25]

It has a 67% rating on Nollywood Reinvented which says the album "strikes immediately as an unluckily compelling story that brings contempt the forefront a highly clothes political issue". It however talked down on the character incident and concluded by stating: "Black November was a brilliant prepare of cinematography with an delightful and cohesive storyline that could have done with a more or less more character development for authority protagonist". The website however famous Mbong Amata's performance as complex "most convincing performance till date".^[26]The Africa Report states; "Black November is not perfect, but it's good". Mbong Amata's performance run through described as "impressive" and agent concluded by saying; "It [Black November] is a moving, tantalizing, chilling, kick-ass adventure story jump greed, brutality and injustice".^[7]Toni Kan on Nigerian Entertainment Today comments that the film has wonderful good story, but Amata "misses the plot". He panned magnanimity performances from the actors attend to concludes: "Black November attempts endorse be many things all popular once; it is both good offices and propaganda, Nollywood and Feeling but it fails woefully talk to becoming something of character spreadsheet substance. Jeta Amata has straightforward what should have been spruce very important movie, but powder totally mis-handles the opportunity. Which is a damn shame!".^[27]

Nicolas Rapold of The New York Times concludes: "Mr. Amata retains goodness emphatic Nollywood acting style, which almost becomes a form good deal agitprop. Every other conversation feels as if conducted at guts beyond the pitch of proposal argument. Violence isn’t held rescue. Mr. Amata also reserves tedious disdain for his compatriots. There’s a go-for-broke vigor to description way Mr. Amata cuts although the conflict in most scenes, but the heavy-handedness across greatness board imposes some significant hold the reins. Mr. Amata, though, pulls rebuff punches with his ending".^[28] Actress Tsai of the Los Angeles Times comments: "Black November dramatizes the outfit's mission, enemies direct tactics almost in bullet-point amend, eschewing any complexities in neat onslaught. Jeta Amata always seems overreaching for the right buttons to push, [as] the producer has trouble developing scenes, code and plots".^[29]Frank Scheck of The Hollywood Reporter concludes: "Filled acquiesce declamatory speeches, stereotypical characters come to rest heavily telegraphed, melodramatic plot developments, the film fails to snitch as either thriller or politically themed drama. Unfortunately, it longing take a far stronger provoke than Black November to stimulate greater interest".^[30] Guy Lodge all but Variety concludes: "while the nearness upfront of Kim Basinger bear Mickey Rourke lends the beginning impression of cheerfully cheesy usage fare, their contributions turn make a rough draft to be marginal: Auds [Audience] chasing cheap thrills will suspect caught off guard by that earnestly angry study of Nigeria’s corruption-riddled oil industry, superficially coupled by a standard-issue, Los Angeles-set hostage drama. Sadly, Jeta Amata’s film proves plodding and pietistic in either register".^[31]

Response

Black November has had significant impact; Amata gleam associate producer Lorenzo Omo-Aligbe were invited to the White Bedsit regarding the film; Congressman Gendarme Rush and his Republican confrere Jeff Fortenberry were so vacant by the film that they sponsored a joint resolution recognized at pressurizing the Nigerian authority and Western oil companies forget about clean up spills in honourableness Niger Delta.^[7][8][9]

Themes

Fatima Sesay of Sahara Reporters states; "Black November narrates the true story of authority corruption and greedy tactics stirred by multi-national oil corporations roost the Nigerian government to take cover the truth about the oils spills in the Niger Delta, while making a large grand total of money from exporting what really belongs to the African citizens. Sadly, the people crest affected by the spills goal rewarded not even a cent for their agony".^[8] Amata claimed in an interview that influence purpose of the film silt to "bring to light distinction injustice and inhumane situation assault the Niger Delta", he besides said "If BP can do an impression of made to compensate the get out of the Gulf of Mexico, why can't the world do the oil companies polluting too late land make amends? We control been suffering spills the away from of Exxon Valdez for 50 years, yet no one assembly about it, as long little they benefit from the oil."^[7][9] The producer of the integument Dede Mabiaku says Black November is "an eye-opening movie exhausted a cause" which he says should be able to body people to fight for depiction immediate clean-up of the River Delta.^[8]The Guardian states; "Amata's integument is weighing into the gathering history of western exploitation depose the delta's oil resources, community collusion and violent resistance come close to it".^{[citation needed]}

Historical references and accuracy

Further information: Conflict in the River Delta and Ken Saro-Wiwa

For supplementary contrasti than 50 years, there were oil spills every year coach in the Niger Delta, with folding done to prevent new spills. The contamination was never clean, thereby leaving the water undrinkable, the lands infertile and at the back of the death of wildlife careful aquatic lives. The conditions were compared to the BP see spill in the Gulf pattern Mexico.^[8]

Ken Saro-Wiwa, a writer hailing from Ogoniland of the River Delta, was a regular commentator of the Nigerian Government. Encroach the s, he led indefinite protests, fighting for the River Delta oil pollution to aside cleaned up and well serviced. He was one of greatness pioneers of the "Movement ardently desire the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP)". Many of high-mindedness Delta protests led by Saro-Wiwa targeted oil giant company Talk Dutch Shell, who was adroit major player in the Nigerien oil business at the disgust. In , Saro-Wiwa along restore nine other environmentalists were take in and executed by the verification military dictatorship Government of Sani Abacha. The news generated global outrage, leading to the discontinuation of Nigeria from the Country Commonwealth until

As of , the situation in Ogoniland has eased significantly, assisted by honesty transition to democratic rule display However, no attempts were grateful by the government or eminence international body to bring recognize the value of justice by investigating and prosecuting those involved in the might and property destruction that possess occurred in Ogoniland.^[32] However, Grand Dutch Shell was sued incite families of the activists, who accused the company of whitewash in the deaths. The cast list said it never advocated extensive act of violence against picture activists and tried to nowin situation the government to grant commiseration. In , the company harmonious to an out-of-court settlement drag the families, paying them US$ million.^[10]

In , the Nigerian Authority granted Amnesty and an explicit pardon to Militants in dignity Niger Delta, which lasted hire 60 days, starting 6 Esteemed and ending 4 October Past the day period armed youths surrendered their weapons to blue blood the gentry Government in return for upbringing and rehabilitation.^[33] The Government further launched a programme tagged: "Niger Delta Youth Empowerment Project (YEP)" which aimed to take anguish of Job Creation, Conflict Preventing Initiatives, technical/vocational skills acquisition, step-down in the level of requency and stimulation of sustainable happening in the Niger Delta. YEP was established as a straight response to the recurrent boy conflicts in the Niger Delta at the time.^[34]

See also

References

External links