The daughter of billionaire business mogul Femi Otedola, Temi Otedola, who played Moremi in the popular movie ‘Citation’, has urged that up and coming movies and music should carry a message that deals with social justice.
In the interview she said, the element of romance and action in a movie is entertaining but then the reality of social injustice and adversities should be carried out in a movie or a piece of music.
“I think in film there, is space for everything, there is space for romance, you know in ‘Citation’ we have that romantic story which is very nice. There is space for action but, these social justice films are really important. We should be able to enjoy and get entertained but also we should get a message across because you know that is one way to reach a population about a serious issue …is to actually include it into popular music or popular movies. So, I really hope there are more movies like ‘Citation’ where you are going, you are laughing and having fun but then you are also leaving with a serious message”.
Temi had her debut in acting through the movie ‘Citation’. This movie is trending because it addresses the issues of #sexforgrades in universities across the world and highlights avenues of how these issues can be handled.
The movie sees award-winning actors and actresses from all around Africa. Jimmy Jean-Lois, Ibunkun Awosika, Ini Edo, Joke Silvia, and Ghana’s very own Adjetey Anang.
Temi recounting her working experience with Adjetey Anang said that,
“Every scene I did with him felt like I was doing something new. He is such a natural actor and when it comes to skill, I took so much from him, so I was honored to be able to work with him for my first time”.
The Movie ‘Citation’
‘Citation’ is a 2020 Nigerian film directed by Kunle Afolayan written by Tunde Babalola and starring Jimmy Jean-Louis, Temi Otedola, and Bukunmi Oluwashina.
The film is about a student who speaks out after a university professor attempts to rape her and the reaction of the university institution to the claims. The film is broadly based on true events.
According to the cast and crew, Citation rose to the sixth-most popular film on Netflix shortly after its release and was most-watched on Netflix in Nigeria.
Digital Spy’s Nelson C.J. wrote that the subject matter of ‘Citation’ was important to discuss, and treated with an “objective and sufficiently informed” perspective within the film. C.J. praised the cinematography but found that the dialogue could have been improved and the main character is given more depth.
Tambay Obenson of Indie Wire praised the film as an “unflinching wakeup call that extends well beyond Nigeria’s borders”. According to Nollywood Post, “Citation is a good film that was intended to have a social value proposition. Tunde Babaolo and Kunle Afolayan were able to perfectly deliver on this proposition with a few forgivable misses