*The Governor Obiano Campaign Film That Tore Them Apart
That pioneer movie marketer, Gabriel Chukwuka Emelionwu, popularly called Kasvid, died in a fatal accident earlier in the year, is no longer news. It is also not news that his burial which held two months back in his hometown, Neni, Njikoka Local Government Area, Anambra State, set the unprecedented record as the greatest ever gathering in any Nollywood event in the last 10 years.
The event saw almost all pioneer movie marketers in attendance. They were led by Chief Ossy Okeke, Ossy Affasson. The attendance included bosses of the famous movie production houses, Ojay Production, Sunny Collins, Lucky Geo Ventures, Infinity Merchants, Remy Jes Films, Ice Productions, Elonel Productions, Annex Merchandise, Amaco, Mosco Films, Divine Concepts, among others. All the guilds in Nollywood was also represented as actors, directors and producers came in their droves to pay their last respect to the deceased who died in a ghastly motor accident in January this year.
There were veteran actors, Oby Okafor, (Lolo), Patience Ozokwor, (Mama Gee), Charles Inojie, John Okafor(Mr. Ibu), Esther Audu, Angela Okorie, Chioma Okoye, Chigozie Atuanya, Chinedu Ikedieze(Aki), Bob Manuel, Obi Okoli, Ngozi Ike, Ngozi Ezeonu, Yul Edochie, Macsmith Ochendo and many others.
Top producer, Igwe Gabosky, top directors, Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen, Ifeanyi Ikoenyi were also there alongside famous screen playwright, Tai Emeka Obasi. There were also the Neni All Stars Football Club as well as the Festac All Stars FC who came all the way from Lagos in their droves. His social club, Diamond Fitness Club were also there in their numbers led by their president Ichie Jude Onyebuchi (Akuenwebe). Governor Obiano’s representatives included the head of service and veteran broadcaster and compere, Chido Obidiegwu.
But that is not the story here. Very grounded Nollywood practitioners, have revealed, that the late movie marketer, who is a noted for his cordial relationship with Nollywood practitioners, was indeed in a bitter war with top actor, Yul Edochie from few months to the end of 2017, till he died in January this year.
Those in the know, say the enmity started from Kasvid’s last film, aptly titled “Last Kidnap”. The movie according to the story, was made by Kasvid, to celebrate Governor Obiano of Anambra State, especially on his performance in the area of giving Anambra State a relative tight security.
The film, which was shot on different locations in Anambra State, including Awka, Neni, Amawbia, Abagana Nnewi, Adazi, etc, we learnt, took nearly a month to wrap. Innoson Motors boss, Innocent Chukwuma, was said to have provided one of his houses to use as governor’s office.
Those who tell the story, say that furniture were ‘imported’ from Asaba to try to replicate the real governor’s office. According to them, Gov. Obiano loves class and they all agreed that any movie to attract his attention must be laden with glamour and professionalism.
As the story goes, Yul Edochie who played the Governor, was at his best! “He succinctly delivered character and spot-on dialogues, including intermittent Igbo (in perfect Aguleri dialect) to depict Gov. Willie Obiano’s daily usages”. The film also had other top stars including veteran actor Bob-Manuel Udokwu and Chido Obidiegwu.
It was learnt that to enhance everything, besides the best quality in lighting and sound, the post-production of editing and picture treatment were done in South Africa and that by early 2016, the movie was ready.
Those in the know, say the movie, was particularly meant to be used as campaign material for Obiano’s second term. Towards that end, the master tape, we learnt, was privately presented to the Governor for his perusal before the premiere. It was also reported that after watching the movie, the Governor was thrilled, but made suggestions for a few scenes to be amended.
To achieve the change, it was gathered that the new amendment required as many as 12 scenes, with the lead actor Yul, appearing in eight (8) scenes. The amendment we hear, presented several challenges at the time. The biggest challenge, was cash as the late Kasvid had already spent so much on the first cut. The other major challenge, was
Getting back the lead character Yul, was tedious because he, “Yul, was reportedly involved in a big series with MNET and was contracted to grow his beard. Having grown the beard and ready to shoot, Kasvid called him to come for the extra eight scenes. In the original movie, Yul was shaved clean. It was either Kas waited for over three months till MNET was done with Yul or paid Yul back the contract value in order to cancel the MNET contract, shave his beard and play the eight scenes”.
The MNET contract it was gathered, was quite big, but in other to avoid delay in producing the movie which was to be used in a few months for the campaign, Kasvid was said to have rallied round, to raise the additional funds for the flick. He not only had to pay off Yul’s contract but also to get other stars, crew, equipment back to locations. We gathered that Yul insisted that he must be paid an additional N1.5million for him to do the new scenes. He was said to have rejected N700, 000 offered by Kasvid. Eventually, Kasvid was said to have paid him and the extra shoot was done.
But trouble started soon after the editing of the amended movie. While Kasvid was running around for the premiere, the lead actor, Yul, declared he wanted to run for the governorship of Anambra State. He actually mounted an impressive campaign and had a fairly large followership.
Insiders say that as soon as Yul made the move to run, Governor Obiano was angry and subsequently rejected the idea of the premiere of the movie. As the story goes, the Governor’s handlers had argued that using the flick as campaign material, with a political opponent appearing as lead, will amount to him, Obiano, campaigning for Yul Edochie.
Despite all advise on the contrary, the Governor’s men were said to have won the argument, hence the government’s decline to participate in the premiere. By this time, Kasvid who was said to have borrowed a large chunk of the funds used for the movie, pleaded with Yul, to rescind his ambition to run for Governorship and allow the premiere to hold. His father, the revered Pete Edochie, was also approached as well as many others, but Yul stuck to his guns and was actually a candidate in the November 2017 elections that returned Obiano for a second term.
Although after the election, Yul defected to Obiano’s APGA, insiders say the move was viewed as an afterthought and Yul’s defection, had not moved the Governor to participate in the premiere where Kasvid expected to recoup the huge funds expended in the Last Kidnap project.
This remained the situation, until the movie maker died in an accident in January this year.
