The Genesis Deluxe Cinemas, Abuja will premiere a much anticipated movie titled: “The Oratory” on Saturday, November 27, 2021. The film is designed to create awareness on the plight of millions of street children in Nigeria, who are out of school and roaming about.
The Oratory presents a true story and pictures of the state of destitute children, who have been deprived of social rights, especially education due to poverty in the land. It raises alarm of a time bomb, which destitution would cause in the future if the government fails to take appropriate steps to address the situation.
The movie features an impressive array of both Nigerian and international movie stars and was filmed at various locations in Rome, Atlanta, Lagos and Turin.
It is an internationally acclaimed movie, which has received rare views all over the world where it has premiered including places such as Dublin, London, Turin and Venice.
The Oratory was first premiered at the Filmhouse Cinemas in Lagos and the feedback from the stakeholders confirm that it was indeed an excellent outing, when compared with the premieres held around the world.
The movie further interrogates the causes of destitution in the country and challenges the government, corporate organisations and individuals to take pragmatic steps to solve the problems based on collective responsibility.
The Oratory is a project of Salesians of Din Bosco in Nigeria. Since 1982 when the first Salesians stepped into Nigeria till date, it has been studying the needs of children and young people in several parts of the country, listening and trying to read the ‘signs of the time’ and intervening positively in their lives.
Based on the philosophy of the organization, which is working with and for young people, it believes in the value of each person and making impacts in the development of youths, especially through education, skills training. With millions of children and young people living in extreme poverty, most of them abandoned, untrained and exploited, Nigeria remains an active location for Salesians activities in order to give the vulnerable and disadvantaged young people hope for a better future.
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Following the arrival of the first Salesians and realizing the enormous work in Nigeria, the organization has centres in eight cities across the geopolitical zones of Nigeria including; Akure, Ondo Town (both in Ondo State), Onitsha, Ibadan, Lagos, Abuja, Ijebu-Ode and Koko in Kebbi State.
Salesians Din Bosco plans to expand to other locations in the future, especially Edo, Rivers and Benue states.
However, Salesians Don Bosco is using the movie to drive consciousness in Nigeria that street children would be a more serious threat to the country if all the stakeholders fail to arrest the situation through practical education and skills acquisition training for young people.
At a press conference held Tuesday in Lagos, officials of the organisation were present to brief the media on the much-awaited movie and its activities.
Present at the conference were; Gbenga Adebija, chairman, organising committee, The Oratory Movie Premiere; Cyril Odia, executive producer of the movie; Denis Onoise, UNICEF representative and Modupe Oyediran, a Salesian and an entrepreneur.
Salesians Don Bosco is a missionary group in the Catholic Church. It works in more than 130 countries and believes in silent achievements.
Speaking at the forum, Odia, the executive producer, and reverend father, stressed that The Oratory captures the plights of children and young people in the country and the need for appropriate action to solve the problem.
“We bring the plight of young people in Nigeria. The movie will raise awareness on the hopelessness of street children in Nigeria. The situation has become a national embarrassment.”
“Through the movie production, we bring the story of despondent people in the country. We feel for and stand with them.”
Odia noted that the movie has a zero budget and also raised alarm that a time bomb awaits the country should government fail to do the right thing.
Through the movie, the executive producer called on corporate organisations, international bodies and individuals for support to take children out of the streets.
He also called for sponsors so that the movie would be produced in large quantities in order to reach the target audience across the country.
The United Nations Children Education Fund, UNICEF, is a prime partner with Salesian Don Bosco, which has always identified with the latter’s cause.
UNICEF, through its representative at the conference, Denis Onoise, said Salesians Don Boscos’ vision is in tandem with its own objectives and would work to improve the lives of young people in the country.
“UNICEF will be working with Din Bosco to raise awareness of the movie. We are willing to support this project,” he assured.
He described the movie as an urgent one and outstanding based on the packaging.
Also speaking on the movie, Adebija explained that The Oratory seeks to raise awareness among key stakeholders and the public on the plight of the homeless and street children throughout the country.
