From a humble press launch in Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital, in April 2019, Ogelle, Africa’s first user-generated content platform with 100 percent focus on African content, has recorded impressive acceptance not just from users in Nigeria but all over Africa and globally.
To further deepen its footprint across Africa, Reddot Television Network, the parent company of Ogelle, is currently on locations across Nigeria’s commercial capital producing its flagship movie, ‘Aluko’s Residence’, set for release mid-october.
“We have over 4,000 videos on Ogelle, we have over 1,000 films from all over Africa on the platform, but none of them as at today was made by Reddot Television Network, the parent company of Ogelle. Some of them we bought, some we leased, some are on revenue-sharing arrangement,” Osita Oparaugo, CEO, Reddot Television Network and producer of the movie, told journalists in Lagos at the weekend.
“This is the first time we are making our own film. We took our time to make sure the film we will make as our flagship film will be one that will travel globally and bring smiles on the faces of Africans and lovers of African content everywhere,” he said.
Aluko’s Residence, an approximately 30-minute-weekly comedy series designed for the entertainment of the general web audience, will run every Friday on Ogelle.com beginning mid-october, Oparaugo said.
It is the story of a newly married young couple with rather faulty marital foundation. Ola Aluko falls on hard times but is convinced by a pastor that getting married is the solution out of his stagnant career. His fiancée Ovie, a successful wedding planner, bails him out as she sponsors their wedding with the promise that he will repay as soon as fortune smiles on him. The couple agree to keep this a secret and both families are not aware of this arrangement. The upheavals arising from this arrangement, the interference of family members who feel entitled, and the antics of the security man at the gate, Bill Gates (played by Monkals Kalu), are what make the drama tick.
“The drama is the dynamics of the family. People will enjoy watching how everyday life is handled in the household,” said Jimi Odukoya, who plays the character of Ola Aluko.
“It also addresses different issues in the society, strategically focusing on things people are dealing with, and addressing certain social issues wrapped up in a comedic story,” he said.
On what makes the film unique and truly African, Oparaugo said it will be dubbed (lip-synched) in seven African languages, including Swahili and French.
“If you speak Swahili and that is your language as an African, you will watch ‘Aluko’s Residence’ in your language. It is going to come out in those languages such that when you go on Ogelle, you will select your preferred language and watch it in that language. It is lip-synched in those languages, so you will hear the voice of the same actor talking in your native language,” he said.
“We want to create an African drama and we are happy with the project. We are happy with the people we have got on board, fantastic individuals, from the writers to the directors, assistant producer, the actors themselves, the make-up artistes, etc – very fantastic people who are committed to getting the best out of this movie,” he further said.
Uru Eke, who plays Ovie Aluko, Ola’s wife, speaking on the lessons to be drawn from the movie, said as much as men don’t want to be at home and watch the woman run the household, they can learn from Ovie how she has been able to hold the home together.
“I think we should be supportive if our spouse is not working, encourage them, see ways that we can get them out there in the job market, constantly find ways to lift up their spirits because nobody wants to be out of job, no man wants to be sitting at home while the woman is going out there working and fending for the home,” she advised women.
“And try as much as possible just to keep peace in the home because one of the things she (Ovie) has to deal with is the constant bickering between her husband’s brother and her sister. Try to be the mediator and promoter of peace in the home as much as possible as well as going out to fend for the home,” she said.
