Amanyanabo The Eagle King
MOTION PICTURE
An epic tale of honour, betrayal, love and sacrifice
SYNOPSIS
Tamunoba the goddess appears to Ibanichuka a carefree warrior and against the norm pronounces him the king of Okrika. In a cryptic warning, the goddess advises him to show true strength in the face of his greatest adversary in order to save his people from annihilation. His interpretation of her message leads to conquests, alliances and even a civil war with an influential member of his war cabinet, all these while trying to unite a people already divided by the Christian religion led by the wily Chief Ogan wielding his own supremacist agenda. When Ibanichuka eventually discovers his greatest adversary, he realizes to his shock that he had been on a wrong trajectory after all and is forced to make the decision that no true warrior should ever make.
Trailer
PRODUCEr's Note
Ibinabo Fiberesima
Amanyanabo ‘The Eagle King’ will showcase the rich socio-economic and political structure of the Ijaw people. It features espionage, subterfuge, the integration of Christianity and colonial rule into the region. Okrika like other regions in modern day Nigeria boasted city-states ruled by sovereign monarchs who were faced with real issues and dispensed the law towards ensuring order and justice. Very much like today there were bi-lateral trades and battles for supremacy. I have always been very passionate about telling stories about the Ijaw and at large the Niger-Delta peoples of Nigeria. Amanyanabo offers a unique opportunity to look through the microscope and discover a noble way of life that existed and still carries on till date. The spectacles, the intrigues are mostly reminiscent of events that did transpire to reiterate the fact that Africans were anything but a savage race in need of redemption.
Director's Note
Fred Amata
This is about the richness of the traditions and the abundant diversity of Africa, inclusive of African motifs, patterns and colours which offer a kaleidoscope upon which a resounding approach to filming Amanyanabo is based. The need to marry the rich originality of Africa’s heritage with world best standards meant we had to be more attentive to areas such as production design, cinematography, props and the overall feel of the movie in such a way that it would resonate appropriately with the epic period in question. At the same time we had to maintain the veracity of a dramatic twist of love, war and intrigue that make up the plot of this story based on true events and characters of the Okrika people of Nigeria. Capturing a filmic look, with a large cast and crew and filming in its hazardous natural environment proved quite a Herculean endeavour that was only ameliorated by the exciting uniqueness of the outcome that is now the movie… Amanyanabo ‘The Eagle King’. I hope you find it engaging as I did.
Director's Note
Ibinabo Fiberesima
The idea behind Amanyanabo was to re-enact a semblance of a historical structured city state administered by a powerful potentate who placed the love of his people over glory. The story in depth also aimed to dispute the obnoxious notion that Africans did not play politics, practiced multi-lateral trade or even had a standing army through the legend of one of the greatest kings of the Niger-Delta, King Ibanichuka the Eagle King of Okrika. Shot in the creeks and marshlands of Okrika, we ensured that an old story was told with the most modern technology to give the contemporary audience a picturesque view of what life, culture, conflict, trade, honour and love meant to our peoples before the rude incursion of scavenging colonialists.