Gang of Lagos - 626Blaze

We Settled Area Boys To Allow Us Shoot ‘Gangs Of Lagos’ In Ghetto – Chioma Akpotha

Chioma Akpotha, the Nollywood actress, has made a new revelation about the movie, ‘Gangs of Lagos’.

She revealed that the producer of the crime thriller, ‘Gangs of Lagos’ settled some residents of Isale Eko to allow them shoot the movie in the area.

Chioma who played Mama Ifeanyi, a market woman and mother of musician-cum-gang member; Ify aka Panamo in the movie disclosed in a recent interview on The Corner Shop Network alongside Tobi Bakre and Adesuwa Etomi-Wellington.

She said, “[filming in the ghetto] Wasn’t all fun. Initially, there was a pushback. They [locals] were like ‘No, you guys can’t do this. Nobody is going to come here. Then the other camps said ‘This is our land’. They were like show us some love. You know what it means.

“Afterwards, because we filmed for a little over 50 days. You know when you see someone constantly for day-to-day, two weeks, three weeks. So, we became like friends and then family to have them [locals] play some sort of roles in the film. They were involved. It gave them so much joy and they did it with all of their hearts. Even though they were compensated, they wanted to do it out of love.”

On her part, Adesuwa revealed that she was breastfeeding her son during the movie shoot.

Adesuwa said, “I have said this in multiple interviews that representation matters. And I like the fact that we are seeing more and more films that have women in strong roles. Because I said before, the film has the potential to shape minds, especially the mind of young people.

“And I love that young girls got to see women in powerful positions. And the fact that I got to play a character like that was so important to me because a woman is not only one thing. I love that we saw Gift’s emotions, I love that we saw her sexy, tomboyish. I love that we saw her fighting.

“There are so many things about a woman and that is one of the things that really excited playing this character. And at that time, I was breastfeeding my son exclusively.”

Tobi Bakre said the people on the streets confirmed to them that the movie epitomizes the true happenings on the streets.

I Drank Strong Alcohol, Went To Graveyard To Play Role In ‘Gangs Of Lagos’ – Tobi Bakre Reveals

Tobi Bakre, the former Big Brother Naija reality show star and actor, has talked about how he got fit for his recent movie role.

He revealed that he did all manner of gritty stuff to fit in his role in ‘Gangs of Lagos’, a feisty crime thriller.

Tobi played Obalola, a street King (Eleniyi – the owner of men) who started up nondescript with a childhood nested with scars of little beginning.

He said it was his first time playing a lead character, and the first time he really let himself go to embody a character.

He featured in the recent episode of Menisms audiovisual podcast.

Tobi said, “For ‘Gangs of Lagos’, that was challenging because like for the first time… you know as guys now, we build so many walls like you are ready for all the possible sad outcomes in life mentally. Like you don’t know it but… I was now playing the role of a strong guy but then in the same movie, he had moments when he had to be vulnerable. Bro, I had the toughest time. I had to tear my walls down.

“You know those plastic [herbal bitters] drinks na? I drank two within the space of five minutes. I just felt like I drank water because I didn’t feel anything. I was listening to the saddest music. This is the song I always remember from Gangs of Lagos, Celia song by Tiwa Savage. It is a very emotional song. I wasn’t trying to fake it [my role]. I needed to be actually sad, I needed to be there. So, I was putting myself in the scenario of this character.

“I was self-reflecting. There was a graveyard right in front of where we were shooting. So my head was in different places. And eventually, we shot that scene. After we shot it, and they said ‘cut’, everyone stayed quiet. And people in the background were sobbing. It was almost as if for that moment everybody forgot that we were acting and some people were actually tearing up.”

The ex-TV reality star said he rolled on the floor and rubbed sand on his face to fit into the role.

He, however, said his challenging task was the character’s vulnerability.

He revealed that he struggled to leave the character for a while after the movie.

Tobi said, “It [the character] leads sometimes like my wife now when I got home initially… Hardly, anger is the last emotion you can get but my fuss became shorter. On the road I’m driving, my fuss is a bit shorter because of this character I’m currently infusing. So, after the whole thing I had to just ease out.”

‘Gangs of Lagos’, produced and directed by Jade Osiberu, is the first African Original for video streaming platform, Amazon Prime.

The movie follows the story of three friends: Obalola (Tobi Bakre), Gift (Adesua Etomi-Wellington) and Ify (Chike-Ezekpeazu Osebuka), who each have to navigate their own destiny, growing up on the rough and bustling streets of Isale Eko, Lagos.

It hit the screens on April 7, 2023.