Nollywood actress Chioma Akpotha has shared details about the production of the crime thriller movie ‘Gangs of Lagos.’
News About Nigeria confirmed that, in a recent interview on The Corner Shop Network, alongside Tobi Bakre and Adesuwa Etomi-Wellington, Chioma revealed that the movie’s producer had to settle some residents of Isale Eko in order to shoot the film in the area.
Chioma, who played the role of Mama Ifeanyi, a market woman and mother of a musician-turned-gang member, Ify aka Panamo, in the movie, disclosed that negotiations were made with the residents of Isale Eko to gain permission to shoot the movie in their community.
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.
