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| Gov. Sanwo-Olu |
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has hailed the city as a "bastion of entertainment" where the greatest of creativity is exported to the rest of the globe.
Mr Sanwo-Olu made the remarks at the Lagos premiere of President Bola Tinubu's biography, "Last Man Standing," which took place at the Glover Memorial Hall in Lagos.
'Last Man Standing,' which previously premiered in Abuja, is a biographical film on Tinubu's eight-year period as Governor of Lagos State.
The governor, represented by Jaiye Opayemi, a Public Relations specialist and Managing Director of Chain Reactions Nigeria, consequently urged for assistance from all levels in order for the creative industry to thrive and always produce the finest.
Lateef Adedimeji portrayed President Bola Tinubu in the film Last Man Standing.
According to him, Lagos State would ensure that the creative industry receives all of the necessary assistance because it can employ more people than the oil and gas business.
He said, “Lagos State is not just Africa’s entertainment capital, Lagos is indeed the bastion of entertainment.
“It is the place where we export the very best of creativity to the rest of the world.
“This is to say thank you to the producers and the cast and crew who have put this biopic together in recognition and celebration of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
In his remarks, Dr. Abisoye Fagade, the executive producer, said that the best way to honor Tinubu was to add his own contribution to the nation's history through documentation.
The primary issue in Nigeria, according to Mr. Fagade, is the documentation of historical events and occurring.
He said, “Our major problem in Nigeria is that we do not document things. If our forefathers had documented some of the things they knew, things would be different for us today.
“But I was privileged to be alive at the time Asiwaju was the governor of Lagos State and l can remember Lagos State in the 80s through the 90s, and how the Island, the Maroko in those days, has become the choice of the people today.
“I realise that there is no better way to celebrate Asiwaju and to contribute my own quota to the history of this country and to document it.”
The former commissioner of police for the Lagos State Command, AIG Hakeem Odumosu, the deputy speaker of the Lagos House of Assembly, Hon. Mojisola Ojora Meranda, the head of Corporate Pictures, Abdullahi Abdulrasaq, and Dr. Abisoye Fagade were all in attendance.
In addition, Shushu Abubakar, who played Remi Tinubu in the biopic, and Lateef Adedimeji, who played President Tinubu in the movie, were there.
Other dignitaries were Tunde Olaoye, the film's director; Kofoworola Abiola Atanda, better known as Madam Kofo, who played Iyaloja Abibatu Mogaji; Foluke Daramola, a cast member who also served as a compere at the event; and Segun Arinze, a cast member who also served as a compere at the event.
Dr. Shaibu Husseini, Zeb Ejiro, Gbenga Adeyinka, Jide Kosoko, Sam Olatunji, and others were among those present.
Last Man Standing Producer Seun Oloketuyi detailed some of the difficulties in obtaining the film's actors and crew.
He said, “It was a difficult task for us getting the cast and crew together because it was casted few months before 2023 general election.
“It was a difficult task getting someone to play the role of Asiwaju because that was the time when social media was volatile on the subject of politics.
“The social media was agog with all sorts of abuses but l appreciates all those who took out their precious time to be part of the Tinubu biopic.”
Speaking about what the biopic represented, Oloketuyi said that it demonstrated President Tinubu's dynamism, tenacity, and grit.
He said, “On how for eight years, the former governor masterfully withstood Federal might over issues like the creation of more local governments to bring government closer to the people.
“It serves as a raw showcase of the brilliance of Nigeria’s number one citizen who became a political enigma against all odds.”