- Variety had reported that Idris Elba would play the iconic Okonkwo character in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart
- The upcoming TV series is currently in the works and would be co-produced by David Oyelowo and Idris Elba
- Nigerians stirred up an argument on how Idris Elba wasn't fit for Okonkwo role, this opinion piece shares its view on the argument
These days, controversy is a currency lavishly spent on social media and when everyone keeps talking, who actually listens?
Variety earlier reported that popular British actor Idris Elba will reprise Pete Edochie’s role as the iconic character Okonkwo in Chinua Achebe’s book ‘Things Fall Apart.’
The Nigerian social media space went agog and controversial takes erupted on Idris Elba’s move. Many kicked against it —like Idris Elba as Okonkwo is a ‘disaster’ waiting to happen.
In 1987, Things Fall Apart, which Amazon named among the 100 must-read books in a lifetime, was first made into a miniseries. It was directed by David Orere and broadcast by the Nigerian Television Authority.
The 1987 adaptation saw the unforgettable lead role of Pete Edochie as Okonkwo —a reference point that has stood for years. Things Fall Apart was published in 1958 when Achebe was 28.
The book is considered one of the single most important pieces of literature from Africa. Translated into more than 50 languages and sold over 10 million copies —a cultural treasure if you ask me. Little wonder Nigerians hold it dear.
Nigerians were afraid that our story may be snatched from us and culturally misrepresented, hence the criticism about Idris Elba as Okonkwo in the upcoming ‘Things Fall Apart’ TV series. My question is, why did it take Idris Elba to remind us of a conversation we should have had a long time ago?
No one can tell a story better than the owners but are we truly capable of telling our stories? Why should Idris Elba play Okonkwo?—a valid argument. However, do we really have what it takes to tell these stories as it should? Can Nollywood pull the financial strings, yet? As much as we argue about who or who should not adapt the Things Fall Apart novel, let’s also consider the financial investments involved.
In the heat of the argument, the Nollywood director for Black Book, Editi Effiong, noted that “It would cost $5m for that single A-list attachment and probably $30-$50m production cost. There's no amount of great scripts and great actors that can overcome the economic gap. Nollywood simply can’t afford book adaptations yet.” He is not far from the truth.
Though not very dominant in Nollywood, there are notable book adaptation attempts like Chimamanda Adichie’s Half of a Yellow Sun, Wole Soyinka’s Death and the King’s Horseman. For Half of a Yellow Sun, the film budget was reportedly around N1.3 billion to N1.6 billion. At the box office, it generated a total of N340 million. I need not say much.
Filmmaking as much as it is art, is also a business and every business is tasked to make a profit. This is the reality regardless of how we would like films to be made. As a strong believer in the preservation of culture, from books to films, I agree that our stories ought to be told right.
I agree that it should be told with the right amount of accuracy and representation of who we are and what we believe in. I agree that our stories should be told by us, but I am certainly not blind to the economic realities of what we have in our film and entertainment industry.
How many Nollywood filmmakers can afford such an international production budget at the moment? The argument, despite being valid, shouldn't be about who should or not play Okonkwo but how we can make Nollywood and other art sectors financially buoyant enough to make such an ‘expensive’ and worthy book adaptation.
Making good book adaptation films costs more than we can imagine most of the time. So, it is time to realise that our film industry is worth investing in and not just for the fun of it. It is time for filmmakers, government and other stakeholders to invest financially in telling our stories better. For now, it is what it is—only ‘whale’ funding can take Nollywood to that pinnacle.
10 popular Nigerian novels that have been adapted into films
Nigerian Filmmakers and beyond have begun to explore the stories embedded in Nigerian novels—helping readers experience visual scenes of what they have read.
Over the years, several Nigerian novels have been adapted into films by producers and directors in appreciation of the richness of its stories.
Inspired by vibrant peoples and cultures, charming plots, and a rich oral and literary heritage, TheRadar earlier curated 10 Nigerian novels from Half of A Yellow Sun, Swallow, Death and the King’s Horseman made into films.
