The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II has made his debut in the entertainment industry as he personally features in a Hollywood movie production, titled ‘Take Me Home’.
The first class Yoruba monarch played a role befitting of his throne as the custodian of the Yoruba culture.
Speaking during an interview with PUNCH, popular filmmaker and director, Dotun Taylor said that he undertook to feature the Ooni of Ife because the movie centered on Yoruba culture.
According to him, the movie aims to draw a renewed attention to the repatriation of Yoruba arts and artifacts scattered all over the world.
On his choice of shooting a Yoruba movie in the United States of America, the movie director said the country is the filmmaking capital and the experience was awesome.
He said: “Ooni is the progenitor of all Yorubas, and such a character appears in the story, so we approached the king. He is our father, and his involvement in the movie is to strengthen the message.”
“The aim of the film is to draw renewed attention to the repatriation of Yoruba arts and artefacts that are scattered all over the world. In every part of the world, there are various properties belong to the Yorubas. They may be called ‘art’, but they also possess spiritual energies, which are desperately crying to be returned to their source.
“Hollywood is not exaggerated. It is the world’s filmmaking capital and the experience was awesome. It is a wonderful new frontier.
“Again, this is my heritage, my pride and essence. I am first a Yoruba man before any other thing. I am a Yoruba culture ambassador as well, so this is just me doing my job.”
‘Take Me Home’ tells the story of an American family that got stuck when their daughter is possessed (spiritually) after wearing an African masquerade costume that was stolen from Ile Ife, Osun State, Nigeria.
Also featured in the movie are notable actors like Lateef Adedimeji and Bayo Bankole as well as Hollywood actors such as Dave Sheridan, Amber Rivette, and Felissa Rose.