Producer of the award-winning movie series, Shanty Town, Chichi Nworah, has returned with anew flick, which aimed to disrupt the leadership of a dreaded gang in the slum and produce a slum king.
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Slum King, the highly anticipated limited drama series from Africa Magic, created a buzz long before its official release recently. Narrating the harrowing tale of Edafe ‘Majemijesu’ Umukoro, who endured the tragic loss of his family in a brutal armed robbery at the tender age of 11, Slum King takes viewers on a transformational journey.
From a troubled street thug in the slums, Edafe evolves into Maje, the magnetic and influential king of the slums.The highly anticipated exclusive premiere for the project packed with a star-studded guests’ list held at The Villa Dome in Ikoyi, Lagos.
A standout moment at the event was the ‘Slum Glam’ dress theme, which inspired various interpretations reflected in the guests’ glamorous attire for the evening.
The event was graced by an array of celebrities including, Tobi Bakre, Sonia Irabor, Olarotimi Fakunle, Gideon Okeke, Idia Aisien, Jidekene Achufusi, Jidekene Achufusi, Bolaji Ogunmola, Moyinoluwa Olutayo, Dotun Oloniyan and Segun Olusemo.
Speaking at the premiere, Executive Head, Content and West Africa Channels at MultiChoice, Dr. Busola Tejumola, said: “We are incredibly excited to present this powerful and gripping drama that takes viewers on an emotional journey. It is all about showcasing the resilience of the human spirit in the face of unimaginable adversity.
“The team has worked tirelessly on this project and it is a testament to the remarkable storytelling that MultiChoice is committed to delivering, and we can’t wait for viewers to experience the extraordinary journey of Maje played by the extremely talented Tobi Bakre.”
Executive Producer, Nworah, legendary for her crime thrillers, expressed pride at the outcome, reflecting on the work that went into bringing the limited series to life, she said: “After three years of labour, a true masterpiece has emerged. A big shout out to the dedicated team, which invested countless hours of its time and effort breathing life into this project.
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“We need to tell the story of where a lot of people came from. Some Presidents today came from the slum, so, we need to give people hope and let them know that they came from the slum and become somebody.
“The incredible Dr. Busola Tejumola and her drive for storytelling played a huge role in building this world we will be introducing to you.”
With a sense of satisfaction in response to the crowd’s reaction and the feedback from the released trailers and exclusive premiere, lead actor, Bakre, said, “I’ve learnt a lot of life lessons stepping into the shoes of Maje, as we are all victims of our circumstances and what becomes important are the decisions we make when trying to get out of them. I’m absolutely delighted to have been a part of Slum King and I can assure you that you will be hooked till the very end.”
Speaking on life on set, he said: “It wasn’t fun doing this, but the fun part of it was seeing other ‘dope’ actors on set and seeing Africa Magic create something amazing. My role as Edafe was very hectic; it’s the most challenging character in my career. I had to be in character for four to six weeks in other movies, but this was the longest. We shot for about two months doing a lot of work taking mental and emotional toll on me.”
On three takeaways from Slum King, he said: “The people you see on the streets are also human being and you may not be able to survive some of the things they have been able to survive. Collectively, we can watch out for each other, build a better community and spread love and empathy with one another.”
Slum King made its official premiere on Sunday, October 8, 2023, exclusively on Africa Magic showcase. You can catch the show every Sunday on DStv channel 151 and GOtv channel 12.
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