The Rock Cathedral of The House on the Rock Church, Lekki, Lagos, witnessed heavy traffic on Nigeria’s Independence Day, as the church in collaboration with the United States Consulate General premiered latest Paramount Pictures movie, Captive, featuring Nigeria’s David Oyelowo. The movie screening, which coincided with the celebrations of Nigeria’s 55th Independence Day anniversary, was conceived as a platform to further promote peace, nation building and the development of minds and purpose towards achieving the Nigeria of our dreams.

As at 3pm, guests had started arriving and, before long, the entire corridor was busy with vehicular movement stretching as far as the roundabout on the Lekki Epe Expressway. While the patient ones endured the long traffic into the Rock Cathedral car park, those, who couldn’t wait, pulled into other adjourning streets and walked all the way to the red carpet. Even the premises of the popular Bespoke Event Center, just opposite the church, were not spared, as they were parked full with vehicles, though organised.

Being a free entry event made all the difference in the level of turnout. However, the security operatives ensured orderliness within the premises. While those with special invitation were ushered in through the red carpet that had fans cheering, others made their way straight into the main auditorium where the movie was screened.

A 2015 American crime-drama thriller film directed by Jerry Jameson and written by Brian Bird and Reinhard Denke, Captive is based on the non-fiction book Unlikely Angel by Ashley Smith. A true story about Brian Nichols, who escapes from the Fulton County courthouse in Atlanta on March 11, 2005 and holds Smith hostage, the film stars Nigeria’s David Oyelowo as Nichols and Kate Mara as Smith.

On March 11, 2005, Brian Nichols escapes from the Fulton County courthouse in Atlanta during his trial involving a rape case. In the process he murders the judge presiding over his trial, Rowland Barnes, as well as court reporter Julie Brandau. He also shoots Sergeant Hoyt Teasley, while escaping from prison, and then Special Agent David G. Wilhelm at his home. Nichols then kidnaps a young woman, Ashley Smith at her apartment as hostage. He becomes the subject of a citywide manhunt after breaking out of a courthouse jail and killing four people. Held hostage by Nichols in her own home, Smith looks for guidance from The Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren’s best-selling, inspirational book. As she reads aloud, Ashley and her would-be killer come to a crossroad.

While speaking at a media briefing held before the screening, Senior Pastor Paul Adefarasin of House on the Rock explained that though the premiere was not originally planned to hold on Nigeria’s Independence Day, the theme of the movie and the message that comes with it fits well into the mood of the nation at this time.

“At House On The Rock, we will continue to innovate and seek mediums to spread the gospel of faith in unconventional ways to inspire both the churched and unchurched people in the world,” he said.

On the choice of Captive, Adefarasi informed that, “Hollywood is an important massaging platform. While the church wants to get into that platform in Nigeria, we want to begin to message veritable truths that are quintessential to nation building. We believe that as faith-based community, these truths are shared among us. While we premiere this movie in which a Nigeria actor, who is a member of our church in London and Lagos, has distinguished himself as an actor in the global community, it’s a challenge to other Nigerian actors that they too can become huge messengers of value-driven movies. And we believe that Nollywood will accept this challenge”.

The senior pastor, who noted that the movie industry is a lucrative venture, described it as an important part of a nation’s economy, noting, “If we can put an end to piracy in Nigeria, the industry can be a major contributor to the Nigerian economy and the movie industry in general. We will assist filmmakers to continue to raise standard of their production. We will also assist them in ensuring that their reach is wide enough to begin to drive some of these values we speak about into the Nigerian culture.”

Also commenting on the film, the Acting United States Consul-General in Lagos, Ms. Dehab Ghebreab said, “What we are doing today is also sending a message about purpose-driven life. If every individual looks at the meaning of life and what the purpose of life is, then you will have people thinking the same way, which will also help contribute to having a purpose-driven nation. So, I think that every small step that we take to influence people or increase awareness in the society is very important”.