Aroba Groove, a group of cultural enthusiasts with a mission to preserve and promote cultural heritage, on Sunday, hosted a colourful get-together for the casts that participated in Asiyanbi.
Asiyanbi, produced by Akindeji Ibitayo and directed by Ropo Ewenla, Is a stage adaptation of ‘Ti Oluwa Ni Ile.
Ti Oluwa Ni Ile was written by veteran actor and producer, Alhaji Kareem Adepoju, aka Baba Wande, in 1987 and was produced by veteran filmmaker, Tunde Kelani in 1993.
The drama featured Baba Wande, Kayode Olaiya, aka Aderupoko, Yomi Fash Lanso, Yemi Elesho, Lekan Agba Inaki, Jigan Baba Oja, Jude Chukwuka, Yaw, Dele Omo Woli, Baba Alariya, Baba Kamo, Ozain, among others.
Apart from the merriment, the cast party held at Iris Gold Hotel, Anfani Ibadan was an avenue for the cast to reunite, interact and exchange ideas.
Deji Ibitayo, the producer of the play, explained that the rationale behind the party was to say thank you to the cast.
He said, “We put them through very rigorous rehearsals and the production process lasted nearly a year. The time, the schedule, everything. As a human, you need to appreciate the people who’ve put in so much effort. We have a total of 78 cast members, including major names like Aisha Lawal as Iyalode and Yomi Fash-Lanso. The only person retained from the original movie is Aderupoko.
“We’ve also introduced a lot of new and young talents like Ozain, Baba Alariya, Baba Kamo, Wa Sere, and many more.
*Some of these people are skit makers, and we involve them because we want people to see that they’re actors who can perform live. One of my biggest surprises was Ozain, who, despite being very busy during rehearsals, was fantastic on stage.”
Corroborating Deji Ibitayo’s remarks, a veteran actor Yomi Fash Lanso said “The cast party is important because it’s a way of showing gratitude to the crew. It’s a way of compensating them and expressing appreciation beyond just money. It lets them know that they’re valued and loved.”
Yomi Fash who played the role of a King in the stage dram added “This project stands out because the theme is still relevant today. It speaks to issues we are still suffering from, and we’ll keep addressing them until things change. It touches on the concept of ile Oosa, a sacred place that should be preserved and respected, untampered with.”
Also the Director Ropo Ewenla in his brief remark thanked the casts for their cooperation during the rehearsal and production.
“It was an enjoyable experience. We spent about two to three weeks working through the lines. This wasn’t your typical stage production, it’s up to the audience to decide whether they’ve seen something truly remarkable or not.” He said.
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