The producers of Hope Derailed, a documentary film on the June 12, 1993
political crisis, are ramping up the release preparation of the film by launching a website dedicated to the film today, June 12. The film focuses on the elections presumably won by Bashorun M.K.O. Abiola and the four-‐year crisis that followed the annulment.
The producers of Hope Derailed, a documentary film on the June 12, 1993
political crisis, are ramping up the release preparation of the film by launching a website dedicated to the film today, June 12. The film focuses on the elections presumably won by Bashorun M.K.O. Abiola and the four-‐year crisis that followed the annulment.
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('content1'); });
“We planned the launch of the website for June 12 to honor Nigerians. On the website, you can see the teaser trailer and some general information about the film. This is a start, we intend to be very interactive with the communities for the film,” says Pema Gakyil, one of the film’s producers and a graduate of the illustrious film program at the University of Southern California.
The site, www.hopederailed.com, features the highlights and key personalities from the landmark film. People can also follow the progress of the film’s production on its social media sites that are accessible from the film’s website.
Currently, work on the film is in post-production stages in Los Angeles, California. The film features insider accounts from the major players in the crisis. Some of the characters in the film are the former president, General Ibrahim Babangida who annulled the elections; former American undersecretary of state, Ambassador Thomas Pickering who witnessed the death of Abiola; the former British Minister for Africa, Rt. Hon Peter Hain; the other presidential candidate in
the elections, Alhaji Bashir Tofa; former President Olusegun Obasanjo; best friend to the late dictator, General Jerry Useni; the conductor of the elections, Professor Humphrey Nwosu; foreign envoys, senior officials from President Bill Clinton’s administrations and several retired generals. From the Abiola clan are his eldest
son, Kola Abiola; daughters Wura Abiola and Hafsat Abiola-‐Costello and his wife, Dr.
Doyin Abiola.
In the film, generals from the Babangida and Abacha eras reveal the intricate, edgy intrigues in the corridors of powers that led to the annulment and Abiola’s eventual death; politicians dish about muddy world of politics in the 1990s; senior American and British government officials reveal their roles in the crisis and the electoral ombudsman, Professor Humphrey Nwosu takes us into the behind the scenes moves that effectively got the hopes of a nation off track.
The film is directed by Ose Oyamendan, a former journalist who is now an award-winning, Hollywood- based filmmaker with projects all over the world. He is supported by a reputable, world-‐class crew from Los Angeles. Ose says he was drawn to the project for personal and nationalistic reasons.
“June 12 is really about the story of our lives as Nigerians. I am drawn to this
story by the need to tell Nigerian stories and this is one of the biggest stories in Nigerian history. And, this is not just a Nigerian story. The story has a profound impact in many parts of the world and was indeed shaped in foreign capitals as much as it was shaped in Nigeria.
“My team and I have been incredibly blessed that all these major actors in that era are opening their doors and hearts to us. Personally this has been a very humbling experience. We are very honored to be telling it and we hope it would open the doors for stories about us as a people to be told on the world stage,” says Ose.
DIRECTOR OSE OYAMENDAN
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('content2'); });
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('comments'); });