Lateef Adedimeji as Wole Soyinka in the movie Eni Ogun

Lateef Adedimeji, who recently starred in the biopic Lisabi: The Rise, has taken on the role of Soyinka in Wole Soyinka – Eni Ogun.

Directed by Joshua Ojo, the biopic revolves around the early life, travels, activism and achievements of the 90-year-old Nigerian playwright and novelist.

The actor has impressed audiences with several biopics he has starred in and one he produced (Lisabi). Expectations are high for this look as the film releases on November 29th.

The biopic, distributed by Genesis Cinemas, stars renowned actors including Segun Arinze, Jide Kosoko, Ibrahim Chatta, Bimbo Oshin, Femi Branch, Dele Odule and Makinde Adeniran.

Adedimeji as Wole Soyinka

As the excitement builds for the release of Wole Soyinka – Eni Ogun, audiences are especially eager to see Adedimeji embody the legendary figure of Wole Soyinka.

The film’s trailer shows the actor sporting Soyinka’s iconic gray hair and beard as he strives to bring to life the image of the literary legend.

However, despite his attempts to replicate the appearance, Adedimeji does not exactly resemble the iconic figure, raising questions about his suitability for the role based on his appearance and manner of speech.

Moreover, the trailer doesn’t quite convey the interesting scenes or suspense that could keep viewers engaged.

While the trailer is not enough to judge the outcome of the film, judging by the snippet of the trailer, Adedimeji makes a noticeable effort to convey his appearance and accent.

Comparing Soyinka’s distinctive personality and Yoruba accent to Adedimeji’s, this role may prove to be the most difficult to play.

Why Wole Soyinka is a biopic of Eni Ogun

PREMIUM TIMES reminds According to the producer, it was previously stated that the film aims to highlight the rich history, heritage, heritage and culture of Nigeria and Africa, which are often overlooked or underrepresented.

He spoke about the difficulties he encountered on the way to this goal, but continued to strive to create a masterpiece. He said he was involved in an incident that left his leg severely damaged, forcing him to choose between amputation or emergency surgery.

According to him, the accident did not stop him from achieving his goal of producing a biopic on Soyinka.

biographical film

This is not the first time that the life and legacy of Wole Soyinka has been showcased on stage or screen. In honor of his 90th birthday, a theatrical production of “The Noble Warrior – Eni Ogun” was performed based on the script by Aye-kooto.

Similarly, in 2014, for his 80th birthday, another play, Eni Ogun, based on Soyinka’s autobiographical works, was staged.

In 2015, writer Dapo Adeniyi adapted Soyinka’s autobiography into the film Ake: The Childhood Years, which chronicles his early life.

READ ALSO: How ‘Gentile’ Wole Soyinka Saved Born-Again Pastor Chazzy Udenwa By Uzor Maxim Uzoatu

Most recently, in July 2024, Femi Odugbemi released The Man Died, a prose story detailing Soyinka’s arrest and 22-month imprisonment as a political prisoner.

Soyinka is a Nobel Prize-winning poet and political activist known for his profound literary contributions and lifelong commitment to human rights and justice. He received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1986 for his “broad cultural perspective and poetic subtext that creates the drama of existence.”

Watch the trailer below