Tunde Kelani to Document Music Legend, Ayinla Omowura in Movie

Nollywood filmmaker, Tunde Kelani has begun the shooting of a movie that documents the life and times of late Àpàlà musician, Ayinla Yusuf, popularly known as Ayinla Omowura.

Omowura’s eponymous biopic musical film is coming 40 years after his demise.

Kelani, in a post on his Instagram page, disclosed that already, the filming for Omowura’s biopic has kicked off with the crew, equipment, and cast already in the Abeokuta location base.

“The ideation or obsession which gives birth to this story lasted more than three years and refused to die despite twists and turns including the covid-19 pandemic.

“This is an important but unusual film by many standards,” Kelani wrote.

In the movie, Nollywood star, Lateef Oladimeji will be playing the role of the music legend.

Other actors starring in the biopic include –Bimbo Manuel, Ade Laoye, and Kunle Afolayan.

Documenting the progress of the filming of the biopic, former Nigerian International, Segun Odegbami said the movie captures the odyssey and adventures of a local musical hero and relives them in Abeokuta.

“This was where Ayinla lived, loved, worked, and tragically died on the eve of his greatest triumph,” he stated.

Born on May 6, 1980, at Itoko, Abeokuta, Omowura passed away at the age of 47 after being stabbed to death on the head with a beer glass cup by his estranged manager, Bayewu, during a brawl at a beer parlour.

The Àpàlà music icon was at the peak of his meteoric rise to stardom when he met his untimely death.

However, during his lifetime, Omowura churned out several tracks to preach against bad leadership, fornication, and other ill acts in society.