Fifty… Celebrating African women coming of age

Fifty… Celebrating African women coming of age 

By Prisca Sam-Duru 

There was no better time and better tool to celebrate African women that the screening of the blockbuster movie, titled Fifty which largely showcases femininity like never before. Chronicling the highs and lows of women coming of age, Fifty was screened to mark the 2016 International Women’s Day. The screening came courtesy of EbonyLife Films which hosted about 200 women to a special private champagne screening of the record smashing FIFTY at the Genesis Deluxe Cinemas in The Palms shopping mall Lekki, Lagos. Directed by Biyi Bandele, Fifty has been described as Mo Abudu’s quest to showcase African women coming of age, loaded with increasingly similar aspirations and dilemmas faced by their contemporaries everywhere, while yet navigating unresolved traditions and obligations. The star-studded special screening had in attendance a special blend of movie and music personalities, captains of industry and socialites including leading characters from the movie, Ireti Doyle, Omoni Oboli, Nse Ikpe Etim, Kemi ‘Lala’ Akindoju and Uzor Osimkpa who were rewarded for their roles in the film. 



Also present were music sensations Omawunmi and Ruby Gyang, Mosun Ogunbanjo, Nollywood actress Kehinde Bankole and ‘woman’ of the moment Olajumoke Orisaguna amongst many others. Fifty opens with Tola (Dakore Akande) weeping silently in pains while obviously, waiting up late for her stray husband who oblivious to her, has found solace in the warmth of another 

: Actress, Fifty, Kemi  Lala - Akindoju; Actress, Fifty, Iretiola Doyle; Producer,  Fifty, Mo Abudu; Model, Olajumoke Orisagunna, and Actress, Fifty, Omoni Oboli, at the special VIP screening of Fifty in commemoration of  international Women’s Day

woman. She is soon to find out to her chagrin that it is someone close. Now, that is typical of life in most broken homes. While Tola exhibits attitudes of a frustrated shrew at fifty, Gynaecologist, Dr Elizabeth (Ireti Doyle), a single mother, is busy frolicking with her toy boy who is bent on sucking her dry; body, soul and finance. At the same time, she navigates through disentangling herself form continuing being at loggerheads with her daughter who despises her for sleeping with her boyfriend. Kate, (Nse Ikpe Etim) on her part, battles childlessness and refusing to accept the report of the doctor that she has cancer, resorts to seeking help in the Church while her jobless husband busies himself, gambling away her hard earned money. For Maria( Omoni Oboli) at fifty, she is single and detests children but when she reaches ‘heaven’ through the arms of lawyer Kunle, (Wale Ojo) Kate’s husband, she lets her guards off in those moments of ecstasy and this results in pregnancy. And the saga continues. Mo Abudu, Founder of EbonyLife Films and Executive producer of ‘FIFTY’ said, “It is international women’s day and I thought it would be nice to extend a gesture to women everywhere of all ages and background and treat them to a private screening of our movie FIFTY. This is also a girl’s night out that had champagne, popcorn and special cupcakes served all in a bid to celebrate women as we all have a story worth celebrating.”