Lisabi: The Uprising (2024)

Interesting facts

• Based on: heritage

Lisabi: The Uprising is a 2024 Nigerian historical drama film directed by Niyi Akinmolayan and produced by Adebimpe Oyebade and Victoria Akujobi. The cast includes Lateef Adedimeji, Adebimpe Oyebade, Ibrahim Chatta, Jide Awobona, Eniola Ajao, and Adebowale Adedayo. The film follows Lisabi Agbongbo-Akala, a farmer-driven to vengeance after witnessing the brutal killing of his close friend by the Alaafin of Oyo and his ally, Songodeyi. The film is loosely based on the historic 18th-century Lisabi Rebellion of Abeokuta.

Production

Lisabi: The Uprising was first announced as part of a two-part epic by Netflix on September 19, 2024, marking one of the streaming service's more significant ventures into Yoruba historical drama. The first installment, The Uprising, was set for release on September 27, 2024, with its sequel, Lisabi: A Legend Is Born, released in January 2025.

The film was a product of Nollywood's "New Nollywood" trend, targeting higher production standards, culturally derived narratives, and period epics influenced by international cinema. Directed by Niyi Akinmolayan, known for combining mysticism with historical drama, the film represents a significant investment in Yoruba heritage cinema, with a budget surpassing N200 million.

The Lisabi production team had made it a priority to only use Nigerians. In an Interview with BusinessDay, Akinmolayan confirmed that the film's production crew was 100% Nigerian, offsetting Nollywood's historical dependence on foreign technical specialists.The choice was both aesthetic and political: to show that local filmmakers can deliver epic scale without external help.

Anthill Studios, Akinmolayan's production house, partnered with Netflix and Al Notions Studios to execute the project. In interviews, Akinmolayan argues that economic constraints are Nollywood's biggest challenge not creativity. The film received support from the Nigerian Film Corporation and Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun to help promote Nigerian history and culture to a global audience.

The production was started off as an act of passion by actor and executive producer Lateef Adedimeji, inspired by his earlier work directing the biopic Ayinla (2021) to put on screen the legend of Yoruba lesser-known heroes. Adedimeji, also cast in the title role Lisabi, wanted to educate the young generation about the likes of Lisabi, marketing the film as a ground for cultural pride and freedom.

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