At the recent THISDAY Awards, Nigerian billionaire Femi Otedola shared with the well-heeled audience how he wants to spend the rest of his days: by doing goodwill to the less privileged. Otedola was awarded the award for Philanthropist of the Decade for his continuous support to the less privileged, more recently, his donation of N5 billion to the less privileged children in the northeastern part of Nigeria through his daughter’s foundation.
Otedola is also known for coming to the aid artistes who are at the nadir of their life.
The recent mission of the philanthropist is to support the film industry. Otedola made this known during a recent visit to Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun state where Kunle Afolayan is shooting his upcoming movie ‘Citation’. The youngest of his daughters, Temi is playing the lead character in the movie which centers on a female postgraduate student who has to find a way of dealing with the awkward situation of sexual harassment from a lecturer.
Otedola, who was accompanied by his wife and ace cinematographer Tinke Kelani, said he wanted to see what the making of a film looks like, adding that his new interest would be to support the fast growing Nigerian movie industry. This piece of news is exciting for the film industry which is still grappling with funds for productions. With the backing of affluent individuals like Otedola, surely, the film industry will raise its standards and compete favourably with their counterparts.
The much advertised ‘Citation’ movie is expected to move locations to Senegal and the beautiful Island of Cape Verde in a couple of weeks.
