The atmosphere was steeped in nostalgia as the inaugural film history exhibition, ‘Losing Daylight,’ unfolded on October 1st and 2nd, 2023, commemorating Nigeria’s 63rd independence.
Over two enthralling days, industry leaders, filmmakers, academics, diplomats, and avid enthusiasts flocked to the venue, 37 Lagos, nestled in the heart of Ikoyi. There, they embarked on a captivating journey to explore unprecedented imagery, memorabilia, publications, video cassettes, and other significant artifacts that span over 120 years of Nigerian cinema history.
Distinguished guests visiting the exhibition included the Consul-General of the Netherlands, Mr. Michel Deleen, and accomplished filmmaker Ema Dosio Deleen. Notable attendees also comprised Mrs. Ifeyinwa Ighodalo, Chairman of the Board of Trustees at WIMBIZ; Wale Ajiboye, Country Director of Change.org; Mr. Femi Banwo, Founding Partner of Banwo & Ighodalo; Buki Sawyer-Izeogu, CEO of Buki HQ Media; Victor Aghahowa, Head of Production at Multichoice West Africa; music sensation Falz the Bahd Guy; internet sensation Layi Wasabi; screenwriter Dami Elebe; media personality Moet Abebe; PR expert Buki Sawyer, and an illustrious lineup of Nollywood actors, including Tomi Ojo, Omowunmi Dada, Mike Afolarin, Gbubemi Ejeye, Genoveva Umeh, Folu Storms, Demi Banwo, Koye Kekere-Ekun, Seun Ajayi, and many more.
The exhibition is set to make a grand return from December 10th to 15th, 2023, transforming into a multi-dimensional film history festival. This festival will feature a diverse program, including classic film screenings, a vintage Nollywood fashion showcase, captivating stage plays, engaging panel sessions, a soundtrack concert, and much more. The festival’s vibrant activities will unfold at the prestigious EcoBank Pan African Centre in Victoria Island, Lagos.
According to Taiwo Adeyemi, the curator, “the mission extends far beyond this temporary exhibition. We dream of creating a lasting legacy—a permanent home for these priceless treasures we are collecting and restoring—that future generations can visit, study, and cherish. We envision a state-of-the-art film museum that will stand as a testament to our commitment to preserving tangible film history for centuries to come.”
‘Losing Daylight’ is supported by BoxxCulture, EcoBank Nigeria, change.org and Zikoko.
