Ejiofor said this in Lagos at the premiere of a movie “Half of a Yellow Sun’’ based on a novel written by a Nigerian novelist, Chimamanda Adichie.
He said that there was a wrong impression that he claimed not to be a Nigerian.
“During the period of publicising
“Twelve Years a Slave”, I was asked where I was originally from. I suppose I
was trying to give an honest answer about where I was born, and so, I said
London, which is where I was born.
“And to me, it was a surprising
reaction that people then concluded that I didn’t identify as Nigerian.
“Of course, I am Nigerian-British,
but if they ask me where I was born, I can’t say Enugu, because I wasn’t born
in Enugu, but, it doesn’t mean that I don’t identify as Nigerian.
“I am proud of being Nigerian that I
am extraordinarily happy to be here to make this film. We wanted to make a film
in Nigeria for several years, maybe 20 years. Several years we talked about
making a film in Nigeria, internationalise the market, we know there is so
much, there’s a handful of energy and ability in Nigeria.
“And, for those of us that were born overseas, we want to get back into
all of that and try to work together and make films and internationalise what
is a wonderful market community.
Chiwetel, who reportedly might be
joining the cast on the set of the 24th James Bond movie billed for release in
November, 2015, will be leading other cast of the block buster , including
Genevieve Nnaji, Onyeka Onwenu, OC Ukeje, Tina Mba, Zack Orji, Anika Noni Rose,
Joseph Mawle and John Boyega to the VIP premiere. Directed by the Nigerian
playwright, Biyi Bandele, ‘Half of a Yellow Sun‘ is a beautifully crafted
adaptation of the international bestselling novel by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.
Set in 1960s Nigeria, ‘Half of a
Yellow Sun‘ is an epic love story, weaving together the lives of four people
caught up in the turbulence of the Nigerian civil war.
The film is set to strike a special
chord with movie-goers nationwide as it hits the cinemas on April 25.
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