Movie Title: The Rise of Igbinogun

Release Date: 6 October 2023

Runtime: 1 hour 52 minutes

Director: Ideh Chukwuma Innocent

Producer: Ideh Chukwuma Innocent and Tunde Aina.

Cast: Akin Lewis, Shaffy Bello, Enyinma Nwigwe, Damilare Kuku, Tina Mba, Ego Nwosu and Blossom Chukwujekwu.

Recently, with flicks like Jagun Jagun and Orisa, there has been a rise in the number of epic movies heading to the big screens and on global streaming platforms, like Netflix, and ‘The Rise of Igbinogun’ is no exception.

Although the movie premiered in 2022, it only made its way to Netflix on 6 October.

The Rise of Igbinogun tells the story of a warrior who incurs the fury of the king’s guards but becomes a legend among the people when she steals from the rich to empower the poor.

Beyond a historical or mythical hero/ heroine, which is very common with every epic movie, this movie re-narrated the infamous ‘Robinhood’ story, with a little tweak, regarding gender and culture.

The movie portrays Igbinogun, a fearless young woman who leads a band of thieves on a noble mission to take from the wealthy and give to the poor.

She believes it is her destiny to rescue her people from oppressive rule, and her father, Ogbu, played by Enyinna Nwigwe, trains her to be stronger than men her age.

Igbinogun lives with her blind old grandmother, Ene, who constantly encourages her to fulfil her destiny.

Plots

The movie opens with young warriors prepping for a fight. Ogbu is an overprotective father who works very hard to keep to provide for his daughter, Igbinogun, and his blind mother, Ene.

Ogbu was once a fearless and undefeated warrior; he was bold and won every battle he encountered. He was a man loved by the people and favoured by the king, but not until he fell in love with a slave maiden.