The 10 naira note has an interesting back story. On one side of the note, there is an illustration of two young women. In the 1960s, an Irish photographer known as John Hinde took several photographs of Nigerian culture. His photographs were popular because coloured photography was a new invention, and he was very skilled at capturing the beauty of a moment. The photograph that he took of two Fulani women was eventually turned into an illustration for one side of our 10 naira note. The 10 naira note was introduced to the general public in 1979.
Today, John Hinde’s photograph is still inspiring creativity. The Milkmaid, a film by Desmond Ovbiagele, is a fictional story based on the image of those two Fulani girls on the 10 naira note. The two girls are milkmaids in Fulani culture. In 2015, Hadiza Abubakar, head of a milkmaid association called the Kautal Hore Sippirdemen De Kosam De Fulbe, complained to The Africa Report about the difficulties Fulani milkmaids now face. The processing of milk is a traditional Fulani livelihood, it is impacted directly by the rearing of cattle. For decades, cattle rearing and the processing of milk have been supported by simple systems – like dedicated grazing routes – set up by the communities that depend on them. Unfortunately, several factors have contributed to the conflict in Northern states that not only interrupts normal daily life but in some cases, completely destroys it. In creating The Milkmaid movie, Desmond Ovbiagele aims to illustrate this point and draw attention to it.
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The film is set against the lush and picturesque landscape of Taraba state. Taraba is the 3rd largest in Nigeria, and it is popularly referred to as ‘Natures Gift to the Nation’. It holds the Gashaka Gumti, Nigeria’s largest national park.
The militant insurgency has become common news in Nigeria, especially in Northeastern states. In April 2018, UNICEF announced that more than 1000 children have been kidnapped by Boko Haram since 2013. The Milkmaid movie tells the story of these two milkmaid sisters, inspired by the 10 naira note, who are separated when militants unleash violence on their village. Aisha, the elder sister, sets out on a brave search for her younger sister, Zainab. In the trailer, she tells a militant leader her purpose and he asks her: “What can you offer?” The trailer begins with a touching statement, Aisha is speaking; “For as long as I can remember, looking after Zainab has been my mission in life.” Aisha will do anything to find her sister. The Milkmaid film follows her search and shows all the harsh realities a young woman can suffer and face in the hands of extremists.
The team behind this film project have explained their purpose in the following words:
“The film (The Milkmaid) draws attention to the present plight of real-life victims of militant insurgency in Nigeria (internally displaced persons, IDPs), to generate support for their economic & psychological rehabilitation and social re-integration. We also seek to contribute to the ongoing discourse on the threats posed by extremism.”
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The film crew is made up of distinguished creatives like Yinka Edward, the award-winning cinematographer responsible for the stunning visuals in The Figurine, October 1, and Okafor’s Law. There is also Pat Nebo, a Production Designer with more than 25 years of experience. Pat Nebo won the award for Best Art Director at the 2015 Africa Magic Viewer’s Choice Award (AMVCA) for October 1. Both Pat Nebo and Yinka Edward won awards for their work on ’76, a 2016 Nollywood film about the failed coup of 1976. The crew is led by Desmond Ovbiagele, director of Render to Caesar, a 2014 film which won Best Screenplay at the Nollywood Movies Awards and Best of Nollywood (BON) Awards in 2015. The Milkmaid is Desmond’s second feature film.
On the cast, Anthonieta Kalunta stars in her first film role as Aisha, the elder sister. The role of Zainab, the younger sister, is played by Maryam Booth, a young lady with a lot of experience in Kannywood. Gambo Usman Kona plays Dangana, the lead male character in this film. A release date has not yet been announced.
Source:
Milkmaidmovie
CBN Gov NG
edition.cnn
TheAfricareport
Filmfestivals
Wikipedia
Featured Image Source: The Milkymaid Movie – Youtube
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