Mikolo (film)

2023 Nigerian family film directed by Niyi Akinmolayan

Mikolo

Directed by| Niyi Akinmolayan[1]
Screenplay by| Niyi Akinmolayan
Produced by| Victoria Akujobi[2]
Starring|

* Pamilerin Ayodeji
* Fiyinfoluwa Asenuga
* Yvonne Jegede
* Binta Ayo Mogaji
* Daniel Etim Effiong
* Riyo David
* Femi Adebayo
* Yemi Elesho.[1]

Music by| Tolu Obanro

Production
company

Anthill Studios[1]

Distributed by| Film One Entertainment,[3] Amazon Prime[4]

Release date

* 18 August 2023 (2023-08-18)

[1]

Running time

| 110 minutes[5]
Country| Nigeria[1]
Language| English with some Yoruba dialogue (subtitled in English)
Budget| ₦120 million[6]

Mikolo is a 2023 Nigerian live action and computer-animated family fantasy film.[1][7] It was directed by Niyi Akinmolayan, who also wrote the screenplay.[8] The film stars child actors Pamilerin Ayodeji and Fiyinfoluwa Asenuga, along with Yvonne Jegede and Binta Ayo Mogaji, in the lead roles.[1] The film is a rare example of Nollywood production of film for children.[1] With a runtime of 1 hour 50 minutes, it premiered in Nigerian cinemas on 18 August 2023,[1] and was released on Amazon Prime in multiple markets around the world in December 2023.[4]

## Plot

[edit]

The film follows the adventures of a sister, Funke, and her younger brother, Habeeb, who are brought from Lagos by their mother to stay with their paternal grandmother in Gbagi village, Ondo State, while she takes a long training course. Before departure, a story-telling neighbour, Babablu, tells of the Irumole ("magical creatures") forest, which lies near Gbagi and shares an amulet with Funke. The children's' father, who works in the UK, is away after an argument with their mother, and this leads to tensions in the family as they travel.

Exploring locally in Ondo, with a local, Jay-Jay, the children come to a high place where they unknowingly encounter a mystical flying creature, which follows them to their grandmother's home. It is later pursued by a spirit guardian in human form, the Abula. After Funke meets the creature, she names it Mikolo after a dog in a book she is reading. The children befriend Mikolo, hiding it from their grandmother. Following various adventures, including the children taking Jay-Jay's electric tricycle-car into busy night traffic and Mikolo being seized by both the Abula and then some local bandits, the children aid the creature in returning to its home place, a magical realm accessed by a bridge from the high place in which they met. They themselves get into difficulty during this process, and a search for them begins. In the course of the adventures with Mikolo, the children's father appears and he and their mother work, with help from Babablu, who is more than he seems, to find them. All having reached the hidden magical forest, parents and children meet Mikolo's grateful parents, and having bid Mikolo farewell, return a happier family. The film finishes with the statement "Mikolo will return".[9]: 1:47:10

## Cast

[edit]

* Pamilerin Ayodeji as Funke[2]
* Fiyinfoluwa Asenuga as Habeeb[2]/Habib
* Yvonne Jegede as Lola (mother)[9]: 1:47:30
* Binta Ayo Mogaji as Grandma (credited as Ayo Mogaji)[9]: 1:47:30
* Riyo David as the Abula (forest guardian)[8]
* Yemi Elesho as Jay-Jay[9]: 1:47:30
* Daniel Etim Effiong as Maleek (father)[9]: 1:47:30
* Femi Adebayo as Babablu[9]: 1:47:30
* Oluwatosin Sarah as Clara[9]: 1:47:30
* Adelosoye Maxwell Ademola as Head Hunter
* Dhortune as Security Man
* Adamson Ibrahim as Security Man
* Sola Martins as Man in the Bus

Mikolo was voiced by Adam Songbird, and the parent creatures by Dhortune Thatondoboy and Dolafo Adigun. Supporting roles were played by more than 70 other actors.[9]: 1:47:45

## Production

[edit]

The film was conceived and directed by Niyi Akinmolayan, who also wrote the screenplay.[8] It had a large budget in Nollywood terms, 120 million naira,[6][10] and was filmed in Ondo State, with post-production at Anthill Studios in Lagos.[11][12] Some scanning of actors was used to merge the live action and CGI aspects.[8] The film was exceptional in that Nigeria's extremely active film industry produces few films for children[11] \- none from over 4,700 Nollywood films produced in a four-year period ending September 2021, or from then to the release of Mikolo.[1] This led to one critic declaring it to be the most important Nigerian film of 2023, and expressing the hope that the local film industry could also use such a film as the basis for valuable TV, gaming, education and merchandising opportunities, hitherto missed.[1] Mikolo did follow the first Nigerian feature-length animated film, Lady Buckit & The Motley Mopsters, from Abuja in 2020.[6]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Titiloye, Ladipo (24 August 2023). "Why Niyi Akinmolayan's Mikolo is Nigeria's Most Important Film of the Year". Medium. Retrieved 16 February 2024. "from the 2nd quarter of 2017 to the 1st quarter of 2021, Nigeria produced 4,730 movies and none were for children. Two years after 2021, there were still no Nigerian films for children. ... And while there are many shows for kids on DSTV and GOTV, few characters look like Nigerians and none of these shows tell Nigerian stories or showcase our culture."
2. ^ a b c Mustapha, Kolapo (16 January 2024). "Nigerian & Nollywood Movies: Mikolo (review)". Nollywood Reinvented. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
3. ^ BellaNaija.com (26 July 2023). "Niyi Akinmolayan shares Official Poster and Release Date for "Mikolo"". BellaNaija. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
4. ^ a b Oloruntoyin, Faith (22 December 2023). "Anthill's family feature 'Mikolo' is now streaming on Prime Video". Pulse Nigeria. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
5. ^ "Mikolo - reviews and where to watch". good.film. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
6. ^ a b c Eboigbe, Anita. "Why Does Nollywood Need AntHill's 'Mikolo' To Succeed?". www.innollywood.com. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
7. ^ "Mikolo: The Birth of a New Era in Nollywood". AfroFilm Times. 29 May 2023. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
8. ^ a b c d Ochugba, Linda (19 August 2023). ""Mikolo": A magical adventure that captures hearts and inspires minds". Business Day (Nigeria). Retrieved 16 February 2024.
9. ^ a b c d e f g h Niyi Akinmolayan (18 August 2023). Mikolo (film). Lagos, Nigeria: Anthill Studios.
10. ^ Simon, Justina (1 August 2022). "Nollywood worth more as 41 movies earn 3.2 billion naira". The Whistler (Nigeria). Retrieved 19 February 2024. "(Femi A:) it could cost as much as N50 to N100 million to produce a good quality movie / (T. Kelani:) Some movies cost as much as 80 million to make. On average, people spend about 35-40 million naira to produce films"
11. ^ a b BellaNaija.com (27 December 2022). "Niyi Akinmolayan's Live Action/CGI Film "Mikolo" Is Coming to the Big Screens in 2023". BellaNaija. Retrieved 19 February 2024. ""Mikolo" is said to be the first kid-centered cinematic release in Nollywood"
12. ^ "About Us". Anthill Studios. Retrieved 16 February 2024.