Joke Silva to play Funmilayo Ransome Kuti in biopic film

Veteran actress Joke silva has been catered to play the role of Nigerian female activist Dr Funmilayo Ransome Kuti in the new Bolanle Austen-Peters directed biopic.

She will be acting alongside the Kuti children and grandchildren in the forthcoming production. Also working on the project will be Kehinde Bankole, Omowunmi Dada, Ibrahim Suleiman, Patrick Diabuah and Shawn Faqua. 

Film director, Bolanle Austen-Peters, who shared a video featuring Joke silva and members of the Kuti family said; “So, we started and made history today. We wanted to create a legacy project so we went for authentic stuff.  How can it get more authentic than having the true blood of Funmilayo Ransome Kuti in the room? Funmilayo had four children. Dolupo, Olikoye, Olufela aka “Fela” and Bekolari.

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They were all represented by their children and niece for Dolupo. The head of the Ransome Kuti family was there; Mr Dotun Ransome Kuti (the son of Olikoye playing his dad, Olikoye; the first child of Fela was there too, Yeni playing her Aunt Dolupo and Fela’s son too, Kunle, was there playing Fela, his father. They came to pay homage but they did more. Loading FRK the movie. Thanks to the estate of Funmilayo who entrusted me with the story and access to family archives. This story will inspire many of us.”