Simi wants to know why there are extravagant premieres for Hollywood films in Nigeria

She asked the question via Instagram while complimenting celebrities who attended the elaborate MET Gala themed premiere of "Ocean's 8" in Lagos on Sunday, June 17, 2018.

The singer asks why there are elaborate premieres for Hollywood movies that the cast don't show up for. She wants to know if it's the norm in every country.

The "Ocean's 8" premiere in Lagos, Nigeria

There is usually no dress code at most premieres as celebrities show up wearing whatever they deem fit for the occasion.

But for the Lagos premiere of "Ocean's 8," the celebrities in attendance were asked to dress in any of the past MET Gala themes of their choice.

There's a cash reward for the fashion designer who created the best red carpet look. As at time of this article, a winner hasn't been announced.

The premiere was a collaboration between FilmOne, a Nigerian production and distribution company, and Warner Bros., an American entertainment company. It was attended by celebrities such as Toke Makinwa, Omoni Oboli, Osas Ajibade, and Ufuoma McDermott.

The Backlash

Simi isn't the only Nigerian with questions. On Twitter, the event and the elegant and eye-catching outfits were criticized.

People asked:"Why do we have such an extravagant premiere for a film with no connection to the Nigerian film industry?"

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Bolanle Olukanni is one of the celebrities who have responded to the backlash. According to her, the celebrities are not stupid and know that MET gala is an event.

She added that the theme was chosen to allow free liberty to choose from any of the previous MET Gala themes.

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What is the Met Gala?

The Met Gala is an annual fundraising event for the benefit of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute in New York City.

Considered to be the fashion industry's premier annual red carpet event, each year's event celebrates the theme of that year's Costume Institute exhibition, which in turn sets the dress code of the night as guests choose their outfits to match the theme of the exhibit.

In 2015, it was the 'China: Through the Looking Glass' theme. In 2016, it was Manus x Machina: Fashion In An Age Of Technology. And in 2018, it was the "Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination."

The first gala was held in 1948 and was founded by publicist Eleanor Lambert. Since 1995, the event has been chaired by American Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour.

Ocean's 8 premiere in UK and USA

"Ocean's 8," an all-female reboot with a plot centered on the MET Gala and a Cartier necklace, premiered in the US and UK, on June 5 and June 13, respectively.

For both events, the cast including Rihanna, Cate Blanchett, Sandra Bullock and Helena Bonham Carter were present.

Red Carpet premieres for Hollywood films in Nigeria

Nigeria is no stranger to elaborate premieres for Hollywood films. For "Black Panther," two Africa-themed premieres were held in Nigeria.

The first held at Genesis Deluxe Cinemas and the latter at Filmhouse IMAX, Lekki. The event was attended by Nigerian celebrities with none of the cast in attendance.

Other Hollywood films which have premiered in Nigeria without the cast present include "Kingsman: The Golden Circle," "Avengers: Infinity War" and "Deadpool."

Is this a norm?

In April 2018, there was a simple red carpet premiere in Australia for "Avengers: Infinity War," a superhero film featuring Australian actor, Chris Hemsworth.

Also earlier this year, Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira, John Kani and Connie Chiume attended the premiere of their film "Black Panther" in Johannesburg, South Africa.

In 2017, the China premiere of "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales" was attended by Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom and Javier Bardem.

In December 2017, Will Smith, Noomi Rapace and Joel Edgerton attended the premiere of "Bright" in Mumbai.

It's not strange for Hollywood films to enjoy elaborate red-carpet premieres in foreign countries, but elaborate red-carpet events without any of the cast is most prominent in Nigeria.

Why do we have elaborate red carpet premieres for Hollywood films in Nigeria?

The importance of movie premieres - for local or international films - extends beyond glitzy, star-studded red-carpets; they are widely considered a means of publicity.

The distributors of these Hollywood films in Nigeria organize these events to create more hype for the movie. The more elaborate the event, the more buzz the movie gets, and the more people would probably want to see it.

It's just a business move by the distributors and, for different celebrities, an opportunity to relax, have fun, network, or remain relevant.