Throwback: Remembering Ossie Davis' Kongi's Harvest (1997)

This is Tambay Obenson's Twitter response to Mo Abudu's Instagram claiming that her studio's Death and The King's Horseman is the first time a Wole Soyinka play has ever been made for the screen.

Having seen this, we realized that maybe there are people out there who really don't know about the 1970 classic, and in a bid to correct this misinformation, we have decided to dedicate this week's throwback to it (Kongi's Harvest)

Kongi's Harvest is a 1970 Nigerian drama film directed by Ossie Davis. The film was adapted from a screenplay by Wole Soyinka adapted from his 1965 play of the same name. The film stars Wole Soyinka himself in the leading role as the dictator of an African nation.

The film was produced by Francis Oladele's Calpenny Nigerian Films.

Synopsis

After Deposing Oba Danlola (Rasheed Onikoyi), President Kongi (Wole Soyinka), tries to modernize his nation. He has the subtle intention of presiding over the Festival of the New Yam.

Kongi struggles to take authority over the festival because King Oba Danlola, instead of giving up his power, has chosen to remain in prison. Kongi attempts to find a way to make Danlola submit to his demands.

Kongi devises plans to reach his goal by any means necessary, so he forces government officials to disguise, wearing traditional African outfits and sends them to get advice from the man he Oba Danlola.

Finally he requests that Danlola gives him a Yam as a form of tribute. However when Kongi is on the verge of obtaining the yam, a coup happen and the soldiers take the power into their hands. In a scene at the harvest ceremony, Kongi is shot dead.

Catch a glimpse of the movie here: