Prince Marvellous
Lagos turned into a wedding runway on Wednesday night as Nollywood stars traded the usual premiere glamour for bridal gowns, veils and wedding-inspired looks at the red carpet premiere of Folagade Banks’ feature film debut, A Mama Deola Wedding Story, ahead of its streaming release today on Kava TV.
Guests were asked to embrace a strict wedding-themed dress code, and the stars did not hold back.
Comedienne Kazeem Atinuke, popularly known as Mama No Network, stole the spotlight in a full-length bridal gown and veil, quickly becoming one of the biggest talking points of the night.
Actress Uche Ogbodo also drew attention in bridal wear as she shared an emotional moment that touched on her recent separation.
The star-studded guest list included Toyin Abraham, Kate Henshaw, Mo Bimpe, Lateef Adedimeji, Mercy Aigbe, Phyna and filmmaker Femi Adebayo, who attended with his children.
As celebrities posed for photographs and videos, the wedding-themed red carpet quickly spilled onto social media, with #AMamaDeolaWeddingStory generating buzz around the unusual premiere concept.
The attention now shifts to the film itself.
Described by Banks as featuring Nollywood’s biggest-ever wedding scene, A Mama Deola Wedding Story features more than 600 cast members and was filmed continuously for 20 hours.
The comedy-drama premieres exclusively on Kava TV today, marking the platform’s first original production.
The film stars Omowunmi Dada and Rotimi Salami as the central couple, with Shaffy Bello, Bukky Wright, Erica Nlewedim and Iya Rainbow also featuring.
The story follows a determined matriarch who finds herself battling snobbish in-laws and a hidden family secret while trying to make her son’s dream wedding a reality.
With the colourful premiere generating plenty of attention and the film now available to stream, Banks is taking his popular Mama Deola character beyond short-form skits and into a full-length cinematic story.
Whether the character can sustain that appeal on a bigger screen remains to be seen, but the unusual premiere has certainly given A Mama Deola Wedding Story a memorable wedding-style send-off.
