Access Bank has backed a new movie by Nigerian film producer and director, Kunle Afolayan, which focuses on the subject of sexual victimization. The movie, ‘Citation’ which connects with the current discourse on gender and sexual equality across all levels especially in the African space, has received support from the bank.
The movie which is titled ‘Citation’ attempts to capture the prevalent theme of sex-for-grades in many Nigerian universities. It is a college drama about a female postgraduate student who struggles with a way out of constant ordeals of sexual harassment from a male lecturer.
Speaking at the private screening of the movie held at Terra Kulture, Ayona Trimnell (Group Head, W Initiative at Access Bank), said that ‘The issue of gender-based violence reaches every corner of the world and Nigeria has indeed been plagued by this issue for too long. With about 39 percent of women and girls aged 15-49 have experienced sexual abuse, it is important that all stakeholders– private and public— contribute to the conversation, offer support, and put in place frameworks to ensure that the scrouge of gender violence is eradicated from our society.’
Ayona Trimnell, also, took the time to explain the partnership with Kunle Afolayan said the collaboration was one of the many initiatives targeted at empowering women by Access Bank. The W Project started in 2014 by the bank.
In the same vein, Kunle Afolayan said that his decision to partner with Access Bank is a result of the bank’s impact on women through its W Initiative ‘hence it was easy to select the bank as a partner given their body of work.’
Billionaire daughter of Femi Otedola, Temi Otedola, who played the lead role and made her first acting debut with the movie is quoted to have said at the private screening of the movie earlier in August that the movie is more than entertainment. In her own words, she said that ‘the heart of this movie is a message to the world and I just feel so blessed, honored, grateful to bring this character, Moremi Oluwa to life’.
Emphasizing on the role of Moremi (her character in ‘Citation’) Temi said that ‘For many months, she lived within my heart and it is even hard to this day to separate the two of us. I hope I was able to be a vessel for countless girls in this country who will not get the chance to tell their story. That is the heart of “Citation” for me.’
Kunle Afolayan who shared the Netflix official trailer of the movie on his Twitter page in the early hours of today averred that the aim of the movie is to help victims of the highlighted theme speak up.
‘Citation’ altogether aims to empower women to stand up for themselves at every point especially against any sort of sexual violence in molestation and in harassment. The movie, therefore, comes as a win-win for all women who at one point or the other have been victims of gender infelicities.