USAfrica: Nollywood star Chigozie Atuanya’s versatile skills shine alongside Ebube Nwagbo, Queen Nwokoye in “Chetanna” movie premiere in USA. By Chido Nwangwu

Nollywood star Chigozie Atuanya’s versatile skills shine alongside Ebube Nwagbo, Queen Nwokoye, Ebele Okaro in “Chetanna” movie premiere in USA

By Chido Nwangwu

Special to USAfricaonline.com, CLASSmagazine,  and USAfrica multimedia networks, Houston. Follow USAfrica at Facebook.com/USAfricaChido , Facebook.com/USAfrica247 and Twitter.com/Chido247

USAfrica, Houston: One of Africa’s creative and acting superstars, Chigozie Atuanya, seemed to have heeded the wise words of the late, great Nelson Mandela on the impact and value of being communicated to in one’s own language. The iconic Mandela once said “If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.”

The movie, directed by Ikechukwu Onyeka, offers a compelling trifecta of suspense, humor and old-school romance! It also suddenly explodes into the swift slices of a hot-headed, cruel Igbo-American young wife (Ebube Nwagbo) who returns home to confront her green-card seeking husband (Chigozie) and his traditionally married “local” wife (Queen Nwokoye).
It is a brilliant tale of acculturation clashes and the contradictions which emerge and face some African immigrants who need to “survive” abroad while facing family demands to marry back home.

The Chetanna movie is an important contribution to the issue of “vanishing” Igbo language; following in the groundbreaking Igbo movie, Living in Bondage. Chigozie told USAfricaonline.com and CLASSmagazine that “it’s an important part of my creative goals to make movies in Igbo language. This is the beginning; next year 2015, we’ll make another Igbo language movie as a way of promoting our great culture.” It was shot in the Enugu area of eastern Nigeria.

On Saturday night October 11 into 1am on Sunday October 12, 2014, with almost 80 other persons of varied language origins, I watched the movie’s international premiere at Houston’s Igbo Catholic community center. I sat next to the history-making man who led the construction of the facility, Chief Goddy Orgor.

Technically, there are two challenges to the production of the movie. First, the cinematography is modest.
Second, the English sub-titles in “Chetanna” need more accurate renditions and spellings.
Overall, it’s a worthy landmark social and theatrical expression which not only entertains but raises the language of the 41 million Igbo speaking population of Nigeria.

I commend Chigozie Atuanya’s dual roles as executive producer and lead actor of the outstanding Igbo movie ‘Chetanna’. The engaging performances of the movie’s Nollywood’s actors Queen Nwokoye, Ebube Nwagbo, Ebele Okaro, Obi Nmadubuogu and others have set the movie on a path to historical relevance and theatrical significance.                                            •The movie reviewer, Dr. Chido Nwangwu, moderator of the Achebe Colloquium (Governance, Security, and Peace in Africa)  at Brown University in Rhode Island and former adviser on Africa business/issues to the Mayor of Houston, is the Founder & Publisher of Houston-based USAfrica multimedia networks since 1992, first African-owned, U.S-based newspaper published on the internet USAfricaonline.com; CLASSmagazine, AchebeBooks.com, and the largest pictorial events megasite on the African diaspora www.PhotoWorks.TV . He was recently profiled by the CNN International for his pioneering works on multimedia/news/public policy projects for Africans and Americans.  http://edition.cnn.com/video/#/video/international/2010/07/29/mpa.african.media.bk.a.cnn                                            e-mail: Chido247@Gmail.com wireless 1-832-45-CHIDO (24436).

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Nollywood multimedia merit award for USAfrica Founder Dr. Chido Nwangwu from Los Angeles Film Association.

Special to USAfricaonline.com, CLASSmagazine,  and USAfrica multimedia networks, Houston. Follow USAfrica at Facebook.com/USAfricaChido , Facebook.com/USAfrica247 and Twitter.com/Chido247

By Stanley Acholonu, in Los Angeles 

On August 9, 2014 near the historic bowels of Hollywood in California, the board of the Los Angeles Nollywood Film Association  awarded its MultiMedia Merit honor to USAfrica’s Founder Chido Nwangwu.  

According to the Association, “Dr. Chido Nwangwu is the person who has done and continues to produce outstanding body of works for almost 22 years of mainstreaming African artistes, conveying the authentic message and images of dignity about our heritage, news and the diaspora.” 

He established in 1993 in  Houston, Texas, the influential USAfrica multimedia and public policy networks — including the first African-owned U.S.-based professional newspaper published on the Internet USAfricaonline.com.  

The New York Times of September 23, 2003 and the CNN noted that USAfrica is America’s largest African-owned multimedia company; and arguably the most influential platform for African and American issues. 

 Dr. Chido Nwangwu who has been profiled by the CNN International for his pioneering leadership roles is completing the 2014 book titled ‘MANDELA & ACHEBE: Footprints of Greatness.’  

#Achebe USAfrica Founder Dr. Chido Nwangwu gets award for his works on#ThingsFallApart author Chinua Achebe from ASA-USA Dallas. Chido is completing the book on Mandela & Achebe: Footprints of Greatness. by Chido Nwangwu ISBN 978-0-9893970-0-1. www.MandelaAchebeChido.com