Armed with a BA in History and International Studies from Imo State University and a PGD in Educational Management from Lagos State University, Henry Onyema is not just your regular secondary school teacher. He loves Nigerian history with a passion rare among his peers.
One day, he decided to write a story about the Nigerian Civil war from an angle most writers wouldn’t have dared to thread.
He wrote a short story about a fictional encounter between Emmanuel Ifeajuna and Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu.
Not long after, Trino Studios while searching for original African stories online stumbled upon the short story and they contacted the writer.
This story titled The Encounter went on to be adapted for screenplay. The film captured the remarkable story of a moment in the history of our nation and how the events that transpired helped in determining what Nigeria is today.
Through seamless storytelling, the film explored the realities that surrounded the war that is often described as the most difficult era in Nigeria’s history.
Henry Onyeama while explaining the inspiration behind the story said “There comes a time when history and fiction has to be merged, the interesting thing is that it is history and fiction is based on real characters.
“It is creative imagination, there is no historical evidence that such a story actually took place. It is created based on the fact that let us take history out of the classroom.”
While describing Emmanuel Ifeajuna’s character from his own point of view, he said “Nigeria doesn’t keep records about our people, from available records; certain things emerged about his character. He was politically active. He was a type of person who was a detribalised Nigerian. His outlook cut across the entire country.
“He had the mind set of being a Nigerian before being an Igbo. He was a devoted family man and that was obvious in the film.
“I was not trying to distort history, I just felt that why it is that everyone talks about Kaduna Nzeogwu, what about other people that were major players during the civil war.”
Produced by Trino Studios, The Encounter was directed by by Tolu Ajayi. The short film will be available to the Nigerian public at no cost.