Nollywood Stars To Feature In “Ile Alayo” Comedy Series Airing On StarTimes

Iexclusive News Nigeria reports that StarTimes, a leading cheap pay-TV provider, has partnered with Wakaati TV and Nollywood actor Femi Adebayo to debut the Ile Alayo comedy series, which is based on the popular film.

Mr Macaroni, Broda Shaggi, Woli Agba, Odunlade Adekola, Mercy Aigbe, Adebayo Salami, Lateef Adedimeji, Dele Odule, Femi Adebayo, Ebun Oloyede, Cute Abiola, and Wale Akorede are among the Nollywood actors and social media comedians in the cast.

At a press conference hosted by StarTimes on Wednesday, the cast and crew of the series were revealed. Alex Jian, CEO of StarTimes Nigeria; Viki Liu, Content Director; Tunde Aina, COO; Rotimi Akingbogun, CEO of Wakaati TV; Yinka Adebayo, ED of OMD; and representatives from key brands in the country were also in attendance.

‘Ile Alayo,‘ a comedy film authored by veteran actor Femi Adebayo, was released to critical acclaim in 2013.

The 43-year-old actor noted at the press conference that the series will substantially take from the film’s original storyline, emphasizing that it will focus on witty characters with contradicting behaviors.
Mr Macaroni, Woli Agba, Broda Shaggi, and Lateef Adedimeji will all return in ‘Ile Alayo,’ according to Adebayo, and new characters such as Mr Macaroni, Woli Agba, Broda Shaggi, and Lateef Adedimeji will be introduced.

“Some years ago we produced ‘Ile Alayo’ as a home video, and when we ended it, there was a great demand for ‘Ile Alayo’ to come back majorly as a series,” he said.

“When the opportunity from our association TAMPAN to synergise with StarTimes showed up, we gave it a shot, and after so much consideration by the company they felt it was good enough to bring on board as a series.

“Ile Alayo has so many comedians. The concept is about a “face me and face you” house where we have so many characters with conflicting behaviours and attitudes. We have a Muslim cleric, a prophet, a man that sells Indian hemp, prostitutes, retired soldier and cybercriminals.

“The essence of the series is to create a comedy that will make sense. As far as we are trying to make it as humorous as possible, we also want to touch on some social messages that affect our environment. ‘Ile Alayo’ is a comedy flick that I know people will appreciate. I can assure that the sponsors will get value for what they have invested.”

On his part, Alex Jian, the chief executive officer of StarTimes, said the partnership comes as a result of the company’s desire to satisfy the growing demands of viewers for local content.

“Nollywood is the second largest content production centre in the world, in the past 10 years, StarTimes has come to the industry in its own way, whether through content acquisition and production,” he said.

“However, when demands from our audience increased, we began to realise the need to do more. Yes, we are going to do more. ‘Ile Alayo’ is just a start. In the near future, more Nollywood stars and professionals will bring more exciting local content to the screen of our viewers.

Viki Liu, Content Director, StarTimes added, “We are making a broader commitment to the Nollywood industry. Ile Alayo is the first step to this commitment. With an array of super-stars, movie fans should expect laughter aplenty in the blockbuster drama launching in the fourth quarter.

“We are currently working on a plan that will make StarTimes a powerhouse of Nollywood content. As such, we are willing to collaborate with budding talents in the industry to bring more creativity to life. For young and promising creatives who do not have the opportunity to showcase their ingenuity, we are open to collaborate with you on your journey to becoming a global brand. You have the talent; we have the finance to power your creativity,” she concluded.