Veteran Nigerian filmmaker Tunde Kelani has revealed that the Olubadan of Ibadan, Rashidi Ladoja, gave him an N85,000 loan that made it possible to produce his first feature film.

Kelani made the revelation during an appearance on The Dupe Ajayi Show, where he reflected on the early years of his filmmaking career and the support he received from the former Oyo State governor.

The filmmaker said he decided to make his first film about 10 years after returning from the London Film School but did not have enough money to finance the project.

“Ten years after London Film School, I realised that I hadn’t made a film. I decided that yes, it is time to make one. I put up a team. We had the Cinecraft, and we could donate our skills, but we still needed money,” he said.

“The money we needed according to that budget was 85,ooo naira. So Alhaji Lasisi Oriekun said, and I have a brother oh, if we tell him maybe he can lend us the money.”

According to Kelani, Oriekun’s brother was Rashidi Ladoja, who agreed to provide the money.

“His brother was Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja. He agreed and gave us the money. Collectively, from my experience, it was successful,” he said.

The loan enabled Kelani and his team to produce Iwa, an adaptation of Adebayo Faleti’s Idamu Paadi Minkailu, which became his first film adaptation.

Although the project did not recover its production cost, Kelani said he still returned to Ladoja with the money the film generated.

He said, “We didn’t recoup the money, but whatever we made, I took it to Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja and said, ‘Excuse me, sir, please take this. This is what we have now.’”

Kelani also disclosed that Ladoja later financed the establishment of Opomulero under Mainframe Productions, a project created to document, promote and preserve Yoruba culture and history.

“Later on, I decided to start a company, Mainframe Production Opomulero, to document, promote and preserve Yoruba culture and history,” he said.

“I went back to Kabiyesi Olu Ibadan and told him my plan. I needed a lot of money. At first instance it was about 50,000 pounds and he funded it and even more than that.”

Mainframe Films and Television Productions, founded by Kelani in 1991, has produced several acclaimed Nigerian films including Ti Oluwa Nile, Koseegbe, Saworoide, Thunderbolt: Magun, The Narrow Path, Maami and Dazzling Mirage.

Ladoja served as governor of Oyo State from 2003 to 2007 after previously representing Oyo South in the Senate between 1992 and 1993. He was installed as the 44th Olubadan of Ibadan on September 26, 2025, succeeding the late Oba Owolabi Olakulehin.

Veteran Nigerian filmmaker Tunde Kelani has revealed that the Olubadan of Ibadan, Rashidi Ladoja, gave him an N85,000 loan that made it possible to produce his first feature film.

Kelani made the revelation during an appearance on The Dupe Ajayi Show, where he reflected on the early years of his filmmaking career and the support he received from the former Oyo State governor.

The filmmaker said he decided to make his first film about 10 years after returning from the London Film School but did not have enough money to finance the project.

“Ten years after London Film School, I realised that I hadn’t made a film. I decided that yes, it is time to make one. I put up a team. We had the Cinecraft, and we could donate our skills, but we still needed money,” he said.

“The money we needed according to that budget was 85,ooo naira. So Alhaji Lasisi Oriekun said, and I have a brother oh, if we tell him maybe he can lend us the money.”

According to Kelani, Oriekun’s brother was Rashidi Ladoja, who agreed to provide the money.

“His brother was Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja. He agreed and gave us the money. Collectively, from my experience, it was successful,” he said.

The loan enabled Kelani and his team to produce Iwa, an adaptation of Adebayo Faleti’s Idamu Paadi Minkailu, which became his first film adaptation.

Although the project did not recover its production cost, Kelani said he still returned to Ladoja with the money the film generated.

He said, “We didn’t recoup the money, but whatever we made, I took it to Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja and said, ‘Excuse me, sir, please take this. This is what we have now.’”

Kelani also disclosed that Ladoja later financed the establishment of Opomulero under Mainframe Productions, a project created to document, promote and preserve Yoruba culture and history.

“Later on, I decided to start a company, Mainframe Production Opomulero, to document, promote and preserve Yoruba culture and history,” he said.

“I went back to Kabiyesi Olu Ibadan and told him my plan. I needed a lot of money. At first instance it was about 50,000 pounds and he funded it and even more than that.”

Mainframe Films and Television Productions, founded by Kelani in 1991, has produced several acclaimed Nigerian films including Ti Oluwa Nile, Koseegbe, Saworoide, Thunderbolt: Magun, The Narrow Path, Maami and Dazzling Mirage.

Ladoja served as governor of Oyo State from 2003 to 2007 after previously representing Oyo South in the Senate between 1992 and 1993. He was installed as the 44th Olubadan of Ibadan on September 26, 2025, succeeding the late Oba Owolabi Olakulehin.