Filmmaker Joseph Okechukwu suspends movie premiere of The Properties of the Gods, dedicates film to late music icon Onyeka Onwenu.
Film producer Joseph Okechukwu has suspended the planned premiere of his new movie, The Properties of the Gods, to honour deceased actors and artists who contributed to the project, including late Nigerian music icon Onyeka Onwenu.
Okechukwu, who disclosed this during a private screening of the movie on Tuesday, said the decision was informed by the deaths of two artists who featured in the film and the ongoing recovery of another actor who recently underwent double brain surgery.
He said it would be morally inappropriate to organise a major celebratory premiere while some members of the cast and their families were grieving.
“Two artists who featured in this movie are dead, and one more is still recuperating from double brain surgery,” Okechukwu said.
He explained that the planned premiere would instead be replaced with a series of activities, including visits to traditional rulers in the South-East and condolence visits to the families of the deceased artists.
According to him, the project will be dedicated to Onwenu, with September 4, the movie’s scheduled release date, designated as “Onyeka Onwenu Day.”
He said the activities would culminate in a night of tributes in honour of the late singer and actress on September 3
Okechukwu said The Properties of the Gods was inspired by his longstanding campaign against the Osu caste system in Igboland, which he described as a divisive practice that has subjected generations of people to discrimination and stigma.
He recalled that his activism culminated in an abolition exercise at the the Agukwu Nri Palace in Anambra State in 2018, after which, according to him, more than 75 communities began taking steps to abolish the practice.
He said the movie was conceived as another avenue to deepen the conversation and encourage cultural change.
“This movie does not answer all the questions that arise from the Osu caste system; it only forms a part of the conversation. It’s an ongoing conversation,” he said.
Okechukwu expressed optimism that the film would contribute to changing perceptions, stressing that cultural practices rooted in fear and long-held beliefs could not be eliminated overnight.
Also speaking, Maria Chike Benjamin, who plays Ada in the movie, described the film as emotional and powerful.
Chike, who said it was her first movie, explained that her character returns to Nigeria with a man she met in America, only for their relationship to encounter opposition from traditional beliefs surrounding the Osu caste system.
She said the movie encourages audiences to give love a chance despite outdated cultural restrictions.
Chike also disclosed that filming presented a major personal challenge because she was pregnant with her first child at the time.
She expressed appreciation to the director, Uzodinma, producer Okechukwu and her co-actor, Enyinna, for supporting her and helping her develop the character.
The almost 2 hour film boasts an exceptional ensemble cast led by Pete Edochie, Joseph Okechukwu, Enyinna Nwigwe, Maria Chike Benjamin, Zack Orji, Hilda Dokubo, Elvina Ibru, Linc Edochie, Jennifer Eliogu, Obi Okoli, Ofia Mbaka, and the late Onyeka Onwenu in one of her final screen performances.
Four years in the making, Properties of the Gods is a visually rich historical drama that delves into one of the most enduring conversations in Igbo history—the Osu caste system. Through compelling storytelling and unforgettable performances, the film explores inherited identity, forbidden love, family loyalty and the lingering consequences of centuries-old traditions.
