In 2023, the year of our Lord, slum dwellers deep in the heart of Bariga, gave up their lives and their homes as a labour of love to create the Most Anticipated Movie of the year 2025. MAKEMATION EP and Creator, Toyosi Akerele-Ogunsiji, who’s also the founder at Rise Interactive Studios and Rise Networks, never forgot that gesture.
On the 3rd of April 2025, Toyosi led her team from Rise Interactive Studios back to Bariga. Her mission was simple: To say thank you to the community that hosted the cast and crew of the tech family movie of the year 2025 for three months during its principal photography in 2023.
“In 2023, we were here for quite a while,” the MAKEMATION EP began. “Not once were we bothered, harassed or robbed. We were welcomed and treated like kings. The slum dwellers willingly gave up their homes when we told them what we wanted to achieve with this film. This is why we are back here two years later – to say thank you, Bariga.”
Bariga Community makes a passionate appeal for MAKEMATION’s Success
Donned in her classic MAKEMATION garb, Toyosi needed no re-introduction. The community immediately welcomed her back into their midst, felicitated with her and accepted the offerings she brought along with her.
Prayers flowed, praises were sung, and happiness filled the air as she danced among the community dwellers, who also expressed an earnest wish.
“We thank you, the people of MAKEMATION, for remembering us,” said one of the dwellers. “May your film be successful. We would also like to use this opportunity to call on well-meaning Nigerians to please help us see this film, for which we gave up our homes and lives.
“We truly do not understand what the film is about. But we know it will be a nice experience to see our way of life represented in a project such as this,” another community dweller added. “Maybe with this film, we will finally get the needed change that this community needs.”
Toyosi promised to bring more good news back to the community when the film hits the cinemas.
MAKEMATION EP: “This is More than a Film”
We told you that MAKEMATION is not just a film.
It’s a movement.
A movement to entrench gratitude in society. The film is a movement to entrench appreciation for the people around us. A movement to show the world that big things can come from small people and places.
Most importantly, MAKEMATION is a movement to show everyone that success is within reach. “People who make it in life don’t have two heads” after all.
See MAKEMATION in the cinemas nationwide on 18th April 2025 (Good Friday) and from May 2025 in other locations of the world.
