“I did not attack the media in Heroes and Zeros” – Gabriel Afolayan

Gabriel Afolayan

Nollywood fast rising actor, Gabriel Afolayan has disclosed that his role as an investigative journalist in the highly anticipated soon-to-be-premiered movie, Heroes and Zeros is one of the roles he has enjoyed the most and that it is not a direct attack on the media.

Speaking on his role in the movie, Heroes and Zeros, Gabriel revealed that he has always believed in roles that teach moral and correct vices in the society.

He said, “For me, I believe that as an actor I should be able to act any role no matter how demanding it is. The role I played in Heroes and Zeros as a bad-boy journalist who goes about scooping people’s dirty secret is one role I cherish because I was able to reveal

some of the rots in the media. I believe it is a form of campaign against what I call “dirty journalism” which believes that it is only the negative sides of celebrities and people in the limelight that should be reported. And the role is not a ‘collective slap’ on members of the fourth estate; it is just a movie exposing the rot in the system as a whole’

In the movie, Heroes and Zeros, Gabriel plays the part of an emerging reporter (Dibu Ijele) with Naija Scene, a weekly tabloid. Dibu believes that the only way to beat the competition is to scoop and sell dirt about anyone with a famous face or name. His theory eventually led to the downfall of Bimbo Manuel.

Heroes and Zeros brings together a consternation of stars like Bimbo Manuel, Nadia Buari, Gabriel Afolayan, Olu Jacobs, Norbert Young, Akin Lewis, Funsho Adeolu, Chervel Bridgette to tell the story of the destructive pursuance of Tonia (Nadia Buari) by Amos Fele (Bimbo Manuel).

Set entirely in Lagos City, Nigeria, ‘Heroes and Zeros’ is a fictional film, yet it looks like a reality-based documentary. Many scenarios appear as if they have been ‘lifted’ directly from (and commenting on) contemporary realities of Nigerian life and living.

‘Heroes and Zeros’ has immediate relevance to Nigeria because it’s an entertaining portrayal of the use and abuse of the media – print, television and film – in a developing society such as Nigeria.

The movie is directed by respected Niji Akanni. Niji Akanni is the brain behind brilliant Nollywood works like Aramotu and scores of Television commercials. He has written many award-winning films for first-rate Nigerian producers, including DANGEROUS TWINS and PLAYING GAMES, SAVING ALERO and NARROW PATH. He holds a B.A. (Dramatic Arts) from the University of Ife and an M.A. at the University of Ibadan. He is presently working on his PhD at the University of Ibadan.