Thousands in Attendance as House on the Rock in Partnership with the US Consulate General, Premiere Paramount Pictures’ Captive in Lagos.‏

Thursday the 1^st of October saw House on the Rock, in partnership with the United States Consulate General, Lagos premiere for the first time in Nigeria, the all-new 2015 movie, Captive at the Rock Cathedral, Lagos.

The premiere which coincided with Nigeria’s 55^th Independence Day anniversary was aimed at further promoting peace, nation building and the development of minds and purpose towards achieving a Nigeria on purpose.  

“We must begin to build to a nation on purpose to secure the future for unborn Nigerians

Pastor Paul Adefarasin, senior pastor, House on the Rock church stated at the press conference held just before the movie screening.

Recall that the church, in partnership with the United States Embassy successfully premiered Selma during the country’s general elections earlier in the year, and was attended by over 5000 attendees including celebrities, government officials, local and international media, industry officials as well as the general public.

“We are partnering to send a strong message that will change people's lives. We are partnering on a theme to look at a purpose driven life. The movie shows how the struggle between hope and despair plays out” -  Dehab Ghebreab, acting consul general, U.S consulate, Lagos.  

The film medium has been deployed effectively by House on The Rock to promote orderliness, tranquility and purposeful leadership in Nigeria.  “At House on the Rock, we will continue to innovate and seek mediums to spread the gospel of faith in unconventional ways to inspire both the churched and unchurched people in the world”, commented pastor, Paul Adefarasin.

He further went on to explain “Hollywood is an important messaging platform and the church wants to get in that messaging platform in Nigeria. That's why we chose to premiere this movie with an A-List Nigerian actor and we hope to challenge Nollywood actors to send a strong message through their acting” he said.

Dr. Obi Ezekwesili who delivered the premiere’s keynote address to loud applause and a standing ovation, expressed her pleasure at the collaboration “It is a delight to see this collaborative partnership between the church and the consulate. The church plays an important role in nation building. We thank the US consular for this kind of partnership. Strategic partnerships matter. Partnering on such a day as our annual independence makes it much more relevant and is important for nation building”.

Distributed by top global productions company, Paramount Pictures, Captive is a 2015 American crime-drama thriller directed by Jerry Jameson and written by Brian Bird and Reinhard Denke. The movie is based on the non-fiction book, Unlikely Angel by Ashley Smith. 

Golden Globe Award nominee of Nigerian descent, David Oyelowo stars as Brian Nichols alongside Kate Mara (House of Cards, The Fantastic Four) in the movie which has been praised by critics as an excellent documentary portraying how a purpose driven life can awaken the spirit of positivity and a will to overcome.

Pastor Adefarasin further charged the audience ‘’all the great nations of our world today only became great because they purposed to do so as one people of one nation around an uncompromised system of shared values. Value systems that invariably included Equal Opportunity, Equity, Justice, Freedom, Peace, Progress and the Majority Principle’’.

The very glamorous premiere drew an audience from all various demographic and economic tiers of the nation including, Oba Saheed Elegushi, Jimi Agbaje, Lady Maiden Ibru, Erelu Abiola Dosunmu, Chief Opral Benson, Olorogun and Mrs Oskar Ibru, Monalisa Chinda, Seyi Shay, Tee Y Mix and many more. Timi Dakolo and Chee also delivered beautiful individual performances singing the song “Great Nation” and the National Anthem respectively.