I began the script in the summer of 2003 and after each draft, I'd show it to professional consultants or trusted friends. The angle seemed to shift with every re-write and at times I felt like I had a textbook perfect script with no heart, or a structureless mass of words and feelings.It was only at the end of 2004 that I was satisfied that I was telling my story.

Rag Tag is as much about coming of age as it is about love. I wanted to tell a story that honestly reflected the life around me and the people I saw everyday. But I wanted to do it through the eyes of people who weren't necessarily what they appeared to be.

Coming of Age
I grew up both in Nigeria and the UK. Others like me in my generation retain the strong influence of both cultures. As much as they might clash, they can often complement each other. Many children of Nigerian parents, where ever they are in the world, are heavily encouraged to finish University and study a post-graduate degree. After that one finds a job and mate, and settles down to family life.

I feel that the transition between leaving the regimented world of formal education, and entering into Life in one's early twenties is often the most confusing time a period of great self discovery. As we make our own infinite plans or simply drift along, we find out that nothing is clear cut. And even when things go according to plan you don't find the fulfilment you expected.

This is true for both Rag and Tag, but especially Tag whose world and decisions are a lot more regimented and subject to the needs and demands of those closest to him. He tries to be master of his destiny by going about things clear step by clear step. The only grey area in his life is Rag.

On the other hand, Rag's world is the opposite. The only clear destination for him is Tag - his only anchor. Rag absorbs Tag's family, culture and friends effortlessly mixing them with his own. He puts what's best for Tag above everything, and allows Tag the room he needs to see what he actually wants for himself rather than what his family, culture and friends demand from him.

Love Western View
Rag and Tag are Yin and Yang. They formed a connection when they were young, and grew up firmly entrenched in each other's psyche. Their connection doesn't 'do' boundaries.

Hopefully this story questions these 'boundaries'. People connect every day boy/boy, girl/girl, boy/girl, black/white etc. But what is it that keeps a majority of same sex connections within certain boundaries? Best mates seem very happy to boast that no girl/boy could ever come between them. Yet they would be the first to reject the notion that their mate gives them the same things they can get from a boyfriend/girlfriend. But, what if they could?

Those that dismiss the inquiry based on sexual preference might benefit from asking themselves a few more questions. What is it about another person that makes them sexually attractive? Regardless of what they generally prefer there are exceptions to the rule where they find someone that isn't necessarily their 'type' sexually attractive. Very often, this can be due to a connection they've made on another level. In that case if you can make a deep connection with someone of the same gender, it is not a big leap to find oneself sexually attracted to them as well.

I was very interested in exploring these notions of sexual 'preference' in men. The rules seem stricter when it comes to them, and one exception to their general preference automatically throws them into a different 'category' from 'normal' and straight to 'abnormal and bisexual/homosexual'. When general wisdom dictates that there is an exception to every rule, these categorisations and ensuing alienation of those that fall outside our own 'category' seem nonsensical. After all, falling in love with someone outside our general preference could happen to any one of us.

Love African view
In African societies, and especially in Nigerian culture the outlines of men's conduct they find a connection to someone of the same gender are less regimented than those for the opposite gender. Compliments about the person's physical attractiveness are exchanged and even expected men addressing each other as 'Handsome boy' etc. Furthermore , men often walk hand in hand, arm in arm, and share beds cosied up together, without thinking anything of it.

In pre-missionary times, it was openly accepted that these relationships could become sexual, and there are documented historical cases where this was encouraged. However, in these post-missionary times, although these relationships continue to occur they are a taboo topic and seen as a 'white man's illness'. Yet because of the less clearly defined boundaries between men's physical closeness with other men, many of these relationships go undetected or just uncommented upon, as with Tag's uncle Jide and his friend Edozie This is especially common in the less Western influenced forum of village life, where many have simply adopted the policy of 'don't ask, don't tell'.

Just Love
I wanted to tell a story that demonstrated that we might all seem very different on the surface, but deep down very few real divisions exist. Be you from a Western or African mentality, many underlying values are the same. In the end, people are just people and love is just love. I sought sponsorship in cash and kind from several individuals and businesses people in Nigeria and the UK with little success. However, I had suspected this would be the case and was determined to carry on. It was a story I was compelled to tell and I knew I wouldn't stop until the day I reached out for money and found absolutely none.

Even if I had been able to afford a sound stage, I had no doubt that I wanted to film on location. I wanted the Hendon and Golders Green Area of North West London to look very simple and very earthy. The whites are off rather than stark, and there is a lot of brown and green in the environment as opposed to the greys associated with urban life. Tag's environment is very neutral, and Rag is the slash of colour that cuts through it.

The population is also incredibly mixed. As well as the strong Hasidic presence, there are Polish shops nestled between beautiful mosques and temples. Walk into any Christian church you'll find at least 10 different nationalities. I wanted the mix of people around the Rag, Tag and the area to reflected in the film. This suburban melting pot is in marked contrast to Nigeria where almost everyone around you is black. However, the environment itself is more vibrant - in Abuja and Enugwu-ukwu, Rag and Tag are surrounded by so much colour and so many people like them, they stand out less and have more freedom.

Finding locations in Hendon and Golders Green wasn't that hard. Since I'd grown up in the area, many of the shopkeepers knew me and were happy to lend their places without charge. I also bothered all my relatives and much of Barnet council until they gave me access.

Amongst the London finds were Chinawhite Nightclub and Devonshire Square. Danny works at Chinawhites, and they were incredibly generous about letting us spend hours there, turning everything round to suit us, and even gave us free drinks. My friend Gigi works in The City, and she took me round all the nice little open spaces one balmy summer evening until we stumbled into that quiet oasis. Film London made it exceptionally easy to get permission for the public spaces.

Securing locations in Nigeria on the other hand was harder in some ways and easier in others. The protocol for filming at the Airport was beyond convoluted, and without the intervention of Mrs Adelaja and the Ministers for Aviation (after the first one was changed, we had to get permission from the second one too), it would not have happened.

All the other locations belonged to family members except Olisa's 'bling-bling' village compound. My father is a trained architect, and one of his colleagues had designed something quite unusual very close to our home in Enugu. My father had gone to see it out of architectural curiousity, and when I described what I was looking for, he was convinced the house suited the bill. Luckily, although the owners didn't know us, we must have appeared trustworthy enough for them to open their gates to me and my motley crew for the afternoon.