Nollywood - the ‘evolving’ video entertainment industry in Nigeria - means many things to different people. For some, it is a testimony to the enterprising tirelessness of a people, so afflicted by purposeless leadership, in finding a way.  Another category saliently, believe that it represents the dexterity of people, who given the balance of vision, the right toolbox, and a supporting environment – can transform the way Africa sees herself. Of course, using the potent power of media and creative cultural discourse.What is not in question, is the phenomenal successes that Nollywood somehow achieves, despite the complexities of a nearly hopeless operating environment. In terms of production quantity, the industry is rated, and everyone agrees, as the busiest, after Bollywood.
But there are pressing issues that ultimately diminishes the ratings Nollywood movies achieve, even in the assessing eyes of some of us – locals, in the end.

These issues, no doubt, arises from the many contradictions that haunts a Nigerian creative servant  -  the amplified burden of attempting to serve at least three culturally and linguistically different audience in one go;  the somewhat unavoidable, if innocent, influences of western ‘overhang’ in screenplay;  the disconnect between the operators of the industry and conventional academic creative constituency (University theatre, Media and Arts) and above all, the reality of economics as it affects the cost/ benefit of producing these movies. 
So how does Madam Dearest connect with all of the aforesaid?

Well, I happen to be one who was not quite given to watching “9ija” films unless it is hugely recommended by sisters and cousins who would watch anything Nigerian. At the risk of sounding immodest or unpatriotic, I couldn’t live with the apparent lack of creative juice in most of the offerings, even if I adored flicks like Mortal Inheritance, Ti Oluwa ni Ile, and even Flesh and Blood I.  I have vivid memories of how one used to vividly lock down, to watch the many  Abija series, popular on the then brilliant  Ondo state Radiovision Corporation (OSRC, Akure).   Thus,  most times, I only fancy ones that garner huge reviews from the freaks and ‘Nollywood experts’ around me.

Madam Dearest – a 2005 offering from Tade Ogidan, has been on my ‘must-see’ list for sometime but I only managed to see it last night. Frankly, it started well with Abiodun, one of the many brilliant characters in the movie, wetting one’s appetite with a thought-provoking description of a Nigerian’s circumstance as “victims of a (failed) society”.
The opening titles and background soundtrack had a soulful subtlety, heightening ones expectation of what is to come.
But the screenplay suddenly becomes tedious: Abiodun bags 85 years imprisonment, for offences ranging from drink driving to  contempt of court. The sentencing, although weird  and illogical enough in a fabricated existence of a film reminds one of the frustrating tilt in our Justice system, but that is one for another day.

From that moment on, you somewhat begin to sense, that Madam Dearest again progresses hopelessly into the Nollywood trap where the audience accurately predicts what’s next. Let me quickly state that, it is not the predictability alone that frustrates ones sense of enjoyment  – the scenes become painfully long, setting  ones expectation up, for the possibility of impending greater twist, which is then carelessly left undeveloped. Some scenes were up to five minutes in Madam Dearest, without any sustenance in the emotional lock that one kept on the unfolding story.  I  was disappointed on this score.

However, I could feel Madam Dearest’s production team attempts to utilize standard visual communication /recording techniques – proper and well-timed close ups, expressive camera pans, and credible use of sound effect. This  I found absolutely commendable and a refreshing pointer that the industry is not totally blind to its  technical shortcomings. Madam Dearest explores the intricacies of the value of a ‘biological’ child to the everyday Yoruba family. Typical, one is tempted to say but it does deliver in certain areas. I enjoyed the attempt the movie makes in creatively meshing the long standing administrative deficiencies of our system within exemplified in the Cotonou border vehicle shipping conundrum.

However, one must also add that the depiction of government agents during the snap “action” midpoint between part I and part II left mixed feelings.  I enjoyed the raw presentation of Lagos’ seemingly unsolvable human disaster: expensive jeeps and train-like assemblage of lorries, reminding one of the needless montage of traffic chaos that is anyone’s enduring  image of Lagos… The editing of the movie still remains below par. Watching into the late night, there were moments I had to scramble for the remote control, the audio signal suddenly crossing dance-party levels, thus potentially disturbing sleeping neighbours… The movie, also suffocates, with needless repetition of theme, and careless killing off, of plots and worthy subplots that could have made the three hour long flick more engaging.

I know Madam Dearest will be rated highly to have delivered a familiar type of suspense with gripping engagement by the majority of its “any-nollwood-film” loving audience. It’s a tough call, depending on which side you are. As someone analyzed before, Nollywood effectively caters for the entertainment needs of families that can afford to spend N1000 on two,  two part movie,  lasting  at least 6 hours, with the possibly therapeutic relief and escape from the burden of everyday living compared to the minority  of us that can order a plate of chicken and burger, Mr. Biggs flavour,  for that cost.

This is the mindset, with which majority of Nollywood films must be understood, watched, and enjoyed. Notwithstanding, the earlier we find a way to overcome the  technical flaws in the production, and more importantly enrich the depth of the content,  the quicker the industry shifts towards appealing to everyone , especially those that are innocently locked  in Hollywoodland  regarding their sense of creative appraisal. I ended up going to bed at 4AM, musing thoroughly over Abiodun’s conclusion –“we [Nigerians] are all victims of our [peculiar] circumstance/society”.  Just that Nollywood, can do so much more to refine herself, and hopefully, our circumstance thereby gets straightened up…  Madam Dearest was a relaxing watch, but it certainly wasn’t memorable one, as my reviewers had me setup for…

‘Dapo Osewa.
311 Chadacre House, Loughborough Park, London SW9 8TH.

 

Robot  # 1 | 21.06.2008 16:17

Nollywood - the ‘evolving’ video entertainment industry in Nigeria - means many things...Read the full article.