Film Review: Man of Steel, The Saviour of the World

I approached Man of Steel with a lot of scepticism; indeed my followers on Twitter and members of the movie group I belong to on Facebook (The Movie Smackdown) suffered my cynicism first hand. I harped on the fact that the critics had scored it low and based on the previews I had seen I claimed that Man of Steel borrowed plot lines from every superhero flick out there and that the CGI was painful to look at. I eventually saw Man of Steel after several postponements and my verdict is that it is actually a very good film!

Maybe it was the marketing overhype that we all had to endure for a full year before the film hit the big screen that annoyed me; and perhaps a certain mistrust of the franchise that gave us the sad Superman Returns (2006) that fuelled my suspicions; but deep deep down inside I knew that a team that included Christopher Nolan, Zack Snyder and David S. Goyer could not go wrong.

Man of Steel works as a reboot of the Superman film franchise. The plot immediately brings comparisons with the first two Superman films – Richard Donner’s subliminal Superman (1978) and Superman II (1980) – with the former an origin story and the latter dealing with Earth’s invasion by the insane Kryptonian General Zod and two others. Perhaps it is the benchmark set by these two earlier films and also superhero film fatigue that have stymied its Box Office figures, otherwise Man of Steel ought to reach the billion dollar mark.

Man of Steel was very visually appealing. Although I had earlier criticised the CGI and the supersonic, blurry and darting movements of the Kryptonians as they did battle (reminiscent of the character Dante in Capcom’s Devil May Cry) I have to admit that it lends some realism to the powers that they had. The destruction of Metropolis was on full kilter! It was epic!!! I mean no other superhero film (save 2008’s Hancock) provides destruction at this scale. Yes, this is what you expect to see when two super-humanoids go toe-to-toe. Man of Steel does not hold back and this is very satisfying to see on the big screen, finally a film depiction that is a worthy treatment of the destruction we see in the comics! Satisfying indeed.

The story is told at a good pace, and although the use of flashbacks was probably the best option it sometimes interrupted the flow and the build up of the film.

Thanks to the writers and the director, and great acting by Henry Cavill (The Count of Monte Cristo, Immortals) as Clark Kent/Kal-El/Superman, we get to see the internal emotional conflict that he endures. Clark’s difference from the rest of us as he struggles with an identity crisis to define who he is, while keeping his abilities secret are brought to the fore. His level of self control is aptly alien as I finally understand why Superman with all his powers still prefers to remain the goody boy scout that he is (also without the goofiness that is supposed to be Clark Kent that we saw in the Christopher Reeves’ films). In addition, in this case, it is his Earthly father, Jonathan Kent (Kevin Costner) out of love for him who instils in him a sense of belonging and self preservation at the cost of his own life. Here I find that Jor-El’s role in the first Superman film has been switched with Jonathan Kent’s, who for different reasons would prefer Clark not to interfere with the human race but fly under the radar. I watched with great shock and morbid satisfaction as Clark Kent finally killed someone so deserving as against locking them up or banishing them someplace as the one in the comics always lamely does. At the point he snaps Zod’s neck you can see the emotions that Clark is going through as he has to take a life to save a billion others, to take a fellow Kryptonian’s life in order to save his adopted humankind. No words can describe that. In the end you find that Clark Kent is more human than he is Kryptonian, more Clark Kent than he is Kal-El or even Superman. He is American through and through, born and raised in Smallville, Kansas.

I looked forward to seeing Michael Shannon (Bad Boys II, Revolutionary Road, Machine Gun Preacher, Boardwalk Empire) as General Zod. For me he was the main attraction. His performance was generally above average, with scenes where we could see glimmers of his madness. But it is my thinking that the filmmakers wanted a less psychotic General Zod, a more intelligent and 3-dimesional one. I was in no way disappointed, all that was lacking was the epic, “Kneel before Zod!!!” But hey, no one could have said that better than Terence Stamp, so why try eh?

Amy Adams as Lois Lane was average. She is the tamest of all the Lois Lane portrayals I have seen. If this was deliberate by the filmmakers, they succeeded. Her connection with Clark/Superman is quite visible and the chemistry holds promise, for she seems to be the first woman that Clark can be with, and perhaps because of the circumstances of their meeting it is the first time he tries.

It was great seeing Christopher Meloni (Law & Order: SVU) on the big screen as Colonel Nathan Hardy and his awesome acting ability showed. More films for him please. Kevin Costner was great as usual and for me his role was pivotal to the understanding of whom Clark Kent was. Diane Lane as Martha Kent was very effective and gave us a more attractive version of Mother Kent. The lovely Israeli actress, Ayelet Zurer’s (Munich, Vantage Point, Angels & Demons) performance as Lara Lor-Van leaves a distinct impression, while German Antje Traue (Pandorum, 5 Days of War) as Faora is a delight to watch. Russell Crowe as Jor-El was great, deep, intelligent and empathic –a welcome departure from the godlike Marlon Brando portrayal.

In conclusion, of immense interest to me were the parallels the filmmakers drew between Clark Kent and Jesus Christ. If I had never noticed it before Man of Steel certainly drew my attention to this. Both are not of this world and are sent from the heavens to save the world.  Like Jesus, Clark was adopted by an earthly father only to connect with his non-physical father later. Both wandered through the wilderness in a quest to discover who they were and to prepare them for the task ahead. Both were in their 30s when they began their work. At age 33, Clark gave himself up to human authority even though he was above this authority, just like Jesus gave himself up to the Pharisees. The US military handed Clark over to Zod just as the Pharisees handed over Jesus to the Romans. Indeed, one can go on and on but at the end of the day one thing is clear: according to Chris Nolan, David S. Goyer and Zack Snyder, and perhaps creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, Superman the Man of Steel is the Saviour of the World.

PS: As of 1 July 2013, Man of Steel has grossed over $520mm worldwide in just 17 days since its release.

Film Review: Oblivion - Not Your Summer Sci-Fi Blockbuster, But Darn Good Too.

Oblivion is a science fiction film starring Tom Cruise as Tech 49 Jack Harper whom together with his partner and lover Victoria Olsen - played by Andrea Riseborough - are one of the last teams of drone repairmen tasked with maintaining the drones which protect the continued mining of resources from a now uninhabitable Earth to the new celestial human colony on Titan, a few years after a nuclear war with an invading alien race, called Scavs.

Oblivion directed by Joseph Kosinski and based on his unpublished graphic novel of the same name is simply put a beautiful film. Now I gather quite a few people do not care much for it and I peg this down to their disappointment with respect to what type of film they expected Oblivion to be. This I blame on the trailers/previews of the film as they erroneously led some of us to believe that an action-packed sci-fi thriller somewhere within the realm of Alien was to be seen. However, in my opinion Oblivion is a much more dramatic and sentimental film, with great acting all around. It is a love story of human sacrifice and determination against the not-so-bleak landscape of a post-apocalyptic Earth. Most of the scenes are of a lone Harper as he carries out his duties seemingly without question as he increasingly becomes curious as to his surroundings and the now desolate city of New York and its environs. Added to this is the mystery that is the woman in his dreams (Olga Kurylenko), who now appears to be real as her ship crash lands onto the Earth. Who is she? What is her mission? And who the heck is Morgan Freeman in all this? Oblivion’s brilliantly paced storytelling and visual masterpiece (reminiscent of 2001: A Space Odyssey) settles and unsettles you as you become Harper, watching each scene unfold until its beautiful, climatic and quite dramatic denouement.

Oblivion is a good film and you will find that if you keep your expectations outside the cinema and just watch, you will find that it is a film that you would want to see again and again; well if not for any reason but for its uber brilliant soundtrack composed and performed by M83.

Oblivion released on April 10, 2012 has grossed over $260million worldwide.

Oblivion is currently showing at the Genesis Deluxe Cinemas.

PS: Director Joseph Kosinski, who also directed Tron: Legacy, made Oblivion as homage to sci-fi films of the 70s.

Film Review: Iron Man 3 – All That is Missing is a Cowl.

I saw Iron Man 3 at the Genesis Deluxe Cinemas at The Palms in Lekki. To say I had to force myself to buy the ticket would not be far from the truth because as a general rule I do not see 3D films at the cinema. Why? Because I have never experienced the “oh-so-great” cinematic 3D experience in all the other 3D films I have watched. I pencil this lack of the 3D effect to my prescription glasses over which I don the 3D glasses, resulting in no real difference with or without the 3D glasses. However, for the sake of my date and the desire to see Iron Man 3 I put aside all fears of “wasted” money and went to see the film.

Iron Man 3 in so many ways was waaaaaaaaaaay better than Iron Man 2 which to me was a huge disappointment! Gone was the watery plot as well as the weak villains! Enter a believable post-The Avengers story which dwelt more on Tony Stark the man, than Iron Man the super hero/Avenger, and two hugely believable villains in the Mandarin (Ben Kingsley) and Aldrich Killian (Guy Pearce). With Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) in mortal danger, Tony Stark had to step out from behind the iron suit to rescue her leaving Col. James Rhodes/Iron Patriot (Don Cheadle) to save POTUS and the nation (read as world).

I am sure the fan boys were very happy with Iron Man 3. War Machine, now Iron Patriot had loads of screen time and we saw almost every Iron Man suit in the books. We also saw the Mandarin, Iron Man’s primary nemesis in the 1990's cartoon TV series wreak havoc on the world. Even though I could see that happening a mile off, the final scenes where Tony pretty much hops from suit to suit were quite good. Fellow film aficionado Kal, remarked that it was also a tad ridiculous; perhaps this was why those of us watching were not as wowed as we should have been – there was no applause as is associated with the Lagos cinema crowd!

The story line like I pointed out earlier was believable and also very familiar. Maybe this was because in this installment Tony Stark had a few similarities with another comic genius, billionaire, playboy, and philanthropist – Bruce Wayne. The scriptwriters, Drew Pearce and Shane Black (who is also the director) must have taken it upon themselves to try and show us that Mr. Stark is almost as bad-ass as Mr. Wayne. Iron Man 3 tries to show us the “great detective” side of Tony Stark where he pieces the puzzle of AIM, Mandarin and Aldrich Killian together in much the same way the original great detective Bruce Wayne would! In addition, Mr. Stark’s snobbery of Mr. Killian in the opening scenes is very reminiscent of Mr. Wayne’s snobbery of Mr. E. Nygma in 1995’s Batman Forever. Likewise, both Mr. Killian and Mr. Nygma, later blessed with superhuman powers, return to exact vengeance on Mr. Stark and Mr. Wayne respectively! And oh yes, their love interests – Ms. Potts and Dr. Meridian – are also both held captive. Also noticeable was the fact that in these two films the sidekick goes on to rescue the president/city while our superheroes rescue the damsels in distress. However, the similarity that takes the cake is where we find that the Mandarin is not the “actual or main” villain, just like Bane was not the “actual or main” villain in 2012's The Dark Knight Rises!!!

Ok, undoubtedly no idea is original, but let us tag Mr. Pearce and Mr. Shane as Batman fan boys.

As always, Guy Pearce’s acting was sublime. He was quite the scary villain with a point to prove (I think). Ben Kinglsey was a hoot and it no longer mattered that he is not Asian. It was good to see Ms. Paltrow on the big screen again. Robert Downey, Jr. was his effective Tony Stark, but with the swag toned down, as it should be since his character is experiencing some form of PTSD. It was great seeing Iron Man and Iron Man 2 director Jon Favreau again on the other side of the lens reprising his role as Happy Hogan, Tony Stark’s PA/bodyguard and head of security.

I found the Christmas setting a bit anachronistic, a more release-date backdrop would have been preferred.

Iron Man 3 is OK fun but the humour and wit is lacking and we get the sense that this was a rush job. The scriptwriters wanted us to see a more human Tony Stark with a few laughs thrown in. His destruction of the remaining suits signalling his retirement from tinkering is also not convincing for we know Iron Man will return. Indeed, Tony Stark gets no realer than the first Iron Man film. Thus, I still regard Iron Man as the best by far of the three. With respect to the Marvel Universe films it also nosedives out of the sky just like Iron Man did in The Avengers for Iron Man 3 does not and cannot keep up with the blast that The Avengers is.

PS: Iron Man 3 has passed the one billion dollar mark at the global Box Office, earning $1,073,861,977 as at May 21, 2013.

PSS: Jon Favreau was an Assistant Director for Batman Forever! Ah! Enlightenment!

Full disclosure: I am an unapologetic Batman fan! And oh yeah, for the first time, I “felt” the 3D effect. J

Image credits: Marvel Studios, Marvel screencap 

Prose: Sarah

Sarah quietly cried as she sat in the middle of their big bed. With tears running down her face, intermingled with catarrh that had overflowed from her filled sinuses, she tried to stifle her sobs by putting her fist into her mouth; but still they escaped. She tried harder for she did not want to wake her three year old son, Jide who was asleep in a corner of the big bed. She was not the only one who was worried about not waking the boy. Her husband Goke was pacing the floor space in the room from end to end, speaking angrily, but in low tones so as not to wake the boy. It was still early and they could have relocated to the living room to talk but the severity, suddenness and sensitivity of the matter at hand prevented them from doing that. Their bedroom was their inner chamber, their sanctuary free from prying eyes and ears.

Sarah sobbed some more as Goke threatened thunder and fire from heaven. She heard the words “betrayal” and the pain seared through her again. The words “forgiveness” offered some respite. So far he had not mentioned “divorce” and for that she was relieved. She clung unto this fact as a drowning man held unto straws.

He had seized her phones – her Blackberry and her Samsung and had gone through her IMs and her text messages looking for proof or as he had hoped the absence of it. Goke had seen their last IM exchange: “Hey, hope you got home safely after a long day”..... "Yeah thankfully the long holiday is here”.... “I have to go. Nanite”..... “Sweet dreams dear”. It appeared innocent, a message between good friends.

Sarah knew he was going through her phones; she had resisted at first but then quickly given up. She had given up the right to her privacy the moment she had opened her mouth. Besides she was sure there was nothing too incriminating to be found for she had been very careful in ensuring that her messages were “Dapo free.” Dapo! As she thought of him, slivers of pain and excitement ran through her body. She sighed.

But she had done the right thing. She told herself this as Goke went on and on. Oh Goke! Her darling Goke! So self-righteous and so proper. He always did what was expected of him, at least in his mind. He worked hard, protected and provided for her and their family, nuclear and extended. So why wasn’t he able to protect her from Dapo? Anyway, he certainly had his chance now, for she had given it to him when she broke down and confessed her sins to him thirty minutes ago.

****************************

Dapo had been at her school. He had been a year ahead of her in the department of computer engineering. A gentle, studious boy she had liked his seriousness and small doses of charm. This was evident whenever he took her class on software engineering.  They had become friends and enjoyed each other’s company whenever they got together. But nothing serious for Dapo was dating a girl in another faculty, Ifeoma, a no-nonsense beauty whom Dapo completely adored. Besides she was sort of betrothed to Goke who was in another institution having pledged her love to him after years of friendship and toasting. Yet somewhere in her mind she knew that perhaps she and Dapo would have been more than just friends if they had both been single at the time. Dapo graduated from school and within a year his relationship with Ifeoma had come to an end. It was news, at least to those who knew them as she had broken things off with him citing long distance. Dapo had pleaded and tried all sorts of ways to get her back but she resisted every one. The wedding invitation that came about a year later was the nail in the coffin. His visits to the school stopped for there was no reason for him to come around anymore. So they had lost touch only to bump into each other two years ago.

Sarah had been trying to buy fuel during one of those panic-buying sessions that Lagosians are known for. It was about 10pm and thankfully Awolowo Road still boasted open filling stations. Work had been tiring and all she wanted was to get fuel and go home. When it got to her turn she asked the attendant to fill her tank only to discover that she had forgotten to withdraw cash from the ATM during the day. What was she to do? While she tried to explain to the attendant not minding the growing impatience of the cars behind hers she heard her name. “Sarah!’ She turned and it was Dapo. He quickly offered to pay for her fuel which she gladly accepted. They exchanged numbers and promised to catch up soon. On the way home she had thought about him. He had filled up a bit so he was not as lanky as he used to be. She had not noticed a wedding band and she resolved to quiz him about it.

They met up a couple of weeks later after work. Goke was out of town and as such she did not have to be home early. Besides work had kept her late, so what was an extra hour going to do to her? They had agreed to meet at a hole in the wall on the Island as they both worked on the Island. He had been waiting for her as she followed the directions he had given her. The place, Joey’s was rather cosy and in a word private, as it was not crowded like the other joints on the Island. The staff seemed to know Dapo as he was treated like a regular customer. She asked him about it and said the place was his hideaway, a place he could really relax after work, a place to contemplate on the meaning of it all and wait out the traffic. Sarah looked around and had to agree. The low music would not give one tinnitus and there were only about two other patrons. They had caught up, laughed a lot and teased each other. Dapo was such a gentleman. He still had that boyish charm and studious seriousness that made her like him. In one moment he could be as goofy as a clown and the very next as serious as a heart attack. They enjoyed each other’s company for a little over an hour and she had to leave. He walked her to her car and gave her a brief hug goodbye. Sarah had felt a little tingle as he held her.

Over the next few weeks, they chatted incessantly, called each other up, and hung out when they could. They talked about anything and everything. Sarah slowly realised that he was becoming important to her for he was taking up space in a place she did not know still existed. Goke was travelling a lot these days and she found herself with some free time. The nanny her mother had sent was very efficient and her younger sister was the responsible sort so she had no qualms leaving Jide with them a little longer a few nights a week. She told herself that they were just old friends who enjoyed each other’s company. She had not broken any laws or crossed any lines. But the way she began to look forward to Dapo’s IMs and calls suggested something else.

Joey’s became their spot. He was afraid to take her anywhere else for fear that they might be seen by people who would not understand and misconstrue things. She did not mind for anywhere with Dapo was just fine. She teased him about the other girls he must have brought to Joey’s. He swore that he had never brought any other woman to the place. “You better not!” she replied and they both laughed. One night she asked him about his being single and he shrugged it off saying that although there were a few women he liked, he had not yet found the right person.

“And what is your definition of the right person?” She looked at him as he defined his Miss Right and the thoughts she had buried deep inside clawed their way into her consciousness – thoughts from all those years ago and more recent ones.

 “Kinda like you”, he ended his definition.

She blushed, she smiled, and she frowned and said, “Kinda like Ifeoma you mean.”

Dapo looked at her with a look on his face that she could not quite place and then erupted in laughter.

 “Yeah right”, he had said. 

That night they held hands as they walked to her car.

The next day she had received a bouquet of yellow roses from him. He had not signed the card but she knew they were from him. Her colleagues teased and congratulated her. Flowers when it was not Valentine’s? Her husband was a correct guy! That evening they got to Joey’s but stayed in her car. She thanked him for the flowers but he tried to deny sending them in his usual pseudo serious-goofy manner.  “Flowers ke? Do I even know where they sell flowers? Maybe it was your hus...” She had cut him off with a kiss. Where the kiss or the idea of kissing him came from Sarah did not know but she kissed him like it was the natural thing to do.

Dapo kissed her back with almost equal fervour. When they pulled apart, a thousand thoughts ran through her head: “What have I done?!” “What does this mean?!” “Sarah you have messed up!” They sat in silence and as she moved to break the silence, Dapo kissed her. He kissed her slowly and deliberately as if he was trying to come to terms with her mouth, to get to know her better. She held her breath as the stirrings that she had previously suppressed bubbled to the fore. He pulled back to break the kiss but she placed her hand behind his head and pulled him to her.

That night as she drove home she shook a little. Goke had called earlier but she had missed his call. She called him back explaining that her phone had been on silent and she had not felt the vibrations. She prayed that he had not heard the trembling in her voice. He had not.

Dapo invited her over to his flat that he shared with a friend. But she refused. She did not want to take any more risks or chances. Being alone with him in public was a lot safer than being with him alone in private. They still hung out when they could. Her days were interspersed with his calls, IMs and messages. He made her laugh and always presented a listening shoulder as they talked about work and its challenges. She never talked about Goke and apart from the first time he had enquired about him Dapo never asked. They now spent more time in their cars than they did inside Joey’s. Although they never crossed the line they made out like teenagers on long vacation. Lord! She wanted him! But she knew she could not cross that line. Inasmuch as she liked Dapo she could not bring herself to do that which would be the ultimate betrayal. It was fine as long as she did not sleep with him, she told herself.

Then they had gotten into a misunderstanding. One night Dapo had questioned her about their relationship and what she wanted from it. She had no answer and he seemed a little impatient and irritated. She then told him that she had no expectations or demands given their situation. To this Dapo did not say a word and abruptly ended their time together. Later on he sent her a message saying that he was not sure he could continue with what they were doing, that it seemed rather pointless. She felt hurt but she had to agree. He wanted to remain friends. She did too.

The friendship lost its intensity after a while. They still communicated but it was more civil and less passionate. Goke was travelling a lot less and they spent more time together. Her marriage was going on well. Then she bumped into Dapo at the airport. She was on her way out of town on a business trip and the taxi had just dropped her when she saw Dapo striding towards her. Her heart skipped a beat. They exchanged pleasantries and he explained that he had just got in from Abuja. He left her with a hug that she felt until she landed at Enugu. That evening she buzzed him on his BlackBerry. They chatted for a bit, catching up and then he sent “I miss you”. She responded with “Sigh” and turned off her phone. She did not sleep well that night.

She returned to Lagos and had a fight with Goke. They made up that night and as they lay in each other’s arms her thoughts suddenly turned to Dapo. She remembered his kisses, slow and deliberate and she trembled. She wanted Goke to kiss her that way. She stopped him and told him to take it slow. Goke got ticked off and wondered why he had to suddenly change his technique. She quickly waved it away and assuaged his feelings lest another fight be had. As she lay in bed later she knew she had to see Dapo.

She had called him when she knew he would be winding down for the day and asked to see him. They met at his office car park. He got into her car and she started with small talk as he waited patiently for her to really talk. She told him that she missed him a lot and although things were seemingly pointless, she wanted things to go back to the way they were. She told him about how he filled her thoughts and waking moments, how her body felt whenever she recalled his kisses and his touch, his smell, heavy breathing and inaudible sighs. Dapo looked at her and when she was done, he moved across and held her tight.

A few weeks later after a Saturday spent at the office she went to his place. He had suddenly invited her over and she had agreed. His roommate was out of town and so they could be alone. This time with Dapo had been a culmination of months of wanting and desire. All the kisses and touches were finally allowed to build up steam and erupt in a taking that established full knowing. She had made love to Dapo like she had always imagined. She had taken him in, riding him ever so slowly as she introduced her body parts to his as he did his to hers. She wanted him to feel every inch of her as she felt every bit of him. She explored his not so lean and muscular frame, touching and teasing and knowing; and when she could not take the intensity any longer she made up for all the time spent in their cars. It was beautiful. An hour later as she drove home a smile stayed on her lips and knot developed in her chest. Would Goke notice? Could he tell that his darling wife had been unfaithful? He was not at home when she got back. She thankfully ran into the bathroom and removed all would-be traces of her sins. The physical ones yes, the mental ones no.

Dapo broke their rule and sent her an IM, asking how she was. She chided him for buzzing her while she was home but answered that she was fine. His message kick-started an instant replay of their time together. She wanted to see him again. No, she wanted him again. Goke came home and her mind began to play tricks on her. Could he see it in her eyes? Or could he smell another man on her body? She had showered and washed her underwear but still she wondered. As he lay on top of her later that night, he stopped for a moment, looked into her eyes and said “I love you Sarah.” The knot in her chest increased geometrically. She did not respond but kissed him, urging him on.

Sunday service made things worse as the pastor decided to preach on adultery and fornication. What awful timing! She thought. She managed to zone out as he spoke but the knot had gotten bigger. She had to assuage the growing feelings of guilt. She needed an outlet. She threw herself into her work the first few days of the week trying for a distraction but Dapo’s messages were beginning to get to her. She had to talk to him. She buzzed him saying that she felt a bit guilty and he said he felt the same way. He offered to give her space but she rejected it saying that she needed to see him so they could talk. Her mind troubled her as she remembered her vows and promises.

They met at Joey’s a few nights later and had a drink. Dapo tried to assuage her feelings and he succeeded. Just being with him made everything else seem so secondary; he made sense to her. They left Joey’s and she got into his car suggesting that they drive around and talk some more. Dapo drove aimlessly and after a few turns parked the car. Sarah turned to him and kissed him with a need she did not know was there. Dapo kissed her back and her head began to swim. She felt and responded to his touches and she wanted more. They found themselves in the back seat as she sat across his laps. She hiked up her skirt and unzipped his trousers. Dapo froze for a second as she set him free. She guided him inside her and she rocked back and forth, up and down as her body sang with joy. What was she doing?! Having sex in a car by the side of the road?! She pushed those thoughts out of her mind as her body took over, the absence of a condom this time multiplying the feelings. Before long Dapo moaned her name as he approached the edge and tried to push her off him. She grounded her pelvis against his one last time as he began to climax. She jumped off him as he finished what he had started.

They had hurriedly cleaned up as best they could as cars passed by. They held each other. “I can’t do this”, she said as she breathed him in. “Did you come inside me?” He was not sure. “I have to get to a pharmacy.” She rearranged her blouse and checked her skirt; it had lost a few stitches. Dapo pulled her close and hugged her. She eventually pushed him away and asked him to take her to her car. She kissed him good bye and drove home.

The days that followed were agonizing for her. Her trip to the pharmacy was for her the walk of shame. She took the pill and hid the other one in her bag. She did not use pills as Goke used a condom whenever she was “unsafe”. She got home and Goke was waiting. She gave a work excuse for coming home late and she ran to the bathroom to take off her clothes and have a bath. She kept thinking that her bag would fall and spill its contents. So she kept it in her wardrobe. She claimed a headache and went to bed knowing she would not survive Goke’s presence. At work the following day she kept her bag close to her and escaped to the restroom to take the second pill. She satisfied herself that she had done the needful but she had lost all sense of comfort. She wanted to reach out to Dapo but she restrained herself. Buzzing Dapo would not be a good idea as that would only awaken her desire for him. She needed space, she needed to think, she needed to talk to someone but there was no one she dared speak to about this. Dapo had entered her subconscious, her psyche and she knew it would break her. They had no future, just fleeting moments. She had no real reason to end her marriage. Did Goke not love her? Did he not provide for her? On the other hand she did not love Dapo...or did she? She loved so many things about him and the way he made her feel, but did that mean that she loved him? Dapo. Dapo. Dapo. He had unsettled her, shocked her system without any real effort. But really it was all that time spent with him, dwelling on the times spent that was her undoing. Yes, she had always liked him, admired him but from afar, which was a little acknowldgement of the nice person he was but not this dragon that had been unleashed. He had become known to her and she admired him even more, wanting to be with him all the time, wishing things that could never be uttered. The guilt was tearing her apart, things she had done and things she was sure she would do again. But how to end all this pain, this dissonance that bent her mind and set her heart against her being?

She decided in a fevered daze to make her confession to her husband Goke. She needed to be able to breathe again for air it seemed was choking her. The voices needed to stop and they would only stop if she talked. Talking to a third party was not her style. She had often marvelled at people who consulted shrinks and counsellors. She could never bring herself to wash her linen in public. So she opened her mouth and spoke, confessing her infidelity to her husband and with each word said she felt a loosening of the knot in her chest, the settling of the voices and the dissipation of dissonance.

Goke said nothing at first, and then as what she said sank in he flared up fighting hard to control himself as Jide lay sleeping in their bed. Besides he did not want to alert the nanny and his sister in-law. Could Sarah be joking? He looked at her and her sobs and tears told him it was not a joke. How long had this been going on?! He had been such a fool.

Sarah lay in her bed all day. Thankfully her sister sensing that something was not quite right had taken Jide out. Goke had disappeared angrily storming out of the house taking her phones with him. She felt a little afraid. What would Goke do? What would he decide? She thought and worried for hours until he came back. She thought of Dapo and sighed. She closed her eyes tightly and wished him away out of her thoughts.

Goke returned late in the evening and after spending sometime in front of the television in the parlour, he spoke to her. He went on and on about how she had betrayed him, how she threw his love and her marriage in the gutter for another man. He asked for details, he wanted to know things that she could not bear to tell him. He paused and changed his mind. He knew all he needed to know. But did he? He needed to know if she still loved him and if she still wanted to be with him. She cried that she did and that her breach of trust would never repeat itself. She begged him invoking the name of the Lord. Goke listened and thought hard when she was done. He loved his wife and he had made vows. He knew the kind of person she was and was sure that her confession was done out of remorse and penitence. She had done wrong and she had admitted it, subjecting herself to his love and mercy and whatever punishment that might follow.

Goke reeled out a list of instructions and commandments that she was to follow. He gave her back her phones and told her that he had spoken to Dapo. Her heart skipped a beat. He had put Dapo in his place and told him of her confession. He went on to threaten him. The little boy had disconnected the line after a flurry of protestations. She nodded her head in understanding. She was grateful for Goke and she swore she would love and obey him for the rest of her life.

A month later as she closed from the office and hurriedly walked to her car so as to meet the curfew Goke had imposed she saw Dapo walking towards her. Her heart caught in her chest and she walked faster. He called out to her hurrying to catch up. She stopped to face him. He looked older and she could tell he had not been himself. He tried to apologise like he had once tried to do on the phone before she disconnected the line. She had deleted and blocked him from her BlackBerry and although she deleted his number, she still would recognise it each time he tried to call her. She brushed his apologies off and told him that it was ok and that he had nothing to apologise for since it was all her fault. She should have behaved better. She sniffled. He looked sad as he enquired if Goke had hit her. She shook her head saying he was not that kind of person.

“I can’t see you again Dapo, ever. I made a promise to my husband and to myself. I can’t see you again.” Dapo looked like he was about to cry. “Ok but can I call you once in a while to know how you are? How you are doing?” She shook her head again. Goke had begun to monitor her calls and whereabouts, something he had never done before. He was taking no chances. She opened her door and Dapo made to touch her. Sarah shrank back and said, “Dapo don’t!” She got in wound down and said, “Just leave me be Dapo. We can’t work. I cheated on my husband with you! I almost threw away my marriage for you!”

“But why did you tell him?”

“To rid myself of you! Don’t you get?”

Dapo looked lost.

“I will nearly always be attracted to you. I swear I don’t know what you did to me but I will always want you and I can’t.”

A tear rolled down her face.

“I did the right thing Dapo, please let me do the right thing.”

Dapo nodded ever so slightly and stepped away from the car. She looked at him and gave him a sad little smile. Sarah pulled out of the car park and headed towards the Mainland. She sobbed quietly as she drove home.

The End.

Prose: Urenna

Urenna stood by the roadside. She was tired as she had been standing for almost four hours. The night was rather slow. She blamed it on the time of the month. It was mid month and the middle of the month was always a bad time for business. Disposable income would have decreased considerably from the end of the previous month. But what did hunger care about such things? Indeed her stomach must be fed first before all else.

A draft of cool night air hit her as she manned her corner. She inhaled cigarette smoke along with the night air. Not so fresh. She hated cigarettes. Nasty, filthy things! But in her line of work she had no choice for the men and women she worked with liked their tobacco. Cigarette smoke reminded her of all that was said to be bad and evil. She had been brought up amid the chaos that was her childhood by a strict catholic, Mr. Ikechukwu, the district catechist superintendent. No, Mr. Ikechukwu was not her father. How she wished that was the case but the catechist was just that, a catechist; who had warned her and her peers about the dangers of alcohol and cigarette smoke when she was younger, not so many years ago. If only he could see her now. Urenna laughed inwardly.

A car appeared from around the corner and Urenna changed position. She stood facing the road, perpendicular to the approaching head lights. This position gave the occupants of the car a profile of her body, her precious asset. Then as the car moved closer, she turned away and gave a view of her backside. At the last moment she turned again, facing the car while bending to greet the occupants giving them a winning smile and a view of her significant chest. The car drove by and slowed down to a stop. Ope o!

Urenna walked briskly to the car – a black Honda – to ward off the other girls. Na me get this one! She said to herself. She got to the car in time.

“Hi!” she said to the front seat passenger.

“Hello!” the men in the car replied.

She took a look into the dimly lit interior of the car with its dashboard and stereo lights offering very little illumination. There were three occupants, the driver, the front seat passenger and another at the back. She hesitated. Inasmuch as she really needed to get customers for the night she was not sure she wanted three men but she waited to hear what they had to offer.

“What’s your name?” Front seat passenger asked.

“Jessica”, Urenna replied with a sweet smile.

“Hmmm...Jessica! That’s a nice name,” front seat passenger said.

Idiot.  If only he knew that half of the girls along the street had christened themselves Jessica!

“Awww, thanks!” she said in her most American-movie-flavoured accent.

The inside of the car smelt nice. In fact it smelt like these men might have some good money.

“So you look very nice,” front seat continued. Urenna flashed a winning smile.

“Oya! How much?” the driver asked impatiently.

“Depends of what you want. Is it all night or short time and for how many of you?”

“If it is more than one person, I am available!” a voice rang out from behind Urenna.

Vultures! Urenna thought. They would not allow someone to progress. She recognised the voice as Blessing’s. Well to be fair to her, Blessing had sometimes involved Urenna in some of her prospects. Urenna had sometimes returned the favour but she needed to be sure of what was going down.

“Erm, how much is all night?” driver enquired.

“Where are you taking me?”

“Erm, Ikoyi.” Driver responded.

Hmmm....these Ikoyi boys! They may have money but were not to be trusted and were quite stingy too! She paused and then asked them to put on their inner light.

“What for?” driver asked.

“So I can see your faces na! How do you expect me to get into a car with three men I don’t know?”

Driver and front passenger consulted each other briefly and turned on the car’s inner lights.

Mscheeeew! Urenna cursed loudly. These were not men but small boys barely out of their teens! Driver whom she was sure was a Yoruba boy because of his dark skin and looks seemed like the oldest of the lot and he could not have been more than nineteen. The quiet one at the back in glasses she was sure was seventeen or even younger. No way! These boys, children of rich parents sure had money but had no respect for it and quite ironically would want to pay the barest minimum for the services that women like her offered. Mba! No! She recalled what happened to one of the girls who had followed two of these Ikoyi boys in their car and had ended up in a BQ with four waiting boys! Poor girl had had to scream, shout and claw her way out of there! Cheapskates! Instead of them to have been upfront about how many they were, then she would have gone with two other girls at a bargain price. But no, these small boys wanted to have their cake and eat it.

“You are small boys! I don’t do small boys!” Urenna shouted, moving away from the vehicle.

“Ah! What do you mean?!” passenger seat retorted.

“Come first, we will pay you good money!!” driver added.

Urenna laughed. “Blessing o! Come and see the small boys wey wan fuck!”

Blessing moved in for a closer look. She laughed, “These ones neva finish secondary school o! Hahaha! Now run along to your mummies and go return daddy’s car.”

“Mscheeew!! Ashewo!” driver lashed out.

“Ehn thank you! As you get home please call your daddy for me! I will fuck him for free sef!” The ladies laughed as the deflated boys zoomed off to try their luck elsewhere.

“No mind these small boys jor! When you come reach, do finish, dem no go wan pay you complete money. Their wahala too much!” Blessing ended as she walked back into the shadows.

Urenna sighed. She hoped she would get a customer soon. It was getting late and the odds were rising against her. She hoped for a customer that would take her home. Those ones were preferred as she got to sleep in a bed as against standing for long and sleeping on the road or in smelly taxi cabs. She looked at her cheap watch. 2am. Sigh. Even a couple of short-time customers would make sense now. She waited impatiently.

A jeep cruised by ever so slowly. She took position and waited for it to stop. It drove slowly as the occupant eyed the ladies of the night, taking them in.

“Oga stop now!” Urenna called.

The driver did not stop but zoomed off. Alu! She cursed.

She waited a few more minutes and was just about to resign her fate to an unsuccessful night when a car appeared. It was a Toyota Camry, one of the new ones; very sleek, very shiny in the poor street light. She hoped it was not a driver because these drivers were funny. They were not so much better than her but they tried to appear better off. But not all drivers though, some were nice and kind like that Tony. He had been very nice to her, sometimes just visiting her without wanting to have sex. They would gist for a couple of minutes before she would chase him away for scaring away potential customers. She had even given him a couple of free rounds. She liked Tony; small sha. And she missed him. His oga had been transferred to Abuja and she had not seen him in months.

The Toyota stopped right in front of her. The driver rolled the window down and the cool air from the air conditioning hit her face.

“Hi!” Urenna said, turning on the charm.

“Good evening” the driver responded.

They conversed for about a minute and Urenna said her goodbyes to Blessing and got into the car. She thanked her stars as the sleek car pulled away. She would definitely sleep on a warm soft bed tonight; and if she did well she would probably get a performance bonus in the morning. Her customer did not look like or sound like the stingy type. In fact he looked “safe”. She thanked her stars again and crossed herself as the car picked up speed and headed towards Lekki.

Finally!! - A Review of The Figurine.

Last weekend I watched the Kunle Afolayan thriller The Figurine and I must say that I am glad that I did. Those of you who know me well, know that I do not suffer Nollywood productions gladly. It takes a whole lot for me to sit through the first ten minutes of any Nollywood fare, because ten minutes is what I need to evaluate the film. However, I sometimes sit for longer if the film comes with a great recommendation by one whose opinions I respect or if the first ten minutes show some promise. With The Figurine it was a combination of the two. An added push was the marketing and publicity that followed the film’s release in 2009. So I decided to wait until it came out in DVD. I waited o for over two years, no luck; I then discovered that the distribution structure in place restricted the film’s DVD production, a move to forestall the activities of pirates.

However, I was lucky enough to view The Figurine as it hit cable TV on DStv. So it was with great anticipation that I watched The Figurine. 

First and foremost I must commend producer and director Mr. Afolayan who also starred in the joint lead role in The Figurine for a brilliant translation of Kemi Adesoye’s script. I say this because many a good script has been poorly executed by directors and producers. Excellent storytelling lies in carrying the audience along through the use of the right film techniques and tools. Right from the opening scenes, the cinematography of The Figurine impresses the viewer as something not readily seen in Nigerian films. With realistic sets (I now more than ever want a beach house!) and scenes, the accompanying visual effects were simple and very believable. Although the sound quality dropped at times during the film you get the distinct impression that Mr. Afolayan is aiming for a level of professionalism that leaves a lot of his other colleagues in the dust. The pacing is subtle, leading the viewer into an understanding of what is about to evolve in the scene. There is definitely no overacting!! One could be tempted to say that the acting was stilted but I believe this was deliberate. Indeed the cast is disciplined enough to leave out all the over-the-top acting, shouting, fake accents and face contortions that are all too familiar with Nollywood. I was particularly impressed by Funlola Aofiyebi-Raimi’s acting as it was the first time I had seen her not overact! The screaming, eye rolling and “British” accent were pegged to a bare minimum.

Femi played brilliantly by Ramsey Nouah (despite the hideous wig) shows how bitterness and a sense of entitlement can insidiously eat away at a man over time. His sudden malevolence at the end of the film was quite a shocker and a huge contrast to the earlier picture of Femi as portrayed. Mr. Nouah I believe would play the role of a psycho quite convincingly. Mr. Afolayan’s bad boy/man Shola effectively reminded me of those school/classmates who were the so called "bad boys". Methinks he probably was one when he was younger. The Figurine also features veteran actor and artist, Muraina Oyelami as the culturally knowledgeable head of department. Omoni Oboli plays Mona, the girlfriend and later wife of Shola quite well, expressing the right amounts of emotion. Tosin Sido is a delight to watch as she plays Lara, Femi’s younger sister with a kind of vulnerability that her role demands. You take notice of her on a screen full of veterans. Speaking of veterans, can Jide Kosoko please stop acting the role of “chairman of the board”?!

But really, with respect to the characters, there is an absence of real development as the audience is left to fill in many gaps as to their true personalities. We are treated to a passing slice of their lives without getting really involved with them and their three-dimensionality. For instance, we know that Shola is a bad boy but just how bad we never really know. Mona herself loves Shola over Femi but again we never really know why and likewise Femi’s love for Mona is never fully delved into. Again, perhaps this was deliberate to make the twist impactful.  

In the end, much praise must be given to writer Kemi Adesoye, whose script and excellent twist at the end makes The Figurine a memorable film. The story is able to effectively blend traditional folklore, cultural systems and beliefs against a modern Nigeria backdrop. It could so easily have become a spiritual affair but Kemi ensures that it is one for the rational thinker with endless debates as to whether the curse was real or imagined. Yes, The Figurine is definitely one for the ages.

So kudos to Mr. Kunle Afolayan and his team for giving us a Nigerian film we can finally be proud of. The Figurine is definitely in my top five Nollywood films of all time.

PS: According to Wikipedia, The Figurine cost N50mm to make and he film received 10 nominations and won 5 awards at the African Movie Academy Awards in 2010, including the awards for Best Picture, Heart of Africa, AMAA Achievement in Cinematography and AMAA Achievement in Visual Effect.

Crash and Burn! My Review of Flight

Oh wow! Wow! Those were the words in my head as I watched veteran film maker Robert Zemeckis’ Flight. Flight starring two time Academy Award winner Denzel Washington, tells the story of Captain William "Whip" Whitaker, an alcoholic and recreational druggie, who successfully crash lands a passenger jet while under the influence of drugs and booze. Whip saves 96 out of the 102 passengers and crew members on board. Unfortunately, one of the dead is his flight attendant and occasional girlfriend, Katerina Marquez (Nadine Velasquez), who had been out partying with him the previous night.

The film follows the subsequent investigation into the remote and immediate causes of the plane crash and the heroics of Whip Whitaker whose unconventional method of flying the plane upside brought it out of its nose dive; a move which undoubtedly saved the 96 lives. Hired by the airline to control the situation are Charlie Anderson (Bruce Greenwood) an old friend of Whip’s, and lawyer Hugh Lang (Don Cheadle). This is a tough task as the toxicology report on Whip shows that he was intoxicated at the point of the crash. However, Hugh uses his skills to quash the report and assures that it would not see the light of day. With a hearing by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) a few days away, he approaches his co-pilot for the day Ken Evans (Brian Geraghty) and regular attendant on his flights, Margaret Thomason (Tamara Tunie) and coerces them to testify that that the SouthJet flight 227 was just like “any ordinary day”. They agree.

Whip retreats from the spotlight and befriends Nicole (Kelly Reilly) an addict he meets at the hospital. Now while they try to draw strength from each other on the road to the recovery, Whip slips back into his ways as he finds it hard to deal with the attention, the pressure from the media, his lawyers, the airline and his ex-wife’s refusal to let him see his son. Before long, Nicole abandons him telling him that his refusal to get better is not good for her own recovery. He hits rock bottom and has to move in with Charlie so as to stay clean into the hearing. However, the night before the hearing, having been checked into a locked and mini-bar-free hotel room, he takes advantage of an unlocked door to an adjoining room and proceeds to empty its mini-bar. The next morning Charlie and Hugh are furious when they find him drunk with the hearing an hour away. Harling Mays drug dealer and friend of Whip’s, played by John Goodman is called in. He brings some cocaine which straightens Whip out in time for the hearing.

At the hearing he scales through all the questions asked by lead investigator Ellen Block (Melissa Leo). It is revealed that the plane crash was caused by a mechanical malfunction. Whip is in fact praised for his heroics echoing the sentiments of the media. Ms. Block asks a final question as to the presence of two empty bottles of vodka found in the crashed plane. The presence of the bottles is contentious as Whip had ordered that drinks not be served during the flight due to turbulence. And since Katerina’s report was the only one that showed alcohol in her bloodstream, Ms. Block asks Whip if he thinks Katerina may have been intoxicated at the time of the crash. Whip replies in the negative admitting that he was the one that drank the vodka (which was true), that he was intoxicated at the time of the crash and that he was currently intoxicated. The hearing erupts with an angered Hugh and Charlie. Whip gets convicted of manslaughter and serves a five year sentence.

Phew! I just had to write that long plot synopsis to sort of help put the rest of the review in perspective. Flight is one powerful film, one that would have been talked about for days if it had come out in the 80s or 90s - a classic. But in today’s film terrain is it so easy for a film like Flight to get lost in the crowd. Acting was very good all around. There was no over-acting as the STORY was the star of the film. However, Denzel Washington’s performance was painfully convincing bearing in mind that we could only see the outsides of who the man Whip was. Can anyone really adequately evince the internal conflict that Whip was going through? I sense this was deliberate by director Zemeckis (Back to the Future I-III, Forrest Gump, Cast Away, Beowulf, A Christmas Carol) and writer John Gatlins (Coach Carter, Real Steel).

A hero to many, a damaged person to himself and those who knew him, Whip Whitaker was a bit of an anti-hero. I found myself not caring whether or not he was drunk, crunk or freaking asleep!  He did save 96 lives! He saved 96 lives when everyone could have died! The mechanical fault was not his, he was in control and he executed a move he probably would not have thought of had he been sober. This was confirmed when simulations of his flying the plane upside down by other pilots all ended in crashes.

But the truth was that Whip was an addict; the kind of drunk and junkie that laymen would not recognize  his type required a trained eye. Whip was also a survivor: he had survived his childhood, his failed marriage and was trying to survive his condition when the plane crashed. Heck he was even trying to survive the investigation! But he was doing that in the wrong place. The scene where he goes around the farm house removing stashes of beer and bottles of alcohol had me with my mouth open. Dude was an alcoholic! Booze was within easy reach in EVERY room of the house!

Whip was shown sometimes winning the fight against his addiction but always eventually giving in to it. Even Nicole’s presence could not help him as he threatened to drag her down too. The hotel room scene where he opens the mini-bar and sees what could best be described as a “drunkard’s heaven” was classic. He opens the mini-bar, and slowly takes in its contents. He picks up and fingers a miniature bottle of vodka, opens it and inhales the all too familiar essence. With each movement taking him a step closer to yielding into temptation, he seems to finally win the battle by screwing the cap on tight and placing the bottle on the closed table top and walking away. The optimists among us are all about to cheer but alas, in a brilliant twist he reaches out to grab the bottle. Even the cynics are a little sad.

Consequently, Flight is a story about addiction and what is sometimes required to end it – a big ass stage! For Whip he had coasted on a drug and alcoholic wave and would have coasted into the books as a hero but just at the last minute, just as he could have put the issue behind him forever, he spills his guts. What is remarkable is that he could have done it privately, in rehab or even at Nicole’s AA meeting where no one would have judged him. But at the risk of tarnishing a defenceless Katerina’s memory, he instead chose to spill at the one place where everyone was sure to hear. Ms. Block gave him two outs and he opted for the significantly more painful one, but one that would save him. He must have feared that if he missed this chance to repent, he would not have gotten another. Flight shows us that sorting ourselves out is most times a very painful process; we have to be willing to fight our very nature or the person that we have become. We can lie to everyone, gloss over our lives but in the end we cannot really lie to ourselves.

I liked Flight a lot. It was a good story where you do not know whether to root for Denzel Washington’s Whip or not. In the end you seat back and hope that the right thing is done. In the end, it is.

I Am Tired Jor!

Right now I am so depressed, so sad, so angry but most of all I am weak, so weak I just want to lie down and hibernate. With each passing day I find that every single thing I was taught as a child by my parents, my priests, my teachers, my elders has been for naught. Not lies but truths that have no place in this entity called Nigeria. A nation where corruption and evil go unpunished; even worse they go rewarded.

Since the days of Tafa Balogun, it has become a proven scam: steal a few billions from state coffers, (not millions, for a few millions are not enough to keep you out of jail) when caught, plead guilty and save the state (i.e. the police/EFCC, and judiciary) the cost of an expensive and lengthy trial while making them look good at their jobs. Give assurances of full cooperation and willingly return say 20 per cent of the loot in cash and another 20 per cent in property, then spread say 10 per cent among those who might ask for a cut and you get a nine months to 2 years sentence at a not-so-bad prison where you would reign as the “president” and are sure to be out after seven months; OR if you are lucky you get the option of fine with no time served. After that long sentence and all is said and done you could easily walk away with 10 billion neat. I swear someone should sign me up for this scam for that is what it is!

“Come Danladi, you know that NIPOST pension money?”

“You mean the N500bn?”

“Yes, you as the chief finance officer have access to it, is this not so?”

“Yes and so?”

“Ok this is what we are going to do; you will use your office to steal...

....then when you are released you pocket a cool N25bn while you give us N25bn...don’t mind Nigerians, they have short memories, they will soon invite you to be the state chairman of the party, give you a chieftaincy title and the pastors will make you a deacon sef....”

“Ok, I am in!”

It really is that simple! Corruption thrives simply because we reward it. Instead of punishing the looters we slap them on the wrists and embrace them when they are released. Who says (big) crime does not pay? I say “we” because “we” are the ones who write the laws or have refused or simply do not understand that “we” are not excluded from lawmaking. This is why I have trouble with democracy and Africans, for we do not fully comprehend what democracy is all about! It is about using our numbers to push for, lobby and demand certain “goods” rights as citizens of a nation! If we all understood the concept of democracy which strives to achieve that “common good” for all, we would not stand for these evils pervading our land. Or perhaps it is a twisted version of democracy that has made us the way we are – a bunch of silent aiders and abetters.

I suspect the real reason why we have not as a mass body fought corruption to a standstill is that deep deep down inside, we are all waiting for our turn at the dinner table of power where we will have a go at the national cake! We swallow and turn a blind eye to grave injustices and romanticising of theft and robbery, not saying a word, giving excuses and blindly attacking the few that have the courage to speak up all because we anticipate the day when it is our turn to “chop”; and when that day comes may God punish the devil that tries to truncate our time at the table!!!

What am I saying? The young Nigerian has watched how corruption has made a number of Nigerians wealthy beyond their wildest dreams in a seemingly “turn by turn” system. In the 80s and 90s it was the Northerners and Westerners, now in this new administration it is the turn of the South-South so by simple reasoning and hope and if “zoning” works out in the next elections it will be the turn of my father’s brother’s in-law’s wife’s second cousin who is an ACN big-wig!! Ope o! Again, may Amadioha silence the mouths of those who rise up to condemn him and us!!

The most interesting journey I ever  undertook in this country was about five years ago in a 12-seater bus from Lagos to Benin with Nigerians from across different ages, gender and tribes. We had quite a few interesting discussions during the journey as a road trip that used to take three hours flat, now took almost five. The one that stood out for me was the one on corruption. Oh it was a volatile one! Passengers were seething with righteous anger and all calling for the Jerry Rawlings treatment for those who deserved it!! But one lady said something which cooled the flames. She said that we should be careful for what we ask for, that if indeed this Rawlings treatment is meted out who would survive? Some beat their chests and said that they were clean. To this she retorted, “You can vouch for yourself, but can you vouch for that your uncle who is in NPA? Or your in-law that is a state CP? Or that elder in your church who donated N10million towards the new church building?! Or that your old classmate who gave you that juicy contract that you lobbied for? Behold if the Rawlings treatment starts, it may come to your doorstep!!” She went further, “Okay, if you were the head of recruitment at a company or a government agency and you were down to two gifted candidates who were vying for a single opening, would you give it to the better of the two or the one that was related to your spouse’s uncle or from your village?” At this quite a few people fell silent. Only one lady was able to say that she would give it to the better candidate. To this someone laughed and said “Then your husband’s people will carry your name to church for prayers!”  

These are the reasons why we remain bedroom and siddon-look activists. If you want to fight evil, you give no quarter, and you fight without fear!! For should you hesitate, it will consume you leaving you worse of than you were before.

Like one of my former facilitators would say: “I do not intend to pontificate but to illuminate.” I am not perfect but I strive towards perfection. So my brothers and sisters let us take our nation back! Back to the days when our parents ate half a chicken in the refectory at the universities, when salaries were paid on time, when pensions were not stolen, when men of God worshiped God and not mammon, when religion did not supercede common sense and intelligence,  when a Super Eagles match was a time for collective pride and not ridicule, when policemen wore the uniform with pride, when our leaders spoke the truth in service and not lies in dishonesty, when we endorsed brilliance and industry not mediocrity and sloth, and when being a Nigerian meant something good.

Sigh....I am tired jor.