Movie: Two weeks in Lagos
Release year: 2020
Director: Kathryn Fasegha
Producer: Kathryn Fasegha
Taiwo Adeniyi
Several dreams have been fulfilled and destroyed Nigeria’s commercial capital, Lagos. The well-populated city has led to the rise and fall of many in a short time. Spending two weeks in Lagos is no joke, as it could be a litmus test for your goals as it was for Ejikeme (Mawuli Gavor) in this Christian romantic movie. The investment banker arrived Lagos with his friend Charlie (Okey Uzoechi) with the hope of investing in the country but providence had other plans. Rather than sealing a business deal in two weeks, Ejikeme zealously pursued other interests which unsettle his family.
The movie is a typical Nollywood movie. Sorry, I should have said this is Bollywood finding its way into Nollywood, again. The romantic scenes in this movie were adaptations of Bollywood scenes.
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It was love at first sight when Ejikeme saw Lola (Beverly Naya) Charlie’s sister when he was invited to his friend’s house. Both, and other people welcoming the banks back to Nigeria, were waiting for Charlie’s mum’s meat pie to be out of the oven when their eyes were locked. From that moment to the end of the one hour 46 minute movie they were inseparable.
As typical of some Nollywood movies, where you can tell how it ends, there were no twists whatsoever to spice the action or tasked the stellar casts paraded in the movie. With veterans like Joke Silva, Jide Kosoko, Tina Mba, Shafy Bello in a movie, you would expect more drama but the script was too bland.
Probably due to the faith perspective of the movie, there was no spark of romance between Ejikeme and Lola. Their body language was a sharp contrast to their professed love for each other. From the unplanned meeting at the yoghurt shop, the Indian-like love scenes in a garden, and the night he proposed, they were just casual and immobile about it. Best don’t consider the romantic angle, but the social ills revealed in this movie.
It might have provided an answer to the reason most prominent children marry one another as Ejikeme’s mum (Joke Silva) tried cajoling and forcing him to marry Wande (Uto Rosman) so that her husband would be picked as the running mate of a presidential candidate.
In her attempt to see that the planned marriage occurs, Lola was kidnapped and tortured. She was then rescued by her knight in shining armour, Ejikeme, another Bollywood flick.
The movie revealed how politicians out of desperation could sacrifice the joy of their children to occupy the seat of power despite the resistance and reluctance of their children.
Among the downsides of the plot was that fashion show, it could have best been avoided as it was a mockery of the kings and queens of the runway.
Another typical Nollywood no no, is relegating the job of security guards to imbeciles and nitwits. Security is one of the major needs of humans and this movie made a mess of it, with how the roles of security guards were interpreted by comedians. Security is a serious business and should be seen as such in movies.
While this is a Christian movie, the logo of the Redeemed Christian of Church of God was shown on the church where Ejikeme and his bride exchanged their vows. There is a major doctrine flaw because the RCCG do not join couples with rings but the Holy.
The costume used in the movie, nominated for the Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Film by an African Living Abroad, was the best takeaway from this movie. African culture was demonstrated through fashion and it was done superbly through the dressing of the casts, especially Ejikeme and Charlie.
Cast: Ejikeme (Mawuli Gavor), Lola Makinde (Beverly Naya), Mrs Makinde (Shafy Bello), Wande (Uto Rosman), Kemi (Toyin Aimakhu), Mrs Chukwuemeka (Joke Silva), Charlie (Okey Uzoechi), Joshua (Deyemi Okanlawon), Sisi Toyin (Tina Mba), Dr. Makinde (Jide Kosoko)
