When kids do well, parents are happy. When they turn bad, parents are sad. Getting ones that turn out right is the dream of every parent and may the good ones always come our way and the bad ones turn new leaves
By Olukorede Yishau
Prof,
Long time no see, Sir. Trust you are holding on perfectly well.
I remember you today not because I saw one of your early Nollywood productions, or came across someone who spoke about you. I remember you today not because I met one of your Theatre Arts students at the Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo. I do not remember you for death or sickness. I remember you because some weeks back I saw a movie on Netflix, the global streaming platform. The movie is titled ‘The Griot’. It debuted on November 18, 2022. The movie is about betrayal, the power of love, the power and importance of storytelling, disloyalty, greed and how, with the right support, what appears insurmountable becomes a piece of cake.
This movie directed by Adeoluwa Owu has a literary fiction feel. Its tragic, unexpected end is a twist difficult to foretell, and I have seen a few viewers who are not happy about this. But, I am yet to see anyone who feels it is a bad movie.
Sir, the movie starts with a storyteller captivating an audience with a gripping tale about a man tempted by a water demon. The storyteller says: “The long wait had begun to douse his enthusiasm and the dark and scary night clawed viciously at what was left of his patience. ‘Was it all a myth,’ he asked himself. Perhaps it was a drunkard’s imagination which had become a legend, but he would tarry a moment longer for his journey was long and arduous…”
With his soothing voice and descriptive gesticulations, Sanmi, the narrator, continues the story and exhibits his prowess as a griot worth his salt. The audience will kill to have him tell another story after concluding this one, but his attention is soon taken by the sonorous voice of the lead female character, Tiwa, humming a lively tune.
Prof, after the opening scene, we meet Lakunle and a secret is let loose: He is the shy friend of Sanmi, who supplies him with the stories that make many see him as the greatest storyteller in the environment and bring along wealth and other goodies of life.
We also properly meet Tiwa and we realise she is in love with Lakunle, who, however, is too timid to ask her out. Sanmi is soon deployed by Lakunle to help woo Tiwa since he is gifted with oratory. But what we discover instead is Sanmi trying to get Tiwa for himself. Since every lie has an expiration date, it is not different for Sanmi. Lakunle discovers his act of betrayal and stops feeding him stories. This comes at a time the king of Wakajaye has made him the Gbobaniyi because of his perceived storytelling prowess.
Prof, the heavens come crashing down when a major celebration is around the corner and Sanmi tries unsuccessfully to convince his now estranged friend to supply him another tale to renew his fame. As expected, he turns him down and instead confesses to Tiwa that he is the source of the great stories that brought Sanmi glory and wealth. With Tiwa’s help, he overcomes his timidity and performs at the ceremony for the king and other guests. The fleeing, arrogant, greedy, and morally deficient Sanmi is caught and banished by the king who feels deceived and cheated. Lakunle gets his due but before his joy is full, Sanmi throws a spanner in the work, and it goes south from there.
Sir, ‘The Griot’ is a beautiful village-setting story told in a mixture of Yoruba and English. The picture quality is superb, and the acting is believable. Funso Adeolu is impressive as the king. Kunle Afod delivers as the babalawo. Lateef Adedimeji is otherworldly as the shy griot. Toyin Oshinaike performs well as Lakunle’s father and Yetunde Adekoya is above board as Tiwa’s mother. And Goodness Emmanuel shows her goodness as Tiwa. She also doubles as the producer.
This movie reminds me so much of you because of the guy who plays Sanmi, a talent I will look out for in more of his work. While watching the movie, I saw that he shares so much in common with you, including your surname. He is Temiloluwa Fosudo. His voice, his face, his mannerisms, and his theatrics are similar to yours. It is not surprising to find out he is your son. Seeing that he is not just the lead actor but also the writer of the thrilling script from which the movie is made gladdens my heart.
I am sure he is a son in whom you are well-pleased. He is indeed a positive reflection of your greatness and I pray he trumps your records in every ramification.
My final take, sir: When kids do well, parents are happy. When they turn bad, parents are sad. Getting ones that turn out right is the dream of every parent and may the good ones always come our way and the bad ones turn new leaves.
Prof, continue to stay strong and impart knowledge on future thespians. Maybe one of these days we will see you in a production done by Temiloluwa. It certainly will be good to see you on the big screen once again. It has been a long time we had the honour of seeing your talent on display, but we are consoled by the fact that you are helping LASU churn out thespians that will play a major role in the future of the Nigerian-cum-African theatre and even play on the global stage.
● Yishau is a newspaper columnist and author.