ANIKULAPO: RISE OF THE SPECTRE — Have you seen the series? Well, I just completed it this afternoon, after struggling to keep up for three days. I am sure you want to know my thoughts, but I will save that for later.
I remember one of my old university lecturers telling us that “literature is like a big elephant dressed in a garment of two colors. An analyst will interpret its appearance depending on which side of the divide they stand”.
Having seen the series and the initial film released, I am convinced that the whole set of work is a socio-political commentary on Nigeria as a state. The casting of the main characters appears to be a deliberate attempt to mirror the myriad issues that beset Nigeria (read that as Africa) as a political entity and as a cultural state. In order not to bore the reader, I will cut to the chase in very easy and short lines (hopefully, I can. I never get to keep this promise).
STYLE (the elements of style that are outstanding for me)
- The language, while predominantly Oyo Yoruba, is simple to understand and well garnished with proverbs, axioms, anecdotes, and witty retorts.
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The generous use of Yoruba fabrics ranging from sanyan, alaari, ofi, adire to aran is a beautiful advertisement of Yoruba’s unique sartorial taste that leaves other cultures fawning with envy.
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I am particularly impressed with the creative use of “Asohun Oba Ojumo” (the voice of the king). He is the one who speaks for the king of Ojumo who obviously cannot speak Yoruba in the real world. This role is creatively casted to cover for the actor’s linguistic limitation, but it can also easily pass as a cultural thing for that community that the king does not speak in public. It seemingly solidifies the king’s unspoken claim to a deity status. Brilliant!
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The viewer will also get to admire the trong evidence of Yoruba spirituality and mythology. The title of the series itself- Anikulapo: Rise of the Spectre – is a tribute to the Yoruba’s belief in re-incarnation and the existence of spectres (or wraiths if you like to call them so).
Saro is shown at the gate of heaven where he is commanded to return to the earth for the purpose of “keeling” those he had raised from the de.ad. Else, he would not be allowed passage. This is an emphasis on how men get recompense for their earthly deeds when they translate to the world beyond- a key belief of Yoruba spirituality.
The blind aged woman who calls Saro “the messenger of de-a-th” is typical of the “mothers who tie 200 wrappers around their waste yet have space for more”. She sees him despite being blind and negotiates her life in exchange for giving Saro a means to become a living wraith with a physical body. Without her support, Saro would have remained bodyless and a tormented spirit till he returns to the world of the de-ad. Again, this foregrounds the spirituality of the Yorubas where ordinary men can have access to ancient mysteries by right of access or privilege of initiation.
Saro fulfils the requirements given him by the blind woman and gets a physical body. He exclaims “mo ti d’eniyan” (I have become a living being). This is reminiscent of the fable of monkeys that were given some herbs to bathe with, so they could transform into humans. And as they bathed, they sang:
“A o d’eniyan l’ola (we shall become humans tomorrow)
Awa o d’eniyan l’ola se (surely, tomorrow we shall become humans)
A o se bi olowo, awa yo wo bata oye (we shall act wealthy and wear regal shows)
A o se bi olola, awa yo wo’leke iyun (we shall act honorable and adorn royal beads)
A o d’eniyan l’ola (we shall become humans tomorrow)
Awa o d’eniyan l’ola o (surely, tomorrow we shall become humans)”
But it all ended in tears for them. Similarly, Saro becomes human and negotiates 3 years with the three monitoring spectres who insist he must lead them through the path for de-ad souls, but quickly forgets his time is short. He lives carelessly and returns to his old ways and abruptly, his time comes to an end.
Like the monkeys, his excitement is in vain. In the end, he remembers, another expression of Yoruba spirituality that encourages us to hold life as a gift that does not last- “awayeeku kan o si, gbogbo wa la d’agbada iku” (no one will leave the earth alive. It is de-a-th that unites the rich and poor).
Another instance of Yoruba spirituality is the scene where Arolake stumbles on a site that has ultra-spiritual activities. The Yorubas believe a man can be fortunate to have the gods visit him and that can change his life forever.
Here, Arolake has this encounter with the gnomes and spirit beings, and this an allusion to Jacob’s Bethel encounter where he slept in a place which he did not know was God’s dwelling (Genesis 28:10-22). Just as Jacob had an encounter that transformed his life forever, Arolake will also go on to live a transformed life, courtesy of the “blessing” she received from the strange beings (alujan-an-nu). She was handed an inexhaustible pouch of wealth. Like Jacob changed the name of Luz to Bethel, signposting his life-changing encounter, Arolake also changes from Queen Arolake to Ololabinrin (The Lady of Wealth and Honor).
- The way flashback was deployed without it being a flashback is a master stunt. Suddenly, we get an insight into how Saro, Arolake, Basorun, Awarun, Alaafin, Ifadogbon and (later) Adigun, all connect within the Oyo setting before Saro and Arolake gained prominence in Ojumo as we saw in the prequel. The viewer may not get a good grasp of this till the second episode in the sequel but from there, it all begins to come together. It then becomes funny when you come to think of it that Saro was bedding Awarun while Basorun was also mating with her. Omo! Saro is daring (but he did not know anyways). Credit to the story writers. They pulled this off neatly.
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Cinematography, as usual, is clear and crisp.
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Music and sound effects are original and highly emotive. It is the kind you want to see in a movie like this.
TRIVIALS
Saro is a master pick-up line poet. The way he breaks the ice with ladies is enigmatic. In his first meeting with Olatoorera (one whom I think is the biggest act of the series, anyways) outside his palmwine shop, he throws his on bead at her feet, bends to pick it and says to her “This must be your bead” and the rest, as they say, is history. That line appears quite simplistic but the delivery and demeanor are everything. Guys, learn!
The veterans are not going anywhere soon. The brightest lights of them are:
- Karounwi, the palmwine tapper/seller, played by Aderupoko. This veteran interprets the role to draw emotions of pity and loss from the viewer; first, when Saro ruins his business and second, when his daughter leaves him to be with Saro. He represents that enduring part of community that will not leave for the new. It may lose out temporarily, but with perseverance, it always prevails.
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Awarun, the serial entrepreneur, played by Sola Sobowale. She is your archetypal top-of-the-drawer woman who wants the protection and leadership of a man in her life but detests the idea of marital submission. She beds Saro, having fallen for his charm and turns out to be Basorun’s official concubine too. In her paraphrased words, “Basorun, I cannot be your wife because I cannot bear to come under a man who will tell me what I can or cannot do”. She is that political actor that rarely loses out. She can suffer a few losses because of poor discretion but she always finds her way back into the game and manages to survive with limited scars.
I could go on and on but for time, I move to the socio-political commentary elements I mentioned earlier.
ANIKULAPO AS A NIGERIAN SOCIO-POLITICAL COMMENTARY
For this part of my review, I will just highlight a few characters that speak to this venture with short details of their role interpretation. I wil then leave the reader to connect the dots.
BASORUN Ogunjimi – He is that opportunistic social crusader who is only altruistic when it benefits him. He starts out fighting the Alaafin for mishandling the affairs of the kingdom but turns out to be interested in the death pouch held by Sara. There, he makes an ally out of Adigun, asking him to help find Saro but without telling him why. Ogunjimi betrays the Chief Priest who thinks the Basorun is the ultimate anti-corruption crusader (does this remind you of one EFCC boss?). He will later keel Adigun after Saro is delivered to him and trick Arolake into giving him her pouch of wealth on the pretence that he will let her go.
He is a representation of the too-good-to-be-true politician who fights everyone in authority, claiming to be on the side of the people. Unknown to them, he also only needs a seat at the table. (Does this remind you of a former NLC President who later became a Governor? Does this remind you of some (cash)tivists who later became politicians? I even hear a former EFCC boss is serving a President he was named as “one of the most corrupt Governors” as National Security Adviser now)
It is poetic that the Basorun meets his comeuppance at the point where he was going to make Arolake the ultimate scapegoat for his false anti-corruption fight. Ede warriors ma-ul him to the earth in Arolake’s presence and that marks the end of his falsehood.
THE PRIEST, Ifadogbon, is the conscience of the nation. He relentlessly pursues social justice, calling out the king’s double standards but unfortunately, does not see the double facedness of the Basorun, thus highlighting the danger men-of-the-cloth getting comfortable and fraternising with the political without limits. It is the same story with our country where the pulpit and the pews have merged into one and the lines of righteousness have become so blurred.
When asked about his regrets in ministry, as documented in his autobiography – “Just As I Am”, America’s foremost televangelist of the 21st century, Billy Graham, says “If I have the opportunity to do it all over again, I will avoid closeness with Politicians as much as possible, and not allow them to use me. Our intention maybe pure and noble, but they tend to use us to gain public acceptance, while damaging our reputation, I wish I was told earlier”.
SARO is the co-main character in the work. He is a treacherous philanderer and a character that will make even Judas green with envy. He betrays virtually everyone who shows him any kindness and help him climb the ladder of life. He betrays Awarun who helped him settle into Oyo; Arolake, who gives him the gourd of life and death which she snatched from the Akala’s beak; the three spectres who supply him palm wine that helped him gain affluence when he returned to life; and Olatoorera who leaves her father to be with him (this betrayal comes in the form of him not being honest with her about who he is). Saro is betrayal. Treachery is Saro.
And this is the story of the political class in Nigeria. They betray everyone who gives them power. A typical politician who was nothing prior to his election reaches office and becomes the lord of the manor. They betray their own electoral promises and make nonsense of the people who trusted them. They cannot even honor the commitment they make about term limit.
Saro is the new African leadership movement trusted by the people but who serially betray them. His philandering represents African political leaders’ strange love affair with foreigners and the Bretton Woods Institution at the expense of the people who made them what they are.
Man always wants to extend his life outside of what God has willed. In the end, they usually meet an abrupt end and regrets only come when they can do nothing to serve the common good. Essentially, there is a Saro in all of us. Treachery lies in the heart of every created being. What shut it down are deliberate goodness and the reminder that we will not be here for long.
AROLAKE is a beautiful lady, blessed by God with all a woman should have but good discretion. She first marries an Alaafin who has a heart for many women. Then falls into the hand of Judas’ little brother-Saro whom she gives a pouch of life and de-a-th that makes him extremely rich and powerful. Then thinks the Basorun is a merciful man but is blind to his ambition. Arolake, despite being so favored by the gods with many good fortunes coming her way, is a poor decision-maker and spends the best of her years in misery because of wrong decisions.
Arolake is the masses. The masses will fight for freedom from the military but hand power over to rogues in mufti. The masses suffer from Stockholm Syndrome. They love their abusers and they seem to always go back to them or their kind.
Arolake snatches the pouch of life (freedom) from the Akala, a representation of a political cabal, perhaps the military, and hands it over to Saro (the democrats) who will do nothing with it but build personal wealth, raise a power base and spit in the face of the masses.
See towards the end of Episode 6, Arolake dreams of being in a cozy state with Saro. You could bet that if Saro met in her real life, she would still dump Akin for him. While the political class cannot succeeding in keeling the masses (like Arolake escapes Basorun’s sword), the masses appear condemned to move from the hands of one selfish and abus-ive lover to the other.
Arolake’s cry when being consoled by Akin is poignant –
“Instead of things getting better, they are getting worse daily…When will it get better? Akin, I’m fed up.”
But the question is – do the masses every truly learn to make better choices of a lover?
AKIN – he shows up when Arolake needs an ally in a new location. He does everything to make Arolake comfortable including being her personal bodyguard at his own risk. He identifies with her at her lowliest moments. He is the one who organizes a new security network for her when she hits “sudden” wealth. He is her leading emissary and spokesperson to the Alaafin when she plots her comeback. He is her chief adviser and confidant. Yet, Arolake never sees him as anything more than a tool (she says “friend”). She still prefers to return to the Alaafin at the expense of this young man that gives her all his life and is devoted to her.
Akin suffers from unrequited love, leaves her in frustration but it is still he who appeals to Awolaran, the Basorun’s son to secure her release from prison. I am not quite sure she ends up giving Akin a chance. Instead, the series end with her holding Saro’s son (also named Saro) in her hands with Awarun and Olatoorera, some of the other women Saro cut up like fish, flanking her to the left and right.
Akin is that unassuming but not quite enticing political option that always shows the masses love and indicates willingness to sacrifice everything for them, but that the masses never see as being enough. A people that loves their chains will never appreciate freedom.
Kuranga is the fusion of African and Arabian culture; the name typifies the influence of foreign religion on the spirituality of the Yorubas. It is a pointer to the fact that religion and culture will always have a point of conflict but if handled with wisdom, it can be de-escalated, and peace restored.
CRITICISMS
Nothing is perfect. Not anything made by humans. Hence, the movie has its drawbacks.
- Saro without his mortal body should not be bending under door frames and opening mat doors. He has an immaterial body and he should be waltzing through walls and people. See Episode 1 and I think 2, too.
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Everyone who is bare-bodied in the series has this irritating mass of hair in their armpits. It portrays the Yorubas as a people with poor personal hygiene and this is far from the truth. If they could shave their head, why couldn’t they shave their armpits. We saw processed gold accessories and mirrors in the series and there was a reference to Mali by Arolake, showing this was not set in the age when eyes were on the knees.
