Love is War (directed by Omoni Oboli) and 4th Republic (directed by Ishaya Bako) are both 2019 films which tackle the slippery slope of Nigerian politics. They also both treat the issue of women in politics. I was initially focused on the differences between the two films. Love is War has a more glamorous feel, with more campaign and crowd events. 4th Republic on the other hand feels grittier, has a ‘darker’ feel as quite a lot happens in the dark of the night. Still, 4th Republic evinces excitement in its whodunit suspense that keeps the viewer alert. It’s safe to say that these two films present two different sides of our politics. Now, to their stories…
In Love is War, Dimeji (Richard Mofe-Damijo) and his wife Hankuri Philips (Omoni Oboli) are pitted against each other when both decide to vie for the governorship of Ondo State. Hankuri who has been a minister and from another state, Niger, is being backed by the president to run in her husband’s state. Expectedly, there’s opposition from political godfather, Otunba Odeleye (Jide Kosoko), and outgoing Governor Ogundele (Akin Lewis). Each side wants a pound of flesh for supporting her. Then someone has the bright idea for her husband, the real son of the soil, to join the race. The couple initially come to an agreement that the husband, a medical doctor, would somehow let the wife win. That agreement doesn’t last as husband and wife get sucked into believing rumours from their camps and the worst about each other. Things soon turn acrimonious and nearly deadly when the husband is shot and the wife is accused of attempted murder.
4th Republic is about how a widow, Mable King (Kate Henshaw-Nuttal), fights to become the governor of Confluence State. Against a powerful opponent as the incumbent governor Idris Sanni (Sanni Muazu), her chances are bleak. She’s not helped by the fact that even her own party thinks her victory is a lost cause. It doesn’t matter that she has the people behind her as she’s told: “Numbers do not mean anything. What matters is who has won and who has lost.” Unlike Love is War which features many campaign events, 4th Republic’s story being almost on election day. The film opens with a court scene where an eye-witness Amina (Saratu Ibrahim) is giving evidence about election day killings and the story takes off from there.
Although I had set out to talk about the differences in the two films, I find that it isn’t so much that they are different but each film show different aspects of out politics. Especially what women face. And politicians generally. We see Hankuri in Love is War being inundated with names of potential appointees. As we know, this is an issue real life politicians have complained about from godfathers. Former Edo State governor Adams Oshiomhole did complain of receiving his first cabinet from ‘Mr Fix It’, Tony Anenih, in Anenih’s living room. Hankuri complains that marriage has made her “stateless” because as minister, she was rejected first by her own state (who I’m sure would prefer she goes to her husband’s state having abandoned her people), and of course her husband’s state were not welcoming either. This also mirrors Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala’s experience when President Obasanjo wanted to appoint her as minister in 2003. She is from Delta State while her husband, Dr Ikemba Iweala, is from Abia State. You can add to this list of dissenting voices career politicians ‘on ground’ who have worked hard.
In 4th Republic, Mabel King has double jeopardy as a widow. Her opponent asks her to be his third wife instead of remaining a widow or fighting the election results. The story here is not so much because of her gender, though it does play a role but the desperate efforts by politicians to hold on to power. And there’s a lot to celebrate. For one, the judiciary stands firm. Mabel King, like Hankuri, becomes governor. The bad people are apprehended and prosecuted.
Now that Nollywood/Nigerian film industry has given us two new female governors, perhaps it’s time for real life to imitate fiction?
COME AGAIN?
“The Presidency notes the resolution, and reiterates that appointment or sacking of service chiefs is a presidential prerogative, and President Muhammadu Buhari, in his capacity as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, will do what is in the best interest of the country at all times.”
— Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity responding to the call for the resignation of service chiefs.
I’m more interested in the timely reminder that President Buhari is still Nigeria’s commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces because there have been times one wondered- if really there was a functioning commander-in-chief. But what does his doing “what’s in the best interest of the country at all times” mean at this point exactly? The unending insecurity? Soldiers resigning? Sorry, I forgot that Nigeria is safer now than five years ago according to Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai, who just happens to be one of those service chiefs.
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