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The Delivery Boy is a bold, timely and important film – Toni Kan

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6 years ago

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Movie title: The Delivery Boy
Starring: Jamal Ibrahim, Jemima Osunde, Charles Etubiebi, Jude Chukwuka, Chris Iheuwa and Kehinde Fasuyi
Director: Adekunle Nodash Adejuyigbe
Year of release: 2019

The trope of the Mephistophelian criminal mastermind is a well-worn one from the eponymous Mephistopheles to Iago as instigator in Shakespeare’s Othello and Fagin in Dicken’s Oliver Twist.
The young and the gullible have always been cannon fodder for men of evil and Amir aka Joseph played by Jamal Ibrahim, is no different.
Sold from an orphanage to Mallam Sadan, a muslim scholar and leader, Amir leaves the orphanage to become the older man’s play thing from where he is then sent to an a camp for young Islamic “scholars.”
His life takes a strange turn as he becomes a dagger-for-hire eking out a precarious existence on the streets of an unnamed city and carrying out killings on the orders of his master.
By the time The Delivery Boy opens, Amir has come to the realization that he must make a change and the time has come. The first word out of his mouth is Go be, Hausa for Tomorrow.
Tomorrow things will change, Amir promises himself as he begins to put his plans into action but best laid plans can unravel quickly.
The Delivery Boy, which won Best Nigerian Film at AFRIFF 2018, tells a story that appears to have been torn out of yesterday’s newspaper head line. There is a visceral urgency to the narrative which confers an almost non-fictional mien on it, as if we are watching a documentary that explores what the life of young men caught in the claws of fundamentalist Islam is all about.
It also helps that much of the dialogue is in Hausa and pidgin which is a clear nod to the streets and the region most prone to fundamentalist ideology and violence.
Amir is damaged goods. Sexually abused and forced to become who he is not, the young man has lived many lives beyond his age. He is angry, confused, conflicted and ready to explode, no puns intended.
This is a film with a dark theme and that darkness is evoked all through. The film is never fully light or fully dark which is understandable since the whole action takes place between dusk and dawn but the “darkness’ hints at more than time, it is evocative of Amir’s tortured soul. Nodash as Director of Photography manages to evoke Amir’s interior landscape through the use of lights and light effects. There is a particularly beautiful shot where Amir is silhouetted against the door of the orphanage.
As his path collides with that of a prostitute, Nkem, played by Jemima Osunde, the plot changes gear, becoming a vehicle for telling the story of two survivors preyed upon by father figures; two people from disparate sides of the track who have to forge an unlikely alliance. They are united only by their rage and desire to destroy one in order to save another.
But Amir is not a murderous villain. He is an avenging angel intent on righting wrongs and working with Nkem they make a formidable team but it is an alliance lubricated with blood. People die and lives are ruined but all is fair in love and war.
Nodash has a deft touch, and there is an urgency to the proceedings even though the story proceeds at a very sedate pace. His use of lights and shadows provides the film with a dreamlike and introspective aspect. This interplay of light and shadows is important too in masking actions and intentions because this is a film full of dissembling, one in which things are never what they seem.
But at the heart of The Delivery Boy are urgent social and existential questions. How far can we go to protect our secret shame? How come those who speak about paradise and the after-life make a cushy home for themselves here? But the biggest question is where does evil come from and how do we allow ourselves to become willing incubators of evil from Mallam Sadan to Ofili, Auntie Dorcas to Nkem’s uncle.
Watching Mallam Sadan, one sees a teacher and a leader while a consideration of his beautiful home throws into stark relief the poverty and deprivation of Amir and Kazeem’s digs. The contrast brings to mind Fela Kuti’s lyrics: Archbishop na milki/Pope na enjoyment/Imam na Gbaladun.
The unequal yoking of Amir/Kazeem/Alhaji Sadan hints at a dysfunctional dynamic at the heart of fundamentalism one that brings to mind the movie, The Mumbai Siege, which is based on the four days of terror visited by young Pakistani fundamentalists on a luxurious hotel in Mumbai. There is that same conflicted approach and indecisiveness as the young drug addicted terrorists are given orders from across the border by an older man communicating via mobile phone.
The Delivery Boy is not your usual Nollywood fare, so if you are looking for cheap laughs, go watch something else. But it is ironic that the real moment of levity is provided as a dig at Nollywood and its warped celebrity culture.
When Amir accosts Sister Dorcas at Little Saints Chapel and Orphanage she tries to explain away why she has to do what she does – “If you had to give one of your children to the devil in order to save the rest, won’t you do it? I feed 50 children with food that is barely enough for 20. Where do you think the money comes from or do you think it is the indomie and bournvita celebrities bring that runs this place?”
But it is also at the orphanage that the film commits a continuity error. The machete Amir grabs from the mai guard is not the same one he uses to attack him even though it all happens in a split second. But mis-steps aside, Nodash has delivered an important and timely film.
In 2006, five years after the 9/11 terrorist attack Paul Greengrass, best known for his Bourne movies released his critically acclaimed film United 93. While many praised it for its psychological depth and authenticity others panned it for coming out “too soon” after the tragedy.
With the insurgency raging in Nigeria’s North East with huge human and material costs one wonders when we shall begin to mine the devastation in our books and movies. Nodash has made a bold move with The Delivery Boy and love it or hate it, he has opened a very important conversation that we all need to have.

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Police kill abductors of former AIG Hakeem Odumosu’s wife, recover ransom

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1 week ago

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January 23, 2025

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Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force have killed the abductors of Folashade Odumosu, the wife of former Assistant Inspector General of Police, Hakeem Odumosu.

The Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, who disclosed this to Channels TV on Thursday morning, said the victim also regained her freedom on Wednesday.

The retired AIG’s wife was kidnapped last Thursday at the entrance of her residence in Arepo, Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State.

Society Reporters learned that the Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Lanre Ogunlowo, led the operation that rescued the retired AIG’s wife.

The kidnappers whisked the victim through a swampy area to an unknown destination after dragging her out of her SUV.

Giving an update on the matter, Adejobi said the operatives also recovered the ransom paid to the kidnappers as bait.

However, he refused to disclose the amount paid to the kidnappers or where exactly the victim was rescued.

 

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ENHANCING PUBLIC SAFETY AND SECURITY: THE HALO TRUST AND US GOVERNMENT PARTNER TO PROVIDE AMMUNITION HANDLING AND ACCOUNTING TRAINING AT IKEJA LAGOS.

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1 month ago

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December 22, 2024

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The Nigeria Police Force Explosive Ordnance Disposal – Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear (NPF EOD-CBRN) has successfully completed the first batch of training for 19 personnel on Ammunition Handling and Accounting Course. The training, held in Ikeja, Lagos, from December 3-20, 2024, was organized by The HALO Trust and sponsored by the United States Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs.

According to The HALO Trust’s Country Director for Nigeria, Prince Ganiyu Otunba, this training is part of aholistic NPF-HALO developed project aimed at supporting personnel capacity building, addressing equipment needs, and enhancing the operational readiness of the NPF EOD-CBRN Command to mitigate explosive ordnance threats in Nigeria. A second batch of 22 personnel is scheduled to undergo the same training in January.

The Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun PhD, NPM, through the CP EOD–CBRN CP Patrick Atayeroexpressed gratitude to the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs andThe Trust HALO for their support.

The training aimed to equip NPF EOD-CBRN personnel with the knowledge, skills, and best practices necessary to handle and account for ammunition and explosives safely and securely. The course also focused on ensuring proper accounting and record-keeping, preventing theft and diversion, reducing the risk of unplanned explosions at munitions sites, and promoting international best practices.

The NPF appreciates the support provided by the United States government, which will have a profoundly positive impact on the society.

CP Patrick Atayero emphasized the importance of responsible ammunition management in preventing the proliferation of illicit weapons and reducing the risk of unplanned explosions at munitions sites. He urged all stakeholders to collaborate with the Police in efforts to prevent the diversion, misuse, and unauthorized handling of explosive and other hazardous materials.

About HALO

The HALO Trust is the world’s largest humanitarian organization engaged in the field of Mine Action and weapons and ammunition management. With over 35 years’ experience, The HALO Trust is the most experienced organization in the field of Weapons and Ammunition Management, rehabilitating and constructing armouries and ammunition stores to international standards, disposing of unsafe and unserviceable weapons and ammunition, and building national capacity to allow for the safe, accountable and secure management and control of weapons and ammunition.

The HALO Trust presently implements Mine Action and weapons and ammunition management projects in 30 countries and territories. In 2024, HALO trained a total of 106 Nigeria security forces personnel in weapons and ammunition management.

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Aliu Gafar delivers stellar performance as Esusu in Femi Adebayo’s Seven Doors

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2 months ago

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December 13, 2024

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By Rtn. Victor Ojelabi

The much-anticipated movie series Seven Doors by Femi Adebayo has finally premiered, currently showing on Netflix, captivating audiences with its intricate storytelling and compelling characters.

The movie begins with a haunting scene of seven women under a mysterious spell leaping to their deaths from a waterfall, setting the tone for a gripping tale that unravels in Ilara Kingdom.

The series explores various societal issues, including corruption, greed, gluttony, family values, malicious conspiracies, and the delicate balance of law and order.

Central to its plot is the calamitous fate of Oba Adedunjoye, the Onilara of Ilara, whose failure to perform traditional rites—symbolised by knocking on seven doors—unleashes devastating consequences on his kingdom.

At the heart of this chaos is Esusu, a malevolent and exiled villain whose return wreaks havoc.

Esusu, a ni ohun t’Eledumare o ni.
Eledumare o ni ika, ika ni Esusu

The character of Esusu, pivotal to the story’s depth, is masterfully brought to life by Aliu Gafar.

Gafar’s first appearance, late in Episode 2, immediately shifts the narrative, introducing a chilling force that spares no one, not even the royal family. His commanding portrayal encapsulates the essence of Esusu, a man whose wickedness defies comprehension.

The backstory reveals Esusu’s sinister pact with Ọba Adejuwọn, an ancestor of Adedunjoye.

Desperation led Adejuwon to seek Esusu’s help to evade death—a move that came at an unthinkable cost, forgetting that bi alọ ba lọ, abọ nbọ (a pendulum that swings to is still coming to swing fro).

Esusu’s return demanded not only royal treatment but the freedom to live as he pleased, challenging the very fabric of the kingdom.

Gafar embodies this complex character with remarkable precision, delivering a performance that is both chilling and unforgettable.

With almost two decades in Nollywood, Aliu Gafar has solidified his reputation as a versatile and dedicated actor.

His extensive filmography includes acclaimed productions such as Jagun Jagun, Anikulapo, Iyalode, Eefin, and Omo Ajele.

His role in Seven Doors further cements his legacy as a master of his craft, showcasing his ability to seamlessly portray multifaceted characters.

The Yoruba actor has also garnered accolades for his work, including the Best Actor award at the Dallas International Yoruba Movies Awards for his role in Peregun.

His commitment to the industry and his talent for captivating performances continue to make him a force to be reckoned with in Nollywood.

In Seven Doors, Gafar’s nuanced performance as Esusu elevates the series, demonstrating his ability to command attention and bring depth to a complex narrative.

His contribution to the Nigerian film industry remains invaluable, and his portrayal of Esusu is a testament to his enduring excellence.

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