JAGUNJAGUN… a biblical allusion to Saul and David…
(Run away from any ‘mentor’ who is not happy with your growth)
By
OREOFE WILLIAMS PhD
There are so many Gbotijas whose growing success continues to intimidate their mentors and some won’t be as fortunate as the resilient Gbotija. Saul was so intimidated that he wanted David dead at all cost!
A brilliant and successful attack on the ‘norm’, JAGUNJAGUN has the ‘content’ that knows the right form: Tragedy. Fitting into the Aristotelean definition of this genre, the film is a ‘spell’; a sweet one we desire to have again and again especially when the legendary Chatta engages Yinka Quadri at denouement. Don’t neglect the director; the cameo appearances of established actors are splendid: Odunlade Adekola and Ijebu are deliberate departures from old techniques as their characters are made to appear and die. Yes! A superstar can feature and disappear. It’s called cameo.
Femi Adebayo has taught me a big message again: ‘AVOID AS MUCH AS YOU CAN ANY SO CALLED MENTOR OR FATHER WHO HAS NO CONTRIBUTIONS TO YOUR GROWTH AND CAN DO ANYTHING TO DESTROY YOU EVEN WITH THE TONGUE.
You are also to avoid people with the ‘divide and rule’ mentality. They engage these tactics when they observe how close you are to anyone around them.
I celebrate the great Femi Adebayo. This film wasn’t done to impress but to express. Lateef Adedimeji sliced his own role to pieces as usual. We must celebrate the Legend of legends himself and the postmodern baba of Modern Nigerian Drama, Alagba Adebayo Salami. Fulfillment is when you see your fruits, either in biology or in destiny, produce big trees and greater fulfillment is when you happily sit to participate.
Is it a perfect work? No work of literature scores 100 percent. But once you hit 70, it’s an ‘A’.
One more advice: Whoever thought of bringing in Ibrahim Chatta is smarter than Elon Musk and should joyfully report himself to the EFCC 😂😂😂.
*OREOFE WILLIAMS is a faith-based actor and filmmaker with a PhD in Film Studies and Media Communication. He is also the founder of a multi-million naira Film Village in Ibadan, Nigeria which he began establishing on hectares of land in 2009*
