‘ABEJOYE’ Movie Review by Anastasia Ruth

 

 

Most recently; considering that I am an eager viewer of the Mount Zion movies, I took it upon myself to review one or two of their most recent movies- “Gbemi” and “Shackles”. Both of which I believe were much more than a motion picture for regular viewing. They are movies which I see as not just a film you go to the cinema, view and forget what story they had to teach; for both these movies, delved into the single and married lives of many individuals (believers and non-believers).     

 

 

For instance, the movie “Shackles”, didn’t just teach couples the waiting game but also taught them the power of forgiveness and prayer when things go amiss, it taught a lot of viewers’ diverse things as I saw even on the comment session on Damilola Mike Bamiloye’s Youtube channel that many have been moved to act upon the word of God, rather than their anxious feeling. “Gbemi”, on the other hand which displayed a bit of the modern day romantic side of Christians, was a movie that taught viewers about Christian dating, it taught a bit about what it entailed to becoming a minister’s wife and even what happens when people jump into relationships and had not gotten God’s approval. Both powerful movies were awe-inspiring enough to me to write a review.   

 

  Abejoye Review  

 

Moving on from old reviews; I did notice some mishaps in the movie “Abejoye”. It may be argued that this article should have been written from the first season of Abejoye or that it should be written after the final season, but this write up could help the team for other seasons and even for other movies.    

 

 Abejoye which was first released last year February can be viewed on Damilola Mike-Bamiloye’s Youtube channel before it raptures as Joshua said. The seasonal movie which is a continuous piece from its first season would be appreciated by any viewer if he or she views from the first season, so do yourself some good to view it now and to also follow Damilola Mike Bamiloye, so you do not miss out on any other Mount Zion movie.     Abejoye is a lovely story set in Nigeria and in the USA. It is about an aged king maker and his modern family living abroad. It is an awesome tale that helps us understand the essence of traditionalism and language to the aged and the modification of modernity to the young religious and spiritual individuals. Abejoye is played by Daddy Mike Bamiloye, his daughter in-law is Mummy Gloria Mike Bamiloye.   

 

 

Baba Abejoye is the King maker comes to visit his son in the US. Baba the traditionalist comes along with his traditions; he speaks fluent Yoruba and is accustomed like many aged people to eat some certain foods. His daughter in-law is a Christian, she serves in church and is believed to be a staunch praying mantis as seen in the movie. Both of this clashing characters should begin to paint a picture of what happens in the movie. Baba’s son, Brother Dele, is an elder in the church but like many un-watchful Christians, he is trapped in the case of Adultery. However because he is caught in the middle, he seeks to bring peace to the home but fails to do this because of the hold of sin in his life.   

 

 

The daughter in-law and her son who have dreams prior to Baba’s arrival about things going wrong misuse their authority in Christ along the scenes of the movie; thankfully though, Baba at the first season of the movie meets a higher power through the pastor who teaches him that traditions and his perverse beliefs have no concrete power when the name of Jesus is mentioned. So notwithstanding, his communication with his other traditionalists in Nigeria through diabolic means and having battles with them because he is in custody of the gourd of priesthood- an item which becomes the battle for him and his family, Baba comes to be the hero of the spirit filled family after surrendering his life to Christ (just like God using Kanye West to draw millions to him). Baba saves his son’ marriage which unknown to the Christian wife was about to hit the rocks. He tells his grandchildren folklore adapting the bible stories he learns during his private bible studies with the pastor and so on. 

 

 

Abejoye’s character who is played by Daddy Mike Bamiloye paints the flawless love of a grandpa to his children. His longing for their presence as a grandparent who becomes young again when they are surrounded by their grandchildren was well depicted. His fight for them when attacks begin despite their mother’s condescending display depicts his ageing empathy about life’s issues. His idea of forgiveness and mercy as an elder and as a new soul in Christ makes the movie emotionally interesting.  

 

  Criticism 

 

 Yes I know by now that none like the Mount Zion team does good movies that inspires and reinstates one to their sanity. However, haven’t you heard that even the best of them, has some flops? Don’t you think the Mount Zion team made a lot of mistakes to get to where they are?  Season 1  You may ask what then is wrong with such a plot that I would find a fault and complain about the movie or its scenes. Actually nothing and as earlier said it is a lovely story but when it comes to production, not every part of a movie is always breathtaking. Great directors and producers still make mistakes. Wrong characters sometimes play in roles others could have done better.     

 

In season 1 for instance, sister Dedun did not wait to be told by someone else that Bro Dele’s dad was coming to the USA, but she spoke about it to sister Laide and for this I say, sister Dedun, you were lucky sister Laide did not ask you how you know Brother Dele’s dad was coming to the USA because we were never told pastor announced it in church, or did he? Also, the scene of Abejoye with Oluoje and Iya Akesan- Iya Akesan’s hand rubbing her nose (51:46) in my opinion could have been edited. Once seems like a mistake that could have been taken out. Furthermore, Gboyega’s visit to grandapa’s room in the morning after his dream (1:06:01) was rather meek especially since he is the grandchild that was under attack. But then, how come Gboyega did not even say “Good Morning”?  His mother Laide in all her harshness remembered to greet Baba, his father also who corrected Baba the night before greeted him as a sign of respect, so Gboyega what happened?. Was it a mistake or did the shirt Brother Dele wear in (1:19:53) not seem as if he didn’t wear a pajama to bed? But then since in (1:22:00) it still looks like he’s wearing a polo shirt to bed, maybe it was on purpose after all. When baba Abejoye gave his life to Christ, what happened to his local instruments? Or did I miss out on it being burnt or thrown away? After surrendering to Christ, should Baba not want the gourd away from him?     

 

 

This season had innocent funny scenes; I am glad that the king was corrected when he was seeking for Oluoje to be healed when in fact he wasn’t mounted as king by Oluoje but by Abejoye. (S2:1 18:46). Again, sister Dedun’s repetitive tale of her pregnancy to Brother Dele made her forget she had told him she wanted to contact him of her pregnancy a week ago as she said just some few seconds into their discussion that she found out of the pregnancy four days ago- did this mean she was already lying to Brother Dele or did she miss the script story to say she found out a week ago but wanted to get in touch with him four days ago? (S2 1 27:35- 28:34).  Awesome season really, great visuals the masquerade’s entrance was like wow! Thank God Mount Zion has a school to teach many on things as this because Nollywood has a lot to learn.  Diwura’s greeting of grandpa (Abejoye) shows the mistake portrayed by Gboyega when he had a dream and came to tell grandpa of it but didn’t say a greeting. But Diwura’s mistake of greeting grandpa good evening and Gboyega greeting his dad who just came in goof afternoon can predict to us the time the scenes were shot. If you were confused here, don’t be scenes aren’t shot simultaneously and this brings me to my wish in the movie shots.  Gladly the devil loses, the masquerade sent to Abejoye that got to Brother Dele, is sent back to sender but then the final scenes of that season 2 allows everything to be won in the USA; Brother Dele is delivered, sister Dedun’s marriage is restored and so forth, before we are taken back to Nigeria and the bad scenes begin of return to sender. Of course by now because of the beauty of the movie, the audience is not interested in the village part where the masquerade returns for judgment and yes, it’s not cost effective or efficient to shoot a film in order. So some scenes are done like that as some production decisions are made not with ease in mind but rather with art and probably this was the reason.   

 

 Amazing editing though; production lightening and awesome sound tracks and of cause great casting  Can’t wait for the next season  Daddy Mike Bamiloye may God continually enrich you with ideas worth saving lives. 

 

    My Opinion

 

In my view, with great interest to this movie; Abejoye should become a series that viewers can look up to every week and not just a movie with three seasons, for it had a character with a lifestyle which isn’t farfetched today in Nigeria/ Africa.  If modernism can get to the shrine, Abejoye can change his home town; and for this singular reason I suggest that Abejoye should not come to an end. Abejoye which was awesomely portrayed fixes the silver lining between the orthodox of the aged and the modern revelation of Christianity to ancient and modern believers. The character who goes from believing in ancient powers to Jesus as our redeemer shows that when and if traditionalism is to be done away with, only the aged who passed it on or wants to pass it on can withstand it easily because of their understanding of it and they are capable of teaching the modernists who do not to follow traditionalism but Christ, that the follower ship of Christ is wisdom and relationship.  

 

Baba’s change like many Christians who receive Christ brought instant forgiveness. He forgave those who offended him and thought on the wrong he had done, seeking for forgiveness from God. Season 1 part 2 (29:10). This part most importantly sums up why I suggest that Abejoye could be a TV series. Baba reminiscing on his bad deeds could mean he seeks to correct them subsequently. Also it is noted that Baba will not be in the USA for not more than four months, so could it not be that the King maker who has surrendered his life to Christ, takes Christ back to his. 

 

 

 If you have never viewed any Mount Zion movie by now, let me start by asking you what planet you are on? They just became the most downloaded app in Africa.