Ije: The Journey to Discovery

By Joy Isi Bewaji

There were a couple of reasons why I went to the movies last week Saturday – I was bored, I wanted some popcorn, I craved for some dark-corner privacy that could help me forget whatever work schedules I had to face the coming week, and yes, I had the most charming man around asking me out for a date!

So truthfully, I stumbled on Ije. I had seen the preview once or twice (just like I had seen Through the Glass and didn’t bother. But just like Guilty Pleasures, there was a pull…I mean, here is Omotola Jalade-Ekehinde and Geneveive Nnaji, how wouldn’t there be a pull? I wasn’t going to give that up to watch Toy shop, was I?)

Ije breaks into our fears, our dreams, our hopes and manages to make music of our nightmares – a heart-rending hum. A traumatized Anya (Omotola Ekehinde), a concerned sister – Chioma (Genevieve Nnaji), and a decent lawyer, Jalen make the recipe for this movie. Ije is the story of a sister’s love, but most importantly it reveals the repressed voice of many women across Africa.

Anya is awaiting trial for triple murder – three men, including her husband, a record-producer, are lying still and cold in her matrimonial mansion. Someone pulled the trigger; but Anya swears she only killed the other two men. Her husband was already dead after a shot from one of the men which stirred her to act. Of course, no one believes her; not when you are a black woman from Nigeria seeking the golden fleece of America in the bosom of a white pot-bellied music producer. There’s always the clinch – it’s the money, and nothing else.

But Chioma believes her sister must be saying the truth. So she leaves home country Nigeria, to America to find a way of helping her sister out of the claws of the law that is ready to tear her apart.

Chioma arrives the US, after the typical ‘harassment’ witnessed at the airport; something many travellers from third world countries can attest to; she manages to settle in a hotel which comes at a more expensive rate than was stated on the website. The hustle happens to be everywhere, apparently!

She meets with her sister the next day, and the story unfurls with the cold-blooded Patricia Barone (Anna Carey) who is all for plea-bargain. She is the story of many high-flying lawyers in America who become apathetic to the system that ironically demands not only their expertise but ethics. The movie builds up to the trial, the prosecuting lawyer in his expensive suits try to make Jalen feel like butter as he reminds his colleague (Jalen) just how unsuccessful his career has been lately after losing a high profile criminal case.

Chioma pays a couple of visits to Anya’s residence, and pops in to see the neighbours after sighting their (neighbour) daughter in her sister’s premises. There are obvious clues and secrets that are begging for answers – the pendant Chioma finds on the floor, and as the story develops we are aware there’s something Anya isn’t saying…

Ije brings a smile, many giggles, roaring laughter, many nods, and a tear to my eyes. Omotola shines through in this movie. She is angry, ashamed, bitter, and afraid, and you see it…you feel it.

Genevieve Nnaji has over the past ten years consciously built a name for herself. First it seemed like self-destruct, ignoring and refusing to partake in the chaos encircling Nollywood after being ‘made’ by the same industry, but the young lady had a purpose after all, and it’s clear for all to see now. Genevieve has become not only a sterling actor, but a brand, staying atop her game as one of the very best export of a nation. She was the soul of the movie. Along with Omotola, their emotions were genuine, and their delivery was impressive.

Although there was a large dose of predictability, it was well embroidered in between good acting. Of course, we knew Jalen and Chioma would have a ‘thing’ the minute we saw them in that elevator, didn’t we? We knew the little-white-girl would uncover a major help in the ‘investigation’. We knew ultimately that Anya would be vindicated – one way or another. But what we were not too sure of was what really happened that night in Anya’s matrimonial mansion.

The hopelessness of the female gender stares at us blankly everyday; Ije expounds on it successfully but not thoroughly. However the case maybe, it was a beautiful movie. I like the genuine plot and setting. It was crisp, and humour (a good ingredient for cinema) was not lacking.

Flashbacks of Anya and Chioma’s days in the village were extremely amazing and hilarious. The young girls cracked me up the most!

I think I wiped a tear when young Anya, who was on the hills plaiting her sister’s hair and singing an Ibo chorus which required Chioma to respond ‘obodo’, stopped to share her dream of the life she wished to have. It was her passion that amazed me. She was young, living in the village. It took a lot for a child to see beyond her present circumstance; it was clear valour, in my opinion.

Although I got hot dog instead of my earlier desire for popcorn, I left the theatre quite fulfilled.

As it stands, Chineze Anyaene has set the pace for a new beginning in Nigerian movies.

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Tags: Chineze Anyaene, genevieve nnaji, Ije, omotola jalade ekeinde