Retro Nolly: Andy Amenechi’s Igodo is Close to Reality

In Old Nollywood titles like Igodo, the the cultural and metaphysical worldview espoused in the film, and the closeness of the characters to everyday people, suspension of disbelief is easily gained

Retro Nolly is a weekly series of retrospective reviews of classic Nollywood films by Seyi Lasisi. We will be looking at these films with modern eyes, dissecting what made them unique and how they speak to today’s filmmaking, culture and society.

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You are reading this review because weeks ago I made an, at first, unexplainable decision to start watching and writing a weekly retrospective review of Old Nollywood films. This decision,  which In Nollywood graciously gave a better identity, has resulted in two reviews. A review of Tunde Kelani’s Saworoide where I make a case for the film’s political tone and how though made decades past, it still articulates the economic and political situation of not just Nigeria but Africa. The second is this review of Andy Amenechi’s Egg of Life in which I interpreted how seven maidens made a patriotic decision to save their community from seeping into turmoil by bravely going to the evil forest in search of answers. 

This week, I'm writing about Igodo, another Amenechi film that he directed in 1999, three years before making Egg of Life. There is an acute and precise similarity between the film and Egg of Life. I will interrogate that later. 

For now, let's pay attention to Igodo. Co-written by Kabat Esosa Egbon and Don Pedro Obaseki, the film’s plot pays close attention to the story of a village experiencing multiple mysterious deaths. To remedy the situation, the King requests the advice of the chief priest. Consultation proves futile: it’s only when the titular Igodo, whom we will come to know, is found that the tragic situation will be remedied. Using extended flashbacks and narrative voiceover, Igodo, now an old and fragile man, narrates his story and details how it aligns with the current tragedy befalling the land. Decades prior, a young child, Iheukwumere, dedicated to Amadioha and destined to be king, was almost murdered by jealous adults.  

Co-directed by Amenechi and  Obaseki, this adventure, horror-esque film sees how human vices such as greed and jealousy can lead to the unjustifiable killing of the innocent and result in turmoil in a kingdom or country. By casting vengeance on the village, the film indicates that, although metaphysical forces are selective in their participation in human activities, they still have an interest in it.  

To salvage the situation, seven men are selected to go into the evil forest to retrieve a magical knife potent with the charm to end the mysterious deaths. Here lies the kinship between Igodo and Egg of Life; watching the former, a question keeps coming to mind: Is Egg of Life a female representation of Igodo?

Following the same guidance and motive — don't believe what you see in the forest,  secure the knife or egg that will heal the land, and return alive to the loving embrace of their loved ones — these seven maidens in Egg of Life and men in Igodo bravely sacrifice their life to restore normalcy to their lands. However, unlike the maidens in Egg of Life, these chosen men in Igodo notably have occupations — hunter, soldier, wrestler, climber,  drummer, flutist and farmer — and were initially reluctant. A large part of both films is set in the forest with an occasional switch back to the village. We watch these seven men circle the evil forest,  share personal anecdotes, face their inner fears while fighting metaphysical forces, and search for the knife that will salvage the situation at home. This encounter with metaphysical forces shows that even as humans, we can wrestle the gods to a mortal battle. 

Without relying on aesthetics, the film is close to real life. Though noticeable defects adorn the film,  the closeness to Nigerian metaphysical reality is a strong point of the film. For filmmakers in this era, who mostly lack technical know-how and sophisticated filmmaking equipment, their film’s subject matter haunts audiences. This goes to show that, while filmmaking equipment is important and aids the production value of a film, what makes a film is the story. At its core, the story is the primary and utmost priority. Old Nollywood filmmakers paid attention to the craft of storytelling and the society they serve. Now, there is a subtle yet noticeable departure of Nollywood as a film industry from Nigerian reality. The characters, in recent films, though bearing Nigerian names and speaking traditional languages are often distant from being truly Nigerian.  There is an infiltration of Hollywood-esque filmmaking and identity in recent films. 

Another strong aspect of Old Nollywood films like Igodo is the dialogue. Even when the characters speak English,  the dialogue is written and spoken in a way that reflects the cosmological and cultural worldview of the people. “Death spread its wings like an eagle in the land”, “The ear that refuses wise council should be cut off,” “Goats don't frolic where lions are gathered”, “The secrets of the chameleon is only known by the gods,” are poetry-incline dialogue from Igodo. 

Supposedly grounded in Nigerian realities, New Nollywood films don't often suspend the disbelief of the audience. In Old Nollywood titles like Igodo, the the cultural and metaphysical worldview espoused in the film, and the closeness of the characters to everyday people, suspension of disbelief is easily gained. While jarring plot narrative and unconvincing acting may exist, as an audience you believe what they see. From the first opening shot to the closing note, the audience's mind keenly follows this “real-life” story. A watching experience that is often lacking when one watches New Nollywood films. While the audience can continually play detective, due to the distance these films are from their daily reality, the film’s potency to be traumatic, dramatic, and gripping is never in sight. The film often fails to grip the audience's attention. 

Similar to Egg of Life, what makes this film a worthwhile watch despite subtle plot holes, is the writing of the story, the cultural and metaphysical worldview espoused in the film, and the cast’s performance which boasts of actors attuned to the demands of their different roles.