Before we start, I need to inform you that I am in tears as I write this review. because… wow?????? The most heart wrenching part is that this is the reality of so many people out there. Like why??? I’ve never seen such stories told with intricacy. It’s so deep it leaves me morose.
Anddddd I think it’s only fair to inform you that this would be a long ride. So sit back, grab your popcorn, and get ready for another engaging review. grins**
This story is about a gutsy young lady who takes up a quest to unravel the faces of sexual offenders on all echelons of the society and bring them to face justice. She does this by infiltrating their system as an undercover prostitute. Although she blends in so well, she doesn’t fail to attract the suspicion of a dreadful pimp. Throughout her undercover experience, she makes notes, runs research, and gives feedback to her journaling company. This goes on for a while until she gets into an unfortunate situation and this changes the narrative for her. From that point, we see a different part of her emerge. She takes the wheels of the mission and dauntlessly follows it through until it leads her to a point of no return.
Oloture is a journalist who works for The Scoop, a Nigerian journaling company. Her and a colleague Emeka are making a story that would reveal the big names behind sexual exploitation and trafficking in their city—Lagos. Emeka works behind the scenes but Oloture takes up the name Ehi and goes undercover to help crack the case. While in the brothel, she avoids sleeping with any sexual client, we even see her escape through a window when a man chooses her as his company for the night. She is really smart and maneuvers her way out of literally any situation.
In the brothel, she becomes friends with Linda who is from Benin City. Linda informs her of a certain woman who takes girls in search for “greener pastures” abroad—human trafficking. She also informs Ehi that she has been saving up with this woman for both her and her 17 year old sister who is still a virgin, to travel abroad to advance their chances of getting good money out of prostitution. And once the money is complete, they’ll be leaving for Europe. Ehi, begs Linda to help her link up to this woman and Linda tells her to be patient but Ehi follows Linda and stalks this woman whom we would find out is named Alero. She gets caught but she smartly maneuvers her way out again. She tells aunty Alero that she really wants to go to Europe that is why she followed Linda and after the scene gets resolved, she has to apologise to the now very angry Linda.
Fast forward a little to after Linda forgives her and tells her there is a party and aunty Alero specifically invited her. She gets excited and sees this as an opportunity to have a breakthrough in the case but unfortunately, she becomes a victim of circumstance as she gets drugged and brutally raped by one of the big dawgs of the society.
This man, Sir Philips Undaje apparently drugs and rapes ladies for fun. Being a smart lady Ehi could tell he had such intentions. She “accidentally” pours his drink, tries to think of an excuse to run away but she unfortunately shoots herself on the leg when she complains of ache. He offers her some pills. We could see her hesitate but eventually she decides to risk it and takes the drug and the rest becomes a sad history. After the party Sir Philips seems satisfied, like a predator who caught an usually succulent prey
But you know, the most bothersome thing is the apparent disconnect in emotions of these people. Aunty Alero sees Ehi in such a terrible state and she definitely knows what has happened but she seemed unfazed. Like it was nothing?? Then Sir Philips is seen having a normal conversation with his colleagues while a girl he just raped is being helped down the staircase. I mean how heartless can you be?!!!
That experience makes Ehi even more determined. At this point it’s like, “I’m not going back anymore, if I perish I perish.” She resolves to travel to Europe. Pays aunty Alero for the trip and meets with Emeka one last time to hand him her reports so far. The next day, they set out on their journey to Europe. And it isn’t until almost 24 hours later that Emeka would realise what has happened to Ehi and what she is up to. All efforts to get to Ehi before they actually leave for Europe prove futile, especially as the realisation sets in late.
Meanwhile, Linda now knows that Ehi snuck in a phone and begs her to use it to call her mum. Ehi is hesitant but gives her eventually. You see, my own in this particular issue now is that in this life, when your village people are ready for you it is over for you. Immediately Ehi agreed I knew their cover would blow. I knew Linda wouldn’t be discreet enough. Anddddd honestly????? I got so vexed. Because!!! Why on earth would you want to risk it???? If you didn’t see a phone you wouldn’t know you’ll call ba??? She knew how forbidden it was yet she took it??? Why???? See ehn. I don’t know if it’s just me but I don’t like trouble. Yes, I’ll miss my mum and having my younger sister on board would make it more tempting to communicate with her, especially as I had no idea our phones would be seized and didn’t make any calls that prepared my mum for such a time… BUT onGod! I would not risk it. It was just too dangerous a path to take. However, I didn’t see her death coming. Her being beheaded took me by surprise, and, man! I cried. I imagined the hysteria her sister has now been flung into—watching your older sister get beheaded. Man! that image would haunt her for life!! I imagined the guilt Ehi would now have to deal with for the rest of her life, especially because it was the undercover text messages found on her phone that primarily led to Linda’s death. I imagined the chills that would be sent down the spines of everyone present there, even Alreo! All I could say was omoooooo anddd cry. Lol.
After that horrifying spectacle, Ehi and Linda’s sister –Beauty are resolute on escaping and on the day of their final departure, at the border between Benin Republic and Nigeria, they make an attempt to escape and unfortunately only Beauty makes it out. Ehi gets recaptured and thanks to, no, scratch that, big thanks to the never disappointing immigration officers(actually, make that our armed forces generally), who never fail to misplace their priority — fgs!!! why would you be bothered more about how he’s parked and him not “obeying” you!!!!?? How incompetent!!! Is your primary responsibly to command obedience???????? If they had at least attempted to listen to him, they would have saved all those girls. But I mean how would they even attempt to when they are on the traffickers payroll. SMH. When Ehi gets recaptured, my heart literally breaks. I figured it’s now all shades of her own don finish.
Characters
On this particular movie project, I say with my full chest that every character role and inherent actor is a hit from back to back, I stan, restan, and overstan. No, on a really serious note, everyone executed their characters so well and I would make a list of the characters but I still have other pertinent subject matters to discuss so let me give you the privilege of finding out yourself. **smiles**
This movie explores so many themes. Most of which revolve around the reality of sex workers and the dreadful hierarchies in their industry. There are however a few things that I would love to talk on.
First is the complacency of the police on rescuing the girls. According to them, Emeka reported the issue late and it took a while to verify a few things and all that but when they got to this reported location and found only one dead body, competence demands that they act promptly to rescue the rest. I expected them to put a call through to the immigration office, have them pin down or delay their movement until they get there. They could have joined forces with other defence forces but no, they didn’t. If it was they who were proactive and went to the border, they could have rescued those girls, especially if they collaborated with the immigration officers but no, all they could do was tell Emeka it was too late and they found a body at the poolside and they hope it’s not his colleague’s. Imagine???
Another thing is the unpreparedness of Ehi’s company. I expect a journaling house having one of it’s staff investigating such a delicate issue to do so on par with the police. Their boss or whoever is in charge could have at least informed the police, orrrrrr, since they seem to have existed for a while, they are supposed to have a back up security ally. I understand Ehi didn’t inform them about her movements and Emeka kept his discovering a secret from his boss, but I believe if they had such a set up, that would be his first option to run o. Apparently they just put someone out there without any safety measures, to say the least. That is incompetence on their part too, if I must add.
The fact that corruption has crippled the defence and justice system is another thing I want to add. Did you notice that when they got to the border, all immigration officers even hailed them? Like they are business partners. Even the street boys there seemed to be their fans. The so called defence officers allowed a trafficker to jump the queue. It’s no news that the people that are supposed to protect are the ones hurting us. Also, did you really think if they were able to crack the case Sir Philips and the other big names behind these acts would be punished? Remember what chucks said, ” anything way big man do personz you suppose just take am as expe
Finally, I have a question. Please what exactly was Oloture’s plan? You know how you watch a movie and you see the protagonist do some really dangerous stuff and you’re not scared because you are sure they have a plan and they would still get rescued??? As oer actor no dey die for film. I was so sure Ehi would be rescued but she didn’t lay a framework for such. Why exactly did she actually get on that bus??? Why exactly did she go that far? I understand she expected her office to come through for her, but why would you be so careless as to not have a back up plan???? Honestly, when I saw them cross the border, I wished she never even went in the first place.
The most saddening thing of all is that this story is the reality of so many people all around the globe.
Thank you so much for staying with me till the end. I know this was a long read but I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Don’t forget to like, comment your thoughts and share this post. Also, let me know if I missed something you would love for me to talk about, thank you. And until the next time, stay jiggy.
