The movie Ajaga (The Yoke) beams a dramatic searchlight on the increasing incidents of domestic and s3xual violence in Nigeria, with particular emphasis on churches.
THE anonymous quote, “The saddest thing about betrayal is that it never comes from your enemies; it comes from those you trust the most,” captures the essence of the movie, ‘Ajaga: The Yoke’.
Set to start screening in cinemas nationwide and in Ghana from September 6, the slickly produced faith-based movie features some of Nigeria’s best artists, including Femi Jacobs, Tope Olowoniyan, Carol King, Jaiye Kuti, Tomiwa Sage, Lola Smart, Tory Thompson, Francis Onwochei and Adenike Odubawo who doubles as the producer.
The film, shot on location in Lekki, Lagos, is not the usual Nollywood fare. It lifts the veil on the truths hidden beneath the surface of modern-day leadership. It highlights the ingrained manipulation, abuse and exploitation in the house of God.
Crucially, the Remi Ibinola-directed movie comments on the increasing cases of child abuse in Nigeria and how some advocates of sainthood exploit women and children for their gain. The United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) states that six out of every 10 children experience some form of violence – one in four girls and 10 per cent of boys have been victims of sexual violence. Of the children who reported violence, fewer than five out of 100 received any form of support. That is alarming and needs attention.
Remarkably, ‘Ajaga’ does this through its unflinching narrative about Pastor David (Femi Jacobs) and Bolusefe (Odubawo), founders of the True Heart Christian Assembly who had fertility issues. Despite their best efforts and prayers, the couple are unable to conceive. They resort to adoption, bringing two young girls into their home. At the same time, Bolusefe continues her job as a leading lawyer against domestic and sexual violence.
She is a successful prosecutor who gets justice for victims, including successfully prosecuting the son of a top government official who raped a lady. But unknown to her, trouble capable of destroying her home was brewing. The tempest and its effects are a cornerstone of the movie that viewers will find exciting. Unlike some other films, there’s no resolving the conflict with deux machina. The resolution is logical and neat. What’s more, ‘Ajaga: the Yoke’ advocates questioning the status quo and demanding accountability from power holders, including pastors/imams that most Nigerians revere.
During an interaction after last week’s media screening in Lagos, producer/ lead actress Adenike Odubawo gave further insights into her motivations for the movie.
“’Ajaga’” is much more than a film for me. It is a story that echoes the struggles of the women behind men of God. It’s a very relatable story because it’s not the first time globally that we’ve heard about our religious leaders, regardless of faith. Whenever I see an expose about pastors, I tell myself that I would give everything to be a fly on the wall of their house. I want to see the home, what it looks like, and how the woman takes it because we don’t hear her side of the story. Is she ok with her husband? Is she happy with the details? Is she taking his side? Is she on the side of the victims? That is why I decided to answer it by writing the story. And I decided that it was not going to be a redemption story.
She also spoke about the filming experience, noting that “it was an Ajaga [burden] in the sense of everything. There was a day we were filming the church scenes, and a fire started. I asked how we would pay if we burned this building. It was tough.”
On the challenges of being the producer and lead actor, Odubawo said, “It was tough because the story is quite delicate, and we filmed on a huge scale. It’s a big project. Handling that and switching to become a lead character was very tasking, but all thanks to my director, who gave me a soft landing. She always cued me in, telling me to switch from being a producer to an actor. It was seamless.”
Director Remi Ibinola was thankful for the opportunity to helm the movie, disclosing that she initially assumed Odubawo was toying with her. “She approached me and said I have a script that I want you to direct. I tried to move her away because I felt she was one of the people who came to waste my time, but it turned out that she was earnest. She wanted me to direct because she felt that a woman’s perspective would be better, and I’m happy with the outcome.”
Supervising producer Adeyemi Olanrewaju also weighed in on the theme, explaining further the focus on abuse victims, who are primarily female. “Women are the most affected by domestic violence and sexual abuse. Most of the time, the perpetrators walk around as if nothing has happened. Some men also make excuses for theperpetrators. We must see the issue from the angle of the affected woman, the pains and all that she goes through. We felt telling the story was good, especially when most victims are usually cowed because the perpetrators are either leaders or well-placed persons who feel they are untouchable. We felt we needed to tell a story that all can relate to, especially concerning clerics that most people enable. People love clerics; they revere them and believe that they are infallible, but we are human first before men/women of God.”
Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, head of the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency, which recorded 6,389 cases of sexual and gender-based violence in 2023, resoundingly endorsed the movie. Vivour-Adeniyi, represented by Joke LadeneganOgini, said it would aid the agency in its work as it would make more people aware of what constitutes sexual and gender-based violence and how to handle it, including reporting to the authorities.
“If you do the crime, you will do the term. That is how we operate at the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency. We would be very grateful if we had more awareness from the media and the actors’ guild and they bring out a film like this. We get reports of sexual abuse from everywhere: from men, the old, and young. If you see anyone abusing anyone, please call us; we will support you. Our support is holistic.”
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