‘Ayinla’ movie review: X-raying Aristotle’s poetics in the life of the Apala connoisseur

Prominent Nigerian filmmaker, Tunde Kelani, has once again proven his theatrical rendition in ‘Ayinla’ as he has done in his previously directed groundbreaking movies. After about six years of interregnum from movie production, Kelani chronicled the life of Apala music maestro, Ayinla Yusuf with the stage name “Ayinla Omowura” aka “Anigilaje”.

The choice of Lateef Adedimeji playing the lead role of Ayinla in the movie grows the love of the audience for the celebrated actor. His articulation of Egba dialect despite not being from  the country home of Ayinla is another peck on the hearts of his aficionados. In fact, Adedimeji went completely out of himself to wear the skin of the character by studying his movement, reactions to issues and horn-mad behaviour that particularly led to his end.

In the eponymous non-biographic movie, Kelani depicted the major elements of Aristotle’s six concepts of tragedy, portraying the chief character as a consistent personality whose expression is true to life and yet more ennobled. His thought and diction are appropriate to the plot and his identity.

The architectural designs of the houses, costumes represent the late 80’s and the cars used, especially those ones that belong to Ayinla reflects Abeokuta, the location of the shot and depict the Apala songster as a wealthy and well-meaning Egba man loved by his people and other lovers of his genre of music.

Ayinla as a movie blends complex plots that have both “reversal of intention” (peripeteia) and “recognition” (anagnorisis) connected with the catastrophe. Aristotle’s explanation that a peripeteia occurs when a character produces an effect opposite to that which he intended to produce clearly illustrates the scene that Ayinla thought about the privilege of having two cars( Mercedes and Peugeot) including a motorbike that he’s willing to gift to Bayowa and his gigantic house in Itoko, while an anagnorisis on the other hand which is a change from ignorance to knowledge, producing love or hate between the persons destined for good or bad fortune was exemplified when Ayinla heard that Bayowa is in the tavern. For him, it was the best time to settle rift with his long time friend, but his affluence made him appear authoritative even when he wants only peace; these combined plots further formulated a cause-and-effect chain that generates to the catastrophe, leading to the final “scene of suffering”.

Ayinla, the protagonist mistakenly brought about his own downfall— not because he is sinful or morally weak, but because he does not know enough. Stopping in the tavern to iron out issues with his estranged manager was unwarranted.

The climax of the play begins at the first sight of one of Bayowa’s (Debo Adebayo aka Mr Macaroni) girlfriends who he claimed to be his cousin before Ayinla at the rehearsal ground. Her magnificence caught Ayinla’s,—who’s naturally polygamous and as a star that he is— attention. And he was loved by the lady too. This then led to the misunderstanding between the two primarily when Ayinla mentioned that she will be coming with them to London as facilitated by Ajala (Kunle Afolayan), a traveller and influencer who felt a special knack for Ayinla’s talent and is willing to promote him beyond the shores of the country. It further grew when Ayinla stood his ground that the lady in question must go with him and that there’s nothing anybody can do about it. This led to Bayowa leaving Ayinla and his group.

Additionally, Kelani’s use of metaphor shows Adedimeji’s theatrical talent as he uses this to imply an eye for resemblances into the personality of Anigilaje. In the movie, Adedimeji answered the journalist who asked him a question about his rumoured kidnap with a synthesized blend of Ayinla Omowura’s “Eni to be to ibi Simi ibi Aba ooo, Iya yin ni won ma jigbe” (Whoever thinks evil for me will be faced with the same evil, it is your mothers that will be kidnapped as you’ve wished). This supports Ayinla’s hatred for journalists because he sees them as mere interlopers. Not even Jaye (Adejoke Laoye) attached to him did he grant interview before his demise. The metaphoric patterns of the play and use of dramatic irony support the plot. As many characters use the word eye as metaphor and sometimes as dramatic irony. It reveals the action, themes, and characters of the play. Ayinla’s songs and stage performances contribute to the unity of the plot, and his melody strengthens an insight that cannot be communicated by Ayinla in the play. The chorus moves along the story by announcing the arrival of characters and answering questions that help the plot progress helping the audience to see the story from one more angle, and providing a fuller picture of situations.

Kelani also employed spectacle to recognize the emotional attraction of horror, by relying on the inner structure of the play rather than a spectacle to arouse pity and fear. In Ayinla, the dramatic irony is used to involve the audience making the characters come alive in all their flawed glory. It wasn’t really clear that the fight that ensued between Ayinla and the friend of his estranged manager, Bayowa will definitely result in Bayowa killing him, but rather the scene creates an impression that he would be the peacemaker in the brawl that ensued in the tavern. The play achieves the catharsis of which Aristotle speaks by showing the audience that Ayinla is a good person who reasoned that his relationship with his manager should not end on a sad note despite his new girlfriend’s negative stance on their reconciliation yet let his anger overrides the good intention he has for his manager which eventually led to his death.

Beyond doubt, the selection of Kelani for every role is definitive as every character justified parts played. But the embalming scene of Ayinla is quite improper as Adedimeji was seen many times breathing. And some scenes that Ayinla songs are being sung, Adedimeji’s voice was not at par with the music played. And the feud between Bilewu and Ayinla was not adequately represented, a scene of their squabble is not enough to tell of the duo arch-rivalry despite how heated their enmity was spoken of in Abeokuta. The movie is worth the hype and therefore gets a rating of 8/10.

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