By Adesuyi Ayobami
Before you take a single step. Kindly be aware that this is an adaptation of one of Wole Soyinka’s great works. It takes a connoisseur of good literature to understand the beautiful art Biyi Bandele brought to the big screen!
If your genre is the typical bland “Nigerian Movies” stay off!
Ok, let’s start!
Eleshin Oba is a perfect stage production script and Biyi Bandele deserves a lot of accolades for making a movie feel like a stage play, yet quite enjoyable as a movie production!
It takes on a couple of mythical and philosophical parallels. The ritualistic last journey of a king who has to be accompanied in death enthusiastically by a living who is destined to die. The perception of an outsider whose worldview is skewed by ignorance and oversimplification of culture and ritual is deemed bizarre.
Greed, honour, duty, and the reverse implication of civilization are well on display in this movie. I’ll go no further on the details so as not to take the ting off for those who are yet to watch it.
Nevertheless, the casting is premium, I see no blemish in the picture and of course, the script was weaved by a maestro!
Least I forget, Odunlade Adekola is ready for the world stage!
Once again, it’s Soyinka’s piece, I do have my bias.
Therefore, you might need to first go to a movie purgatory to “cleanse your conditioned movie mind” before you see Eleshin Oba.
Another solid 8/10.
Rest in Power Biyi Bandele!🕊
you can find Adesuyi Ayobami here
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