Showmax Classics: Tunde Kelani makes a political point in Agogo Eewo

A scene towards the end of Tunde Kelani’s Agogo Eewo captures the shamelessness of today’s corrupt politicians. The top chiefs in Jogbo are to take an oath of honesty before the Agogo Eewo (Gong of Taboo), which frees the innocent and punishes the guilty. The Balogun, knowing his evil deeds will finally catch up to him, feigns illness. He pretends to have a fever because the ritual can’t be carried out on a sick person. The scene is reminiscent of politicians who wear neck braces and rock wheelchairs to their court trials to garner sympathy or delay prosecution. But this was in 2002, were politicians always melodramatic or did Kelani see the future?

Agogo Eewo, like many Tunde Kelani films, explores the ills of society while showcasing the Yoruba culture. Ifa’s verses and Yoruba music and drums and dancing are present and shown positively — a contrast to most Nigerian films from the late 90s and early 2000s, which often demonised traditional cultures and religions. Kelani stood as a distinctive voice; he also offered a different style and tackled different subjects. Agogo Eewo, the sequel to his magnum opus, Saworoide, is a biting piece about the corruption of power; how sane people tend to lose their head when in proximity to power. The film can be seen as an allegory of the process that led to Nigeria’s first democratic president and what ensued.

Agogo Eewo follows the scrabble for a new democratic leader after the death of colonel Lagata, who violently forced himself on the throne in Saworoide. While all of Jogbo hope the legitimate heir, Arese, will become king, the top chiefs push the illegitimate Adebosipo, a retired policeman, towards the throne, hoping he will allow them to continue fleecing Jogbo.

Oblivious to them, Adebosipo isn’t going to be a puppet. He wants to revitalise Jogbo, free it and return it to prosperity. But he quickly learns that this won’t be easy; the corrupt chiefs won’t change their ways just because he desires. He seeks advice from the Ifa priest, who resorts to old practices for a present-day problem.

You are never sure about Kelani and his allegories because he sometimes poses more questions than answers. Is the old and violent practice referencing military practices to wipe corruption? Or just another of Kelani’s recurring curiosity about the overlapping of ancient tradition and modernity, or past and its effects or control of the present.

Agogo Eewo is streaming on Showmax.