By Enitan Abdultawab

Just like Richard Mofe-Damijo intervenes in the ongoing social unrest fuelled by the cry for justice, Funke Akindele has come up with a production that portrays the sector in question – the Nigerian music industry.

There has been a widecry appeal for unveiling the victims of bullying in the industry as well as a space where public shows of love and affection are concealed with falsehood, pretence, hatred and avarice. Consequently, Funke Akindele successfully imitates the seemingly uneding rivalries and biases that the industry is clad with.

Recently, the victim is Nigerian star Mohbad. The Ikorodu-born singer, whose real name is IleriOluwa Aloba, was signed to the Marlian Records in 2021 but opted to leave last year. It was then the woes of the singer started. He alleged that he always feared to perform elsewhere and a host of vidoes had flown online, attesting to this. Before this time, there has been the cases of Kizz Daniel, Cynthia Morgan, RunTown, Temmie Ovwassa, May D, Brymo who had had conflicting interests with their record labels.

She Must Be Obeyed, which premiered exclusively on the 29th of September, is another artistic intervention that Nollywood has embarked on in recent times.

Casting a load of talented actors which include Funke Akindele, Lateef Adedimeji, Nancy Isime, Akah Anani, Veeiye, Waje, Patience Ozokwo, Rachael Okonkwo, Mike Ezuronye and many others, She Must Be Obeyed chronicles the story of a famous female singer, SHE, who struggles to hold unto fame in the industry.

Thematic Allure

There are myriads of challenges that confront the lives of celebrities. More often than not, fans believe that all are usually rosy for their favourite celebrities. However, this is not the case, as shown in Funke Akindele’s new movie. From the scheme of things, SHE is ravaged by a skin illness known as alopecia that deprives her of full and healthy hair. She lives off it by wearing a very neat wig to cover it up.

As if that isn’t enough, SHE trails a career laced with disappointment as a big superstar. Just when she believes that she is supposed to be bag an award at the gala, she watches the award go to another superstar whom she clearly regards as a direct threat to her fame. While she openly hails the decision, she secretly stages an online defamation of her foe.

Moving forward, Funke Akindele opens up on the new discovery in the music industry – contracts and agreements. More often than not, there are underlying terms and conditions to contracts that record labels put forward for artistes to sign. Although artistes may or may not sign under duress, it turns out that there are certain restrictions that stunt artistes’ career growth. Quite perfectly, SHE confines a young and up-and-coming female artiste to her own contract box. Adaeze signs a shocking 20-year contract with SHE with conditions that she doesn’t perform anywhere until the contract lapses. In addition, Adaeze happens to be the voice behind SHE glorious voice and tracks.

When Adaeze eventually struggles to find some money to sponsor her family, she takes to the stages to perform with fear and trepidation. When the written contract is eventually let out of the bag by her brother, Livinus, the plot of the movie is heightened. It, thus, remains to be seen how it plays out.

Cinematographic allure

Lagos, being the setting of the series, sets the cinematographic allure on a high note. The cinematographers skillfully utilise this vibrant city, encapsulating its spirit in each shot. Spanning from bustling districts to serene communities, the series offers a varied and visually captivating depiction of Lagos.

In addition, the series employs captivating sceneries to complement nice transitions of acts from all nice angles. All props and costumes are effectively given attention so they can aid the delivery of each acts.

The take-home

She Must Be Obeyed is a series that is engaging. It is currently enjoying the test of the moments and will be reflected upon for its thematic concerns in the coming year.

The series is currently in its fifth episode.