Cameroonian-Nigerian movie decries female genital mutilation, breast-ironing and forceful betrothal into early marriages

November 03, 2007

The Blues Kingdom:

Nigerian movie decries female genital mutilation, breast-ironing and forceful betrothal into early marriages

By Akere Maimo

Movie lovers were treated to a spectacular soiree of a movie, launched at the Yaoundé Hilton Hotel on the evening of Saturday, October 26, 2007. After several weeks of direct outdoor promotions and live participation on Cameroon Radio and Television, CRTV, the Agbor Gilbert Ebot Production was sure of an impressive turnout at the Grand Premier of the biggest film ever from Cameroon and Nigeria, titled “The Blues Kingdom”. The hall was full to its capacity, with die-hard Cameroonian Nigerian-movie fans tight-seated and itchy to feed their eyes with the spellbinding images beaming from a giant cinema wall. Despite starting on a rather timid note, compounded by poor coordination and technical lapses, and the event dragging on for a lousy two-hour of rambling “speech-makings and handclapping”, the event eventually turned out to be a worthwhile showcase of indigenous stars.

Present at the occasion were a cross-section of government officials, the diplomatic corps, national VIPs and dignitaries, and the most-awaited Nigerian actress Clarion Chukwura. Mr Akin Sola, Minister Consul at Nigerian High Commission mounted the rostrum to set the ball rolling with a keynote address, closely followed by a representative from Cameroon’s Ministry of Culture and Mr Amadou Vamoulke - the General Manager of CRTV. Though it was earlier rumoured that Nigerian movie stars Zack Orji and Genevieve Nnanji were to be part of the evening, they never showed up. Adorned in a crimson-red bare-back sexy outfit, the saucy characteristic and “iron lady” Clarion Chukwura in Nigerian home videos stole the show.

“The Blues Kingdom" is a timely product pregnant with incisive messages to the adherents of age-old African traditional practices associated to female genital mutilation, breast-ironing and early marriages. Directed by Zack Orji and starring Clarion Chukura, Ivan Namme, Ngassa Xavier Ngunga, Queenta Eyong-Ashu Abor Magdalene among others, the movie tells the story of a Cameroonian emigrant “bushfaller” who decides to return home after a successful stay abroad. While in his native land, he falls prey to a traditional ritual he considers fetish and outmoded. His brother, a defender of tradition and custodian of the culture is helpless in a crisis that sets the village ablaze with fury. Due to the timely intervention of the forces of law and order, the situation is brought under control and perpetrators are sanctioned.

The characterisation of “The Blues Kingdom” is good and plot well tailored to suit the interwoven themes that run through, though continuity and disjointed sets standout as bane checking the quality of the movie. It, however, makes for an interesting watch and triggers spasms of hot tears rushing down the cheeks of African movie lovers. Interestingly, Cameroon’s Parliamentary chief, The Honourable Rose Abunaw who happens to be the Aunt of the movie producer, played an invisible role in the movie. As she declared during the launching at the Hilton Hotel, she inspired the making of this particular movie.

At the close of the evening, the organisers raised about 3.000.000 FCFA (US$ 6.000) from well-wishers and donors, pledges non-exclusive. Recovering the overall costs incurred in organising and managing the event, let alone the colossal sum sunk into the project, testifies to a limping industry that some Cameroonian adventurers and few visionaries combat with.

The brain behind the movie project, Agbor Gilbert Ebot co-produced another African movie, “Before the Sunrise” with another Nigerian celebrity, Fred Amata. Fred Amata also doubles in the movie as the director. Big names in the Nigerian film industry such Olu Jacobs, Zack Orji and Dakore Egboson as well as the Cameroonian makossa idol Jean Pierre Essome featured in the 120 minutes emotion-packed movie. Cyril Akonteh of the Splash Network assisted in the production of “Before the Sunrise”, which is based on a true love story, which cracks open the tribal and cultural differences typical of marriages between the Northwesterners (‘graffi’) and the Southwesterners (‘sawa’). The issue of the Northwest settlers in the Southwest region of Cameroon simply branded “Come No Go” is neatly addressed in the movie, “Before the Sunrise”