FILM: Notorious ‘Oyenusi’ on reel

There is biopic on the life of 70s notorious robber, Oyenusi. Did this movie do justice to his
life and times?

OLAWALE OLUWADAHUNSI
The flick is a fringe or rather, a meeting point between fiction and fact. It proposes the notion
that brilliant technical imaginative writing can be intertwined between a true-life story to
make a good plot.

Employing the services of veteran, Pa Adebayo Faleti, to narrate the Oyenusi’s story to his
grandson should have made the film accurate in its content in comparison with history.
However, the argument that he is trying to teach that stealing isn’t a virtue could make one
overlook the inconsistency of the story.

Oyenusi, directed by Seun Olaiya, boasts of talented casts including Odunlade Adekola,
Muyiwa Ademola, Kemi Afolabi, Dele Odule, Joke Muyiwa, Ayo Olabiyi and Rasaq
Olayiwola. More interesting about the cast is the creative and hilarious synergy between
Odunlade, who played the lead role of Oyenusi and Muyiwa Ademola, who interpreted the
role of Jiboye, Oyenusi’s principal partner.

The epic story is told from a Yoruba perspective of belief in diabolical powers. Dr ‘Rob and
Kill’, Dr Oyenusi, a merciless pilferer who had so much diabolical powers that whatever he
said comes to pass including the juju ‘e-transfer’ of money from people’s bank accounts to
his. From the story, he was so greedy from his childhood days that he ate a concoction his
herbalist guardian, Dele Odule, prepared to cure a patient who had the spirit of theft. This
made his greed aggravate into pilferage, such that he became so notorious for this act. His
access to his guardian’s diabolical secrets and quest for additional powers made him made
him powerful, proud and fearless so much so that he grew to become a very much dreaded
thief greatly feared by security agencies in the country, earning the invincible status of
‘Governor’ or ‘President’.

The scriptwriting creativity was seen in the plot as the writer married the fiction of Oyenusi
being a medical doctor as compared to the real life story that the secondary school dropout
only fancied himself to be one.

Oyenusi was painted as a man without any feelings from the beginning of this movie but
according to history his first robbery was when he snatched a car and sold it for four hundred
naira to help his broke girlfriend.

And then according to history, when the source of his powers was discovered, Oyenusi the
strong-hearted villain, he did not beg; instead, he was smiling even when he was shot, but in
the movie, this man who never feared anybody was pleaded. This also, was quite creative

Odun Adekola’s acting skills looked very mature as he looked to have stepped up in his
vocals, gestures and gesticulations. His comic and raw acting skills brought life to the movie
so much so that one will be carried away from noticing the flaws in the movie. For example,
the court scene where he shot, Kemi Afolabi, the police inspector, was pure drama. It should
be put on replay as Odun and Muyiwa’s supportive role, made the scene interesting to watch.

The sound track was melodious enough to chronicle an epic movie and as its unconventional
use of adventurous beats and renaissance vocals made the film more suspense-filled.

Unlike epic movies like ‘Half Of A Yellow Sun’ and ‘October 1’ that boasts of well
researched details like newspaper clippings, documentaries and historical footages, Oyenusi
didn’t pay enough attention to detail and research. At least they should have read his
biography before shooting the scenes and giving proper dates of how the story unfolded in
history.

The props and sound of the movie was faulty in some aspects. For example, Dele Odule, Mr
Adekanmi’s shirt was sparkling white after a hard day’s work as a teacher in one of the
scenes. Also, Oyenusi’s ally and principal partner, JB, had some scenes where his beards
were all black in colour while it is supposed to have a grey divide as posited in major scenes
of the movie. The font sizes of the sub-titles were also not regular, making it tough for a
person in a seating far to read.

The greatest flaw of the movie is that it was shot in a modern day setting with the picture of
President Jonathan on the wall of the police commissioner’s office in one of the scenes. How
can an historical 1970’s story that be told in with the settings of present day?

Quite obnoxious also are the annoying adverts and the three parts to which the movie was
divided; it should have simply made a one length full feature film. This shows that the
Yoruba movie industry still has a long way to go in professionalism and producing well
researched and detailed epic movies.

This movie has potentials of a cinema creation if well researched, written and screen played.
Should the time be set in consonance with the historical 1971 Oyenusi, the movie would have
been a blockbuster.

Published on 27 th March, 2015

Media Platform: National Mirror Newspapers

Circulation figures: 50,000 COPIES per day