Agent from Abuja: A sad reflection of what Nigerians have become
By Osa Amadi
Agent from Abuja is a sad re-enactment, in the United Kingdom, of the corrupt people, gangsters and fraudsters we Nigerians have become and come to be infamous for worldwide.
The routine Nigerian politicians’ lifestyles of carting away public funds meant for provision of social infrastructures and of ferrying the monies out to banks in Europe and America, is succinctly captured in this film.
The bragging about his filthy lucre and the dirty opportunities back home by the corrupt politician (a former governor acted by Victor Power), abducted in the UK by three Nigerian students with the aim of squeezing the money he had embezzled out from him, is consistent with his mindset at home.
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The abducted former governor, representing Nigerian politicians who have found and made bribery and corruption their tools, has no prick of conscience preaching to the young gangsters to come back home in Nigeria where opportunities exist for those who can bribe their ways – come home; you can hardly bribe the officials here in the UK, but you can cheaply bribe officials at home and have your way in Nigeria, he says.
And for the leaders of tomorrow – the youths – T.I, O.J, and I.D (acted by Yvonne Hays, Toheeb Ibrahim, and Chris Machari respectively) – carrying of guns about and shooting others and themselves in the process is a prevailing life of violence at home which many Nigerians youths can connect with today.
We also see in the “Agent from Abuja”, the suggestion that our youths fail and suffer unnecessarily because they cannot stand upright. How can the so-called leaders of tomorrow embark on a mission to salvage their country, and then allow themselves to get embroiled in extortion and deceit – extorting money from the politician? Do two wrongs make a right?
Just as Chinua Achebe foretold, things have really fallen apart in Nigeria, and if we continue the way we are going, both at home and abroad, all of us, both the criminals and the innocent alike, may be completely isolated from the global community as fraudsters. Although the film does not throw that poser at us, the question we need to ask ourselves and find answers to is this: What then is the way out for us Nigerians?
We must bring to an end this life of bribery, corruption, violence, and crime that has come to define our national identities. We must reject the blanket impositions of identities of people like the late General Sani Abacha, corrupt governors, legislators, presidents, Hushpuppi, Woodbery, and ‘yahoo, yahoo boys’ on us. Kidnapping, terrorism, money rituals, money laundering, nepotism, political assassinations, religious fundamentalism, cybercrime, and all manners of forgery and stealing, must be kicked out of our national life.
“Agent from Abuja”, starring Victor Power, Chris Machari, Yvonne Hays, Toheeb Ibrahim, and Sokari Erekosima also has another vital message to corrupt Nigerian politicians: There are no more hiding places anywhere in the world for you; certainly, no longer in Europe or America, just as the Covid-19 pandemic has similarly taught us.
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Speaking on why he found it necessary to make the film, the writer/ director, Ade Adepegba, says, “I get really sad and angry when I think that many Africans are forced to risk their lives travelling to rich Western countries to work at menial jobs to support their families back home. These are the very same rich Western countries whose banks are harbouring billions of dollars of public funds stolen by Africa’s corrupt political class.”
On the central character of the former Governor, Adepegba says; “The Governor is attempting to use racism in Britain to justify corruption in Nigeria on the basis that Nigeria is a more (corruptly) conducive business environment…. As the writer and director of the film, I’m fascinated by the power of all politicians to use clever but false reasoning to manipulate issues.”
“Agent from Abuja” is from the stable of Kuramo Bay Filmworks.
The post Agent from Abuja: A sad reflection of what Nigerians have become appeared first on Vanguard News.
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