Those who thought that Sierra Leonean born Dr. Yusuf Bangura, the ex-ABU, Zaria academic and ex-UNRISD researcher is only an expert in international political economy had better educate themselves. He is also not a push over in the realm of arts – movies, music, literature. To that list, add football. The evidence is there in the many signed and unsigned pieces on artistic matters, particularly music that he has generously done for Intervention, not the least of which is the one below. The problem with Dr. Bangura is that he doesn’t have many pictures scattered on the internet. His former students scattered all over Nigeria will protest when Intervention uses a particular one. He too is sensitive to certain pictures of his. When will Intervention make enough money to travel to Switzerland to snap fresh, beautiful and exclusive pictures of the maestro?
Dr. Bangura
By Yusuf Bangura (PhD)
I’ve just finished watching a deeply engrossing film, *The Man of God*, produced and directed by Bolanle Austen-Peters.
The film, which was released on Netflix today, (April 16th, 2022) promises to be a box office hit. It’s one of the best Nollywood films I’ve watched in a long time. Cerebral, vibrant and thoroughly engaging, it exposes the complexity and unpredictability of human nature and life choices.
The film is a powerful critique of the evangelical church or prosperity Christianity, which has turned many pastors with questionable backgrounds and predatory practices into super rich people.
The lead actor, Sam, rebelled against the strict upbringing of his religious father, who was a famous pastor in Lagos. When he left home for university he decided to live his own life and vowed never to return to his family. He became a freewheeling, anti-religious, Afrobeat musician and playboy with intimate relationships with three girls whom he met at university.
Two of these girls were deeply religious and constantly pressured him to attend church service with them. He was torn between their religiosity and his new life as a socialite.
Bolanle in a BBC graphic: Those who control popular culture will control power in the very near future
His third female friend lived life on the fast lane, loved money and was involved in transnational criminal activities. She got him to understand that there was more money to be made in the church than in oil and gas or politics.
The family and pastor of one of the two religious girls, who was Sam’s favourite, married her off to a young, flamboyant pastor in Abuja to end her relationship with Sam, who was deemed unworthy and wayward.
Sam was shattered by that experience and decided to marry the second religious girl, who was ambitious and clearly understood the value of the church as an easy pathway to prosperity.
Reflecting on the advice of her worldly girlfriend to use religion and get rich, he told his wife that he had received a call from God to serve the people. Sam decided to become a Man of God, built a huge church, became filthy rich and lived in a gorgeous mansion.
However, Sam’s life came crashing down when his money laundering business with his worldly girlfriend was discovered by the police and he was arrested. He hated his new wealth, wanted to live a normal life again and flee the country. He later returned to his family and joined his church as a prodigal son.
I find the transition from his arrest to his return to his family too sharp and foggy. I may need to watch the film again for clarity.
This is a truly superb film. Bonlale Austin-Peters did a remarkable job of building layers of complexity in the characters of the cast. Sam and his three girlfriends are amazing performers—confident, well-spoken, stylish and unpredictable. The cinematography and Afrobeat sound track are of the highest quality. Watching this movie, it is safe to say that Nollywood has really come of age. There are several subplots, which are nicely woven together to produce an entertaining and masterful critique of the monetisation of religion without rejecting religion itself. Sam, after all, went back to his father’s church.
Bonlale Austin-Peters owns arguably Nigeria’s foremost movie and theatre company, BAP Production. She’s very creative and versatile, having trained as a lawyer and worked in UN agencies before venturing into theatre and film production. Her other film *93 Days*, also on Netflix, told the story of the Ebola outbreak in Nigeria. She’s the owner and director of Terra Kulture Arena, a 400 seat state of the art performance hall in Lagos, believed to be the first privately owned theatre in Nigeria. Kudos to her!
