The Concept of Witches and Wizards Nollywood Edition

 Although many people, young and olds gravitate out of the Iyaaami Eleye, Oso and Aje, however, I do not think that this is the intent the producers or scriptwriters have in their minds. The stories or the roles shouldn't pull away from the content, the originality of the movies. Basically, if you're talking Iron-man- think of Ogun, and the ELEYE would possibly be - Nanny Mcphee. It is possible that people labeled draw away because of the quality, I mean if you are to pick a nanny you wouldn't probably go for Iya Gbonkan, and this is not supposed to be so.

In the Nollywood Yoruba, you have the Black Witch and the White One. Trust me, I like the White Ones as well, you must however know- every narrative folktale would point to Osun, Yemaja, Oya, and many others like the White Witches and who are the black witches (the bad ones)? I can hardly think of any name in tales to represent or device where these Iyammi come from. However, we can all conclude that it would be any bad and powerful witch like the Wizard of Oz? But mind you Esu and Ogun can be characterized as bad wizards just because of what they asked for during sacrifices, and when I say sacrifices, the real bloody one- old tales that you probably wouldn't believe. However, sometimes I like to characterized Oya as been seldomly bad if not often just because of her name, OYA. So maybe every good witch and bad witch stem from this woman- if you are a fan of Once Upon a Time, you would probably see the logic here.

So, comparing Once Upon a Time with the Nigerian Nollywood witchery narratives, you often see how people are drawn to the characters, and not Snow White, but the evil ones. Apart from nice costumes and others, KOTO AYE, KOTO ORUN, ERAN IYA OSOGBO to name a few movies that are utterly dreadful (horror movies), but very good. The movies were released in the early 2000s and very relevant to today's present witchery seen. In a recent movie that I watched, a young lady had portrayed Osun/Oya and it was pleasant to see the change that the young actors or people could embody this diety or oosa, etc- the usually would have been Orisabunmi or Peter Ifatomilola- like I said, the early 1900s/200s movies.

Anyways, my point is that, enjoy what are been presented to you because, despite the budget and occasional flaws, the Nigerian movies are still good, best of all in terms of traditions, explicit designs, and storylines. If you have better ways that a movie could have turned out, write it, or make a commentary out of it. But, do not forget, the hard work that went into the creation is as important as the outcomes.

To add, in an Era, I remember when all the movies watched or created are about money rituals. Although, I was offended by the notion that the youths might somehow participate in these erroneous acts because they wanted to get rich very fast, and I have always wondered that these movies shouldn't be created if it would be interpreted as a "go ahead." I haven't been in Nigerian or lived there for a while now, so, I can say that I might not be the expert on the social and traditional state of the country.

But I however like the movies, both the traditional and the modern ones. Maybe if Nollywoods can modernize movies like ERAN IYA OSOGBO, KOTO AYE, KOTO ORUN, the youth can learn to familiarized and not take it as some dark part of Nigerian or African culture. Once Upon a Time was filled with characters that are very wicked, even the savior, but the viewers were able to relate to this dark part of the characters, it is emotional- they felt what was happening and they were able to relate. So, many of the bad characters got a pass, the Green Witch, Regina Mother, and Regina herself. The work is on the moviemakers and editors to narrative evil characters in such ways that they are accepted and become part of our conscious desires, willing, wants. Example of, Ogun, Esu, Iyaami and in movies, Dagunro, Arakangudu to name a few (Take for example the Arrow Show, with all the killings and everything that happened on the show, I am confused that he was not an evil character, but that is what the screenwriters want you to see, focus on). The emotions, him saving the people and not the blood and the sharp blades

The entire continent has amazing cultures, and we should cherish these because it is all we have and if we don't, we know someone else would. If you notice the recent books on witchcraft, hero, they often entail some kind of culture that elaborates on the traditions depicted, and these movies are not anything less. Daughter of Nri by Kamayo Reni, Tomi Adeyemi's Orisa Book series, The Concubine by Amadi Elechi, Things Fall Apart are just a few books that explained the dark heroes in old and contemporary literature.

Now, don't be ashamed or too afraid to accept these parts of culture or hero as African narration. It is a start when we do embrace it.

And with END SARS campaign, let us BE VERY SAFE OUT HERE.