Freedom Way - Sisyphus of Lagos

Light spoilers below.

For those of us who have roots in or have experienced life in those parts of the world that are labeled ‘third world countries’ the experiences of the protagonists are nothing new. Corruption is ‘daily bread’ (that is a call-back to the title cards in the movie).

The narrative highlights the experience of the Nigerian people throughout all of its society, wanting to better things for themselves, to make the country better than it is, so that existence is not something that has to be – literally - bartered for. But as it so often is the case, corrupt governments and the few other players in the game, those with the necessary means, decide the moves of the game.

Survival is a skill. And luck is a necessity here.

Freedom Way will not try to make you feel good, it will also not intentionally try to make you feel bad. It will simply show you the reality of life experienced in Lagos. An honest portrayal, both realistic and frustrating.

For the director who has a music video background, it is his feature debut. The narrative has good pacing, the 88 min are well-filled, and although the premise with which the film is marketed – that of a startup going against its government – gets a bit lost within all of the other narratives, all tangles get resolved, and that is satisfying. The sensibilities are there, so it will be exciting to see director Afolabi Olalekan’s second feature.