Ojukokoro (Greed)

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From the name some think it's a Yoruba film but it's not. Ojukokoro is a Crime-Heist comedy film with an ensemble cast which includes Wale Ojo, Tope Tedela, Charles Etubiebi, Seun Ajayi, Ali Nuhu, Shawn Faqua and Emmanuel Ikubuese. The movie starts with Andrew, (Charles Etubiebi) the manager of a very shady petrol station that sells drugs planning to steal from the drug money because in his own opinion, "If you take from thieves, is it really stealing?".  His voice over narration tells us about his situation and how he plans to solve it by robbing his job. The Director Dare Olaitan brings the characters in this movie together with a simple word Greed. As the movie unfolds, someone is kidnapped, a ransom is paid but the kidnapped person is still killed and because of greed, the kidnapper doesn't take the money to his boss but plans to run away with his family after getting more from the petrol station. 

Image via twitter.com/ojukokoromovie

The main action in this movie takes place in the petrol station which leaves most of the characters dead. The cast of Ojukokoro is filled with some of the brightest minds in Nollywood right now, the cast selection is just superb. Dare Olaitan gives them roles that make them all shine individually. I found Bolly Lomo's role to be quite hilarious and Shawn Faqua didn't disappoint in his role as Rambo. Nothing is forced in this film, the comedy scenes are genuinely funny and it just got better as the movie continued. I was sad I didn't get to see more of the ladies, Somkele Idahlama, Linda Ejiofor and Zainab Balogun but their little roles were very important to the story. Even with the amazing story line, funny lines and action scenes, Ojukokoro still had a few mistakes which I couldn't help but notice. 

Image via twitter.com/ojukokoromovie

When Jubril's (Ali Nuhu) wife Sade, (Somkele Idahlama) was kidnapped, he definitely didn't act like someone whose wife was kidnapped. I felt like he would have put in more effort in some of his scenes. When Mad Dog Max (Wale Ojo) snapped Sade's neck there was no blood but in the next scene there's a pool of blood on the floor, that wasn't even the big mistake. When he dragged her body to his car the floor was so clean, no trail of blood from the dead body which was previously in a pool of blood. In the beginning of the robbery scene at the petrol station, The Accountant (Emmanuel Ikubuese) was acting too much and not like someone with a gun in his face. It seemed like he was trying to be funny but he eventually got better as the robbery continued. 

Image via twitter.com/ojukokoromovie

When the couple drove into the petrol station to ask for directions, Mad Dog Max drove in before they did and was waking towards the robbery scene but all of a sudden he disappeared and conveniently reappeared when one of the robbers tried to fake shoot The Manager. Sunday/Jide tells the couple to call 999 which really made me laugh because that number doesn't even work in Nigeria, at least not when I tried it. After Mad Dog Max hits Rambo's face with the gun, there was blood all over his face and he faced forward while on the floor but the next scene showed his face to the side so we can see the bulged cheek. That was a very obvious mistake. There was a gun on the table, I was confused when The Accountant or Jide didn't pick it up to shoot Mad Dog Max. After Jide shoots Monday, everyone except The Accountant and The Manager are dead but the next scene shows The Accountant on floor with a red shirt and a bullet hole in his chest. I have to point out the fact that he was wearing a pink shirt in the previous scenes, but suddenly he is in a red shirt in the next scene. 

Image via twitter.com/ojukokoromovie

They tried to make it seem like the blood spread all over to change the color of the shirt but no, it was obviously a red shirt. The major issue is who shot him and why? The last person that was shot was Monday so why was the Accountant suddenly on the door dead? Rookie mistake. When the credits started rolling I was angry that the movie ended the way it did. I wanted to see more. What happened with Jubril and Andrew? Even with the little mistakes, Ojukokoro was an incredible movie to watch and I enjoyed every bit of it. I loved the fact that they included Nigerian languages not just English all through. I suggest you see Ojukokoro if you're yet to. 

DIRECTOR Dare Olaitan

SCREENPLAY Dare Olaitan

STARRING Wale Ojo, Tope Tedela, Charles Etubiebi, Seun Ajayi, Ali Nuhu, Shawn Faqua, Emmanuel Ikubese, Somkele Idahlama

RELEASE DATE March 17, 2017

RUNNING TIME 1hr 50mins

LANGUAGES English, Hausa, Yoruba & Bini