By Yusuf Olukokun
Bolanle Austin-Peters has devotedly shown what it means to be divergent in Nollywood. The story of Olufunmilayo Ransom Kuti is more profound and filled with ecstasy that comes in linear arrangement of what commitment to national values, human rights or coagulation of historical events truly encapsulates.
Olufunmilayo Ransom Kuti is a name every traditional Nigerian women would love to bear. The show of passion toward her gender, the development of her society, the core principles and values she largely inserted to education were what made her name different in history.
This biopic from Bolanle Austin-Peters intermittently expressed what Funmilayo’s life was all about. One would have thought Funmilayo lived an elitist life-classy lifestyle—because she was only known by the young ones to be the first woman to drive a car.
However, in a more intriguing manner, the movie—”Funmilayo Ransom Kuti”—extensively narrated what Funmilayo’s life was greatly all about.
The style at which constume was used in the movie visually translated to what life was in the 20th century, during the colonization by white supremacists seems exceptional.
The early school life of Funmilayo Kuti was wrapped in the mystery of discovering herself—what she was truly made of, the constant discussion with her father, odyssey with her lover (Isreal) and audacious moves when she was threatened by bullies.
Funmilayo Kuti got her inspiring moves from people she was surrounded by. The movie clearfully showed to the viewers; Funmilayo’s existence for everybody in her community.
In the movie, Mama Supo was reluctant to send her son to Funmilayo’s school. Funmilayo Kuti had to show up where Mama Supo was selling to cater for herself, her appearance at the market alternated every thing and the new chapter of activism started from that encounter with Parakoyis(Alake of Egba tax collectors).
Additionally, Kehinde Bank Bankole who acted as ‘Funmilayo’ swallowed the role—and perfectly delivered the optics. Also, this movie came at a time when the trend of historical analysis keeps waning in our educational system—the discussions around the true events of protests being led by Francess Funmilayo Ransom Kuti were showcased exquisitely.