Movies and More

When it comes to Naija movies, funny ones are my favorite. I'm not too fond of the ones where someone does juju to have power over another or where someone poisons a person they're angry with and kills them. One time I watched a movie where a woman was cheating on her husband and poisoned him so that she could be free to live with her lover. As the her husband was dying from the poison, he started reminding his wife of how much he loved her and the woman was so sorry for her actions. The man of course died. I can't tell you how angry I was after watching that movie!!! Lol.... The movies where a man or woman fakes love to steal money from their lover are very annoying. And I especially hate the ones where things go from bad to worse and end on a bitter note (the overall summary of many of these movies). I guess growing up in America and seeing movies where things usually ended up good in the end has spoiled me. I like movies where thigs end up good, or at least where the good outweighs the bad.

I was thrilled when, almost two years ago, I stumbled across the higly popular "Osuofia in London." If you're not familiar with the movie, it tells the hilarious tale of Osuofia, a villager, who goes to London to collect an inheritance his late brother left him. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it. If you just type the title in Youtube, the whole video lineup will come up. Otherwise, here's the link to the first clip. The main actor's name is Nkem Owoh and any movie with him is usually funny. I stayed up until 4 'o' clock in the morning watching this the first time, laughing through most of it.

(Left) Chinedu Ikedieze and Osita Iheme (Right0

My favorie actors to watch though, are Chinedu Ikedieze and Osita Iheme. Though small in stature, the duo are both grown men. A quick Google search wil reveal a wealth of information on the two and how they met. In movies, they often play the role of mouthy, mischevious boys. I can always get a good laugh from any movie they're in. From Lagos Boys, to Onye Obioma, to Awilo Sharp Sharp (where they played a small role) I've never been disappointed.

A few weeks after I came back from Haiti I found myself watching one of their movies and I was struck by something....

To me, Osita Iheme really looks like Alton, a  little boy from an orphanage in Port au Prince that I can't forget. Take a look:

In the span of only a few days, that little boy really grew on me. I still find myself thinking about him and everytime I do, I say a prayer for him. It's funny because Alton, about 5 or 6 years old, acted like a little man when I first met him. He walked around telling the other little kids what to do and wouldn't let me carry him. But by the end of my stay in Haiti, he clinged to me and whined everytime I tried to put him down.I still remember one moment when I was playing with him. I was holding him, and I said "Alton, mwen bebe," which means "Alton, my baby," translated from the Haitian Creole. He replied "Oui," (pronounced: we) the word for 'yes' in French and in Haitian Creole, which is based on French. My heart aches everytime I think of that.  I pray for his well-being and that of the other kids at the orphanage and I'd really like to see him again and be able to really help him... Maybe even adopt........? Time will tell   : )



At an orphanage in Port au Prince.
 I'm squatted, holding Alton.