MOVIE REVIEW: ‘Lisabi the Uprising’ is Nollywood’s best epic yet

From the film's beginning, you can tell it will be a good watch, and you are impressed as the film runs its course.

Movie Title: Lisabi: The Uprising

Language: Yoruba

Running time: 1 hour 47 minutes

Release date: 2024

Streaming platform: Netflix

Director: Niyi Akinmolayan

Cast: Lateef Adedimeji, Adebimpe Oyebade, Ibrahim Itele, Olarotimi Fakunle, Odunlade Adekola, Jide Awobona, Gabriel Afolayan, Ibrahim Chatta, Seun Akindele, Kelvin Ikeduba, Olumide Oworu, Boma Akpore, Kola Ajeyemi, Roseline Afije.

Oppression between the leaders and masses among fellow Nigerians did not start today; it has deep historical roots. For generations, the power dynamics between rulers and the people have often been marked by exploitation and inequality.

However, throughout history, only the bold and courageous have dared to rise and challenge these oppressive systems to pursue independence.

The story of Lisabi Agbongbo-Akala and the Egba people exemplifies this struggle. Their fight against the mighty Oyo Empire in the 18th century highlights how bravery and unity can guarantee independence.

Lisabi Agbongbo-Akala was a skilled military strategist and farmer who united several Yoruba groups to launch an attack against the Oyo Empire between 1775 and 1780. Before gaining their independence, communities such as Ijaiye, Gbagura, and Igbeyin were all under the control of the Oyo Empire.

Lateef Adedimeji has brought this powerful history to life through a drama that showcases the oppression faced by the Egba people and how Lisabi led their liberation.

Set in the 18th-century Oyo Empire, ‘Lisabi the Uprising’ narrates the story of Lisabi, a resourceful Egba farmer who organised a rebellion against the oppressive Oyo rulers. He used the collective strength of his fellow farmers and called upon the support of deities to free the Egba people from tyranny.

Plot

The film opens with King Olodan being beaten and dragged to the Alaafin’s Palace after refusing to pay tribute. These tributes, which consist of money and farm produce, are collected from the people’s businesses. Enraged, the Alaafin orders King Olodan’s execution for his rebellion.

Songodeyi, the head of the tribute collectors and his subordinates terrorise the people of Egba land despite their loyalty to paying tributes. Beyond collecting payments, these collectors unleash further cruelty, often raping young women and killing anyone who dares to stand in their way.

Day by day, the oppression becomes worse and unbearable for the farmers and people of Egba.

Oshokenu, a close friend of a hardworking farmer, Lisabi, witnesses a disturbing incident where the collectors take a businesswoman’s daughter away even after they take all her money.

Outraged, Oshokenu boldly questioned them, saying, “What is it? Why are you taking only women? Men ought to go with them, too.” Because of this statement, the tribute collectors marked his face.

Oshokenu, a lazy farmer, decides to marry Abebi, a beautiful, light-skinned woman from Egba. He asks his friend, Lisabi, to help him win her over, and things progress smoothly as Abebi agrees to marry him.

The tribute collectors notice that Oshokenu is getting married, and they decided to cause him pain. They attack Abebi, the bribe, on her way to her husband’s house, and Songodeyi rapes her on the spot. Unable to bear the trauma and shame, Abebi tragically takes her life.

On hearing that the collectors have done something terrible to his bribe, Oshokenu is furious. Determined to take revenge, he sets out to kill Songodeyi. In the process, he manages to kill ten of the tribute collectors before being shot. With his dying breath, Oshokenu pleads with Lisabi, who runs to the scene, asking him not to let his blood be in vain.

Moved by his friend’s last words, Lisabi gathers the farmers and suggests they team up to farm for each other to give the collectors a lot of farm produce that will not cause them further harm. Lisabi, however, has an interior motive for uniting the people—uniting the people for a much larger uprising against their oppressors.

Character Analysis

No one but Ibrahim Chatta could have perfectly embodied the ruthless tribute collector Songodeyi in this film. His energy radiated pure intensity, delivering 100 per cent action. Chatta infused the character with life, suspense, and power, giving the audience an actual performance that left no room for improvement—he surpassed all expectations.

Lateef Adedimeji portrayed the protagonist, Lisabi, the courageous leader who united the Egba people against the oppressive Oyo Empire. Hats off to Adedimeji for his stellar production and outstanding acting. He seized every opportunity to deliver a remarkable performance, making this film one of the standout Nollywood productions of 2024.

Odunlade Adekola played the Alaafin of Oyo in this movie. His performance, as always, is daring and commendable. His first appearance gave the film a thrilling feeling of what would come.

Roseline Afij (Liquorose) showcased her talent again, proving her versatility as Abebi. Despite being an Edo girl, she convincingly portrayed a Yoruba woman, delivering a solid performance that added depth to the film.

Every other actor brought in their A-game to make this movie memorable and engaging.

Movie Review

‘Lisabi the Uprising,’ directed by Niyi Akinmolayan, is a historical epic about Lisabi and the rise of the Egba people against the Oyo Empire. Although it is a biopic, it explores the themes of oppression, unity, hard work, and love.

Exploring biopics is uncommon in Nollywood, but it is an exciting way to tell history and pass a message. This film tackles political oppression between the leaders and the masses and how unity can liberate the people. The Uprising doesn’t just entertain; it educates and inspires.

From the film’s beginning, you can tell it will be a good watch, and you are impressed as you get to the end. The end is both surprising and brilliant, seeing that Lisabi succeeds in killing Songodeyi.

The creativity of the entire production, from the script writing to the plot, structure, settings, and props, is top-notch. Let’s not forget that a good storyline can have a bad execution, but ‘Lisabi the Uprising’ ate and left no crumbs.

Actors like Ibrahim Chatta and Lateef Adedimeji deserve an award for pulling out such performances. The actors did exceptionally well. From their emotions and performance, you can see that they are happy about the project and willing to immerse themselves into giving us a show to remember. This film is one to remember because you will always refer to the movie even after watching it.

The cinematography, lighting, camera angles, effects, and video quality are all excellent, giving the film a cinema vibe from start to finish. The makeup and costume are also commendable.

The Egba accent is quite good, and much obvious work was put into achieving that. However, the actors can improve more on the accent in the next sequel, coming up in January 2025.

This movie is one of Nollywood’s best epics of 2024, joining the ranks of standout films like “House of Ga’a”.

The performances, direction, and gripping storyline make it a must-watch for lovers of historical dramas.

Lisabi The Uprising is now showing on Netflix

Verdict

8/10