Women's Cot (2005) (V)

Director:

Dickson Iroegbu

Release Date:

2005 (Nigeria)

Genre:

Drama

Cast

  (Credited cast)

Bukky Ajayi
Rita Edochie
Chidi Ihesie
Bimbo Manuel
Onyeka Onwenu
Zack Orji
Joke Silva

Also Known As:

Widow's Cot (Nigeria: English title)

Country:

Nigeria

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Company:

Great Future Production Company

Joke & Onyeka Rock!...

First, I want to point out that I don't understand the word "Cot" in the movie title. Like most Nigerian movies, their titles can be uninspiring and droll.

That being said, the film itself is far from droll. It concerns a group or sorority of widows banding together with the noble intention of protecting their interest in a society that has been harsh towards widows.

In real life Nigeria, widows are usually stripped of their dead husband's properties, forced into marriage with their husbands'male relatives, abused etc.

So in the movie, these group decides not to be victims anymore but to assist their comrades through financial assistance, empowerment etc. Unfortunately, like most things that turn out good, it becomes corrupt with their power and success.

The sorority becomes split into two. The good guys headed by believe that they should continue with their selfless mission of helping out their bereaved sisters. The bad girls under the headship of want to take it several levels higher. Their aim is to acquire power and money by any means possible, even if it means committing murder(s.

The film now boils down to a titanic struggle between the two sides drawing parallels to such books as Willam Goldring's Lord of the Flies.

Of course like most Nigeria movies, this one drags and contains scenes that are unnecessary or too long or downright unbelievable. Even the power wielded by these widows were heavily exaggerated.

Nevertheless it was an entertaining film thanks to the two main characters. Joke Silva has been an English trained thespian and it shows. Like in most of her movies, her performance is dazzling and brilliant, a tribute to stage her acting in London. It is sad that her husband the overrated Olu Jacobs who has been in several foreign based movies is not in her league when it comes to acting.

But the surprise here was Onyeka Onwenu. This singer turned actress gave an electrifying performance as the Evil One. Try as she could, Joke Silva could not outshine Onwenu and the singer virtually stole every scene she was in.

I heard that both women were nominated for awards. They both deserve those honours.

Credit must also be given to the the lady who plays Onwenu's ADC, a kind of female Martin Borman, Hitler's right hand man. Her performance may be exaggerated at times but she still pulled of a good job that.

The film itself was an entertaining one and the director tried. His fault was that he tried too much to show the wealth of the women and neglected such other areas that might have needed strenghtnening.

But this is still a good film.