Chapter 2: Documentary Wahala and Online Fire

For end of June, one documentary just blow everywhere, trend scatter.

If you see as people dey forward am for WhatsApp, even my mama for Enugu send am come give me, ask whether na juju dey inside my matter. Nigeria own na like this, gist dey fly reach all corners. Even people wey never watch film before dey rush YouTube for this one.

As dem upload the video, everywhere just scatter with attention.

You fit hear am for beer parlour, you fit see am for Okada man phone—everybody dey watch, dey analyze. Some dey do like say dem sabi us pass ourself. E surprise me how quick matter dey spread.

The director, wey don die ten years ago, resign him work when dem tell am say na cancer dey worry am. The man carry big bag and camera, waka for the last journey of him life, dey record people and things wey e see. E tell him friends make dem edit and upload am after ten years, as him last message to the world.

People for industry still dey respect am—na old oga, no dey do anyhow. Dem say the man even dey use small sense dey preach, na why e no wan release am sharp sharp. Ten years, e for dey heaven dey sip palmwine, dey laugh as our gist dey spread.

The first two episodes, na mostly pity and respect full the comments, people dey hail him courage to face death like that.

All the Alhajis for newspaper column dey write tribute, even radio presenters dey play him favourite highlife song. People dey pray for am, talk say e get mind, e no fear death.

But as dem drop the third episode, na there everywhere burst.

Na so my phone begin dey hot, notification dey vibrate like generator wey no wan start. I begin wonder wetin dey happen, until I see my face for Twitter front page.

At exactly thirteen minutes, twenty-two seconds inside episode three, person wey nobody expect just show face—

Somebody for background just shout, "Ah! Na that Suleiman be that?" For that moment, everywhere freeze. All the small groups online begin carry am, dey analyze.

—Suleiman Anjorin, wey now everybody sabi for film industry.

That time, e just be one extra for Palm Grove Studios, face still dey show small small fear and inexperience.

For the video, you go see as Suleiman dey look ground, him hand dey sweat. You fit hear him voice shake when e dey answer question. Na innocence full him eye.

But na me be the real focus for that episode—Ify Chukwuma, him babe that year.

As the camera pan to my side, I dey shine teeth, dey show confidence wey I no even sabi say I get that year. My friends dey talk say na stubbornness be my superpower.

The twenty-three-year-old Ifeoma Chukwuma, eyes full with love, just talk boldly for camera:

"I swear, Sule go surely turn movie star. If e no happen, I go do handstand crawl for Zuma Rock!"

Na so everybody burst laugh that day. Even camera man sef nearly fall for ground, laughter wan scatter everywhere. E remain small make person bet money for me that year.