Director: Adeoluwa Owu
Writer: Funke Akindele
Cast: Funke Akindele, Timini Egbuson, Uzee Usman, Jide Kene, Olumide Oworu, Tobi Makinde, Genoveva Umeh, Nse Ikpe-Etim, Uzor Arukwe
Year of Release: 2023
They say three times is a charm but I say we call it a charm now- Funke Akindele’s Christmas submissions are becoming more of a pattern. And we are here for it.
A Tribe Called Judah- her recent box office smashing offering, which has now grossed 613 million naira in its first two weeks- is heavily leaned towards the messaging of her previous works.
Battle on Buka Street(2022) was a poignant exploration of familial bonds emphasising the significance of love and in A Tribe Called Judah, the message stays consistent.
As Jedidah Judah, Funke Akindele portrays a determined mother to the Judah boys(Pere, Adamu, Emeka, Ejiro, Shina) played by Timini Egbuson, Uzee Usman, Jide Kene, Olumide Oworu, Tobi Makinde respectively and she navigates their family challenges that defy societal norms.
She is industrious, strict and honest to a fault. One time, after she saved her butter-fingered son, Pere, from being a victim of jungle Justice, she let him know that she knew the allegations of theft laid against him were true but cautioned his brothers from ever selling him out.
When tragedy strikes- with Jedidah diagnosed of hypertensive chronic kidney failure, the boys forge through their differences to achieve the goal of saving their mother’s life primarily because of the values that their mother has ingrained in them.
A Tribe Called Judah is a sobering meditation on love and familial bond.
Clearly, Funke Akindele has hacked the story telling and the business part of filmmaking.
It would take a dead man or someone out of touch with any form of social media to say they hadn’t heard of A Tribe Called Judah and the timing set to when a lot of people are with family for the holidays? Funke should release a guide to making blockbusters already!
The production is exceptionally good. Adeoluwa Owu( The Griot, This Lady Called Life) as the director leaves no room for criticism.
The actors all ate too and left no crumbs. Thinking back now, I can imagine the dialogue on paper: Pack all the money, shoot him, your mask fell off etc
It doesn’t sound like anything that can get you all warm inside but because all the actors brought in their A-game, they succeed in bringing a narrative that can only be described as overwhelming to life.
Worthy of special mention concerning this point are Nse Ikpe-Etim who will forever remain a class act and Uzor Arukwe who makes the “Emeka container” stereotype more appealing every time he plays it.
While the film’s plot encounters a slight dip before Jedidah’s health crisis, it regains strength with a deftness that can only be executed by an eco writer. The titling of the film adds a gratifying layer in that its rationale gains clarity with the progress of the story.
Overall, “A Tribe Called Judah” earns its praise, offering a worthwhile cinematic experience that justifies both its cost and the lengthy queues😩.
With a solid 8/10 rating, A Tribe Called Judah is a commendable addition to Funke Akindele’s filmography, as acknowledged by XploreNollywood.
