The saying, ‘Where your power ends, another’s begins,’ comes to life in Mr comedian Mr Macaroni’s latest skit, ‘The Avenger of Nollywood’, as popular actors known for playing herbalists engage in a dramatic clash.
The skit, released on Saturday, was the second part of ‘An Ancestor Wants to Marry My Daughter’, in which veteran actor Pete Edochie played an elder seeking to marry Mr Macaroni’s fictional daughter, Motunde.
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PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that Mr Macaroni’s rejection of the 77-year-old’s proposal on the grounds of age and his cheeky reference to him as an ancestor led to Edochie disappearing with Motunde.
After years of searching for his daughter’s whereabouts, Mr Macaroni sought the help of herbalists to wage a spiritual war against the iconic actor, renowned for his debut role in ‘Things Fall Apart’ 37 years ago.
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The herbalists he approached were famous for portraying such roles in films.
The star-studded skit also featured veteran actors, including Chiwetalu Agu, Peter Fatomilola, Fatai Lalude, Adewale Alebiosu, Tajudeen ‘Abija’ Oyewole, Emeka Ani, and Harry Anyanwu, who showcased their supernatural powers.
Battle of herbalists
The skit opens with Mr Macaroni, Ajayi Korede (known as Otunba in skits), and Alebiosu entering through Edochie’s gate to confront him and take away Motunde, who is picking beans.
Alebiosu confronts Edochie, who is determined to rescue Motunde but meets resistance. Edochie, who sees Alebiosu as inferior to him in power, calls Anyanwu and supernaturally empowers Alebiosu.
When Alebiosu realises he is not strong enough to overpower Anyanwu, he summons Lalude. Lalude appears and overpowers Anyanwu, prompting Edochie to summon Ani, who then overpowers Lalude.
Lalude calls on Abija, who defeats Ani, but Edochie counters by summoning Agu, who ultimately overpowers Abija.
Agu orders Mr Macaroni to keep sweeping until he returns and then disappears, while Edochie uses supernatural powers on Otunba, forcing him to keep waving.
With Mr Macaroni and Otunba under a spiritual spell, Lalude, Abija, and Alebiosu call for a superior herbalist—Fatomilola.
The three herbalists expect Fatomilola to join them in wielding spiritual powers and breaking the spell over Macaroni and Otunba, but their expectations are unmet.
Fatomilola arrives, exchanges pleasantries with Edochie as a fellow occultist, and ultimately brokers peace.
He appeals to Edochie, who casts out the spells he placed on Motunde, Mr Macaroni, and Otunba. Motunde regains her senses and follows her father home.
The skit offered a lighthearted and entertaining tribute to Nollywood’s iconic actors.
The veterans
Fatomilola is a Nigerian dramatist, poet, Ifa priest, and prolific playwright.
In 1967, he joined the Olokun Theatre Group under the tutelage of the late Professor Ola Rotimi, a renowned dramatist and playwright at the University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University.
He was the first actor to play ‘Papa Ajasco’ the lead role in a comedy film produced by Wale Adenuga. He has also featured in several notable Nigerian films, including ‘Sango’, a 1997 epic African film produced by Obafemi Lasode and scripted by Wale Ogunyemi.
Throughout his career, he has portrayed the role of a priest in numerous Yoruba films. Some films he has starred in include Orisa Aiye, Keji, Igbale, Strangers, Love Castle, King Invincible, Ebute, and Irapada.
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Meanwhile, Edochie, widely regarded as one of Africa’s most talented actors, has appeared in hundreds of award-winning movies and stage plays locally and internationally.
He began his career as a seasoned administrator and broadcaster with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Enugu station, before rising to prominence in the 1980s when he played the lead role of Okonkwo in an NTA adaptation of Chinua Achebe’s bestselling novel, ‘Things Fall Apart.’
He received his primary education at Saint Patrick’s and Saint James Primary Schools in Zaria, Kaduna State, before attending Saint John’s Secondary School, Kaduna.
He also attended courses abroad, including studies at the School of Journalism and Television in England.
