Most Nollywood movies are often amusing to follow, not necessarily because of the intense emotions they evoke, but because viewers can usually predict how the story will end after watching the opening scenes.
‘Trouble In Lagos’ follows this familiar pattern, though with surprising twists.
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With Kanayo O. Kanayo playing the lead role, the film leans heavily on themes of ritualism and wealth building, a character type the veteran actor is well known for.
However, unlike many typical Nollywood films, the movie avoids the usual ending and adds a creative twist at the conclusion to keep viewers interested.
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Starring Kanayo O. Kanayo, Chinedu Ikedieze and Osita Iheme, the film promises a mix of fear and comedy. While the presence of comic actors suggests humour, the comedy moments are weak and rarely produce real laughter.
The story is driven mainly by suspicion of ritual practices, a common theme in many Southeastern films, despite the setting in Lagos.
Meanwhile, the Okwu and Uka casting try to replicate the ‘Aki na Ukwa’ characters of 2002, which portrayed the mischievous and notorious character of two brothers towards members of the village community.
Although the 2002 film was remade in 2021 as ‘Aki and Pawpaw Remake’ with a similar storyline, the reuse of the same plot in ‘Trouble in Lagos’ suggests that Nigerian audiences may have moved past the Aki and Pawpaw era.
Plot
‘Trouble in Lagos’ tells the story of two young men, Okwu (Osita Iheme) and Uka (Chinedu Ikedieze), who travel from the village to Lagos, with the help of their uncle Ikemefuna (Agba Enjoyment), in search of a better life.
They come to learn a trade under the guidance of a wealthy businessman, Chief Odogwu (Kanayo O. Kanayo), with the help of their uncle. Shortly after arriving, strange events and the Chief’s secretive lifestyle lead them to believe he may be a ritualist.
Their uncle tries to calm their fears, explaining that wealthy people are often wrongly accused of engaging in ritual practices.
Despite this, Uka and Okwu remain suspicious, especially after hearing one Chief Odogwu’s conversations where he mentioned “parts,” which they assume are meant for rituals, despite them knowing the wealthy chief is in the automobile spare-parts business.
The fear of Okwu and Uka led them to visit a spiritualist, who takes advantage of their suspicion by confirming their fears and demanding money for protection. Now, the broke boys will have to steal the chief’s resources to meet up with their seer’s demand so that the chief won’t sacrifice them for ritual.
At this point, rather than pursuing the wealth they had journeyed to Lagos for, as they were promised they would become billionaires within five years, their fears of being sacrificed never allowed them to enjoy their stay in the city.
Meanwhile, the supposed young apprentices’ strange behaviour begins to disturb Chief Odogwu, especially as they become persistent about knowing what Chief hides in his secret room, which he visits alone at night.
The duo had been relentless in their pursuit of gaining access to Chief Odogwu’s secret room, which happened to be the businessman’s vault. Although they were disappointed to find a regular room rather than a hidden, fearful room for a typical ritualist, this only doubles their suspicions.
The tension rises when the chief catches the housekeeper, Magrete (Chime Adaeze Edith), Uka and Okwu inside his locked vault, where the chief keeps his illicit drugs.
This moment changes the film’s direction. In a surprising twist, Chief is revealed to be a drug dealer, not a ritualist, which adds suspense and depth to the story.
Title vs Movie
The title of the movie feels ‘cliché’, as Lagos is known initially as a city filled with many challenges due to its large, multiethnic population and diverse business activities.
However, the film focuses more on the troublesome behaviour of Uka and Okwo, whose notoriety from the village follows them into Lagos.
The chaos they create mainly affects their benefactor, rather than the wider community or the city itself, which makes the title feel broader than the actual story.
Review
While the story eventually finds its footing towards the end, the casting of Uka and Okwo stands out as a weak point.
The actors appear too old to convincingly portray inexperienced and notorious village boys newly introduced to city life, which slightly undermines the realism of their characters.
This is especially evident in the mismatch between the casting and the Lagos setting, which makes the story feel less convincing.
The mature look in the physical appearances of the Okwu and Uka strikes a sharp contrast with the ‘Aki and Pawpaw’ character.
Hence, the movie relies heavily on the duo’s past roles in older Nollywood films, which they played in their younger years. This makes it harder to fully believe them in similar roles today, especially considering their current age and appearance.
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Nonetheless, ‘Trouble In Lagos’ manages to rise above its familiar premise through suspense and a well-executed twist, offering viewers a cautionary tale about fear, assumptions and the dangers of misplaced trust in the pursuit of survival in Lagos city.
While other elements of the movie, such as casting, costumes, and the prelude, can be improved, the movie passed a hard lesson with obvious comic relief.
Verdict: 6/10
