Lately, the formula adopted by Yoruba filmmakers draws inspiration from the culture’s rich folklore and ancient literature. This grounds their narratives in the familiar traditional Yoruba settings, with the stacked presence of popular actors—who have become synonymous with the revived subgenre— not left behind. While this formula has resulted in one or two remarkable outings that effectively blend tradition with contemporary vision, we have also had some adaptations that struggle to strike the right balance. Ajakaju: Beast of Two Worlds, directed by Adebayo Tijani and Odunlade Adekola (two recurring filmmakers in this subgenre) falls into the latter category, where the execution of the borrowed elements is disjointed and inadequately integrated into the desired storyline.
Ajakaju revolves around a theme deeply rooted in traditional Yoruba culture: a king’s (Odunlade Adekola) quest for an heir. After several female offspring from his three wives, and pressure from the ancestral cult that threatens dethronement, the king is forced to take on a new wife. The new wife gives birth to the much-needed heirs, but then kills them immediately after their birth. This act adds a layer of mystique and suspense to the narrative.
On a wider lens away from the palace drama, Ajakaju explores the ancient Yoruba folktale about the mystical transformation of antelopes into humans. This recurring motif in Yoruba folklore establishes a link between the human and animal worlds, often serving as a powerful metaphor for transformation, destiny, and the blurred boundaries between the natural and supernatural worlds. The portrayal of antelopes turning into humans holds immense cultural significance, reflecting the Yoruba belief in spiritual transformations and the profound impact of ancestral connections on human destinies. In Ajakaju, this age-long folktale has been reimagined and brought to life through a modern cinematic lens that attempts to provide a contemporary interpretation.
But the attempt in this modern vision proves to be unconvincing since the other half of the folktale, which is the encounter and marriage of a hunter and an antelope woman, isn’t incorporated in the prologue, an animated opening sequence, where a voiceover narrates how antelopes turn into humans. This could have been deployed as a flash-forward to build suspense, provide foreshadowing, or reveal information about characters instead of preserving it for an unconvincing plot twist halfway through.
As Ajakaju progresses, it derails from its tepid plot of a king in need of an heir into an incongruous and unconvincing flashback to show that the new wife was once an antelope, then a beast, Ajakaju, who tormented the village’s forest and killed hunters after her parents were killed by a greedy hunter (Femi Adebayo). The revelation of her true identity as a beast seeking vengeance for past atrocities slightly intensifies the plot, culminating in a clash between the supernatural and mortal worlds.
That abrupt transition into a flashback depicting the new wife’s transformation from an antelope into the beast Ajakaju, driven by revenge after her parents’ tragic deaths, without any prior foreshadowing or context within the established timeline disrupts the narrative flow and diminishes the film’s overall coherence. This storytelling choice raises some issues.
Firstly, without proper buildup or hints throughout the film, the flashback, albeit a Yoruba trope for revelation, ends up jarring. This disrupts our immersion in the main plot and causes a sense of narrative disjointedness. Secondly, the story within the flashback, involving the new wife’s evolution into a vengeful beast who torments the village’s forest and hunts down humans, comes across as overly sensationalized as it’s not smoothly integrated into the overarching narrative. It results in a contrived attempt to add depth to a thinly developed character or justify her actions without adequate buildup or exploration of her motivations in the present timeline. Tighter integration of the past into present-day events could have enhanced the narrative flow of the entire film.
In these epics, there are familiar faces who bring their star power, intensity, and language skills in a noble attempt to connect viewers to the narratives. The performances in Ajakaju range from reasonable to excessive. Some actors are compelling while others fall short. Odunlade Adekola’s portrayal of the troubled king is a compelling blend of authority and vulnerability, effectively capturing the internal struggle of a ruler torn between duty and personal desires. This mirrors his role in King of Thieves and Orisa. However, there are moments where Adekola’s performance veers into melodrama, which detracts from his character’s depth. Sola Sobowale’s depiction of the king’s mother and a witch adds emotional weight to the narrative, but frequently, her performance suffers from overacting. Eniola Ajao’s portrayal of Adaralewa and the aggrieved beast, Ajakaju, isn’t admirable. Also serving as the film’s producer, Ajao lacks the intensity and fierceness of a beast-human on vengeance. Supporting actors like Fathia Balogun, Mercy Aigbe, Femi Adebayo, and Ibrahim Shatta deliver adequate performances, but their roles could have benefited from more depth and nuance to elevate the film beyond its conventional storytelling.
The subplot featuring Lateef Adedimeji as a man longing for a daughter despite his wife consistently giving birth to sons aims to highlight the irony of desires and add humour to the storyline. However, Adedimeji’s exaggerated acting lacks the emotional depth required to genuinely amuse or progress the plot. Rather than enhancing the narrative, his character comes across as a shallow caricature of old Yoruba cinema’s ways of infusing humour into a tense plot. This results in missed chances for meaningful character development.
Ajakaju: Beast of Two Worlds features picturesque landscapes and luscious traditional settings, showcasing the richness of Yoruba culture. The use of practical effects to portray the supernatural elements, such as the transformation of the beast-wife, is commendable. However, the execution of these effects falls short of delivering a truly immersive experience. The cinematography, although capturing the essence of the story, lacks innovation and fails to explore creative angles or visual metaphors that could have enhanced the storytelling. The film’s visual style settles for conventional and misses opportunities to infuse symbolic imagery or thematic motifs.
The film’s soundtrack is the traditional Yoruba music that sets an evocative tone, especially during pivotal moments. The dialogue brims with colourful idioms and Yoruba expressions, which do not add much flavour to enrich the plot. The percussion instruments and vocal chants add authenticity to the cultural backdrop. But at times the soundtrack’s integration with the narrative feels uneven, overshadowing crucial dialogues or emotional beats.
In a typical Yoruba cinema inspired by the ancient Alarinjo theatre, the king reveals that his new wife is a beast that tormented the community some years back but vowed to birth him a son to continue his dynasty and that’s why he spared her life. The film ends with this didactic traditional Yoruba theatre tone. The people converge and the antagonist, now a protagonist, gives instructions laden with social commentaries: she admonishes the community to steer off evil and embrace unity between humans and animals to avoid future calamity. While this didactic closure hinders the film’s potential for nuanced and engaging storytelling, its metaphysical denouement befits its folkloric narrative.
Ajakaju explores themes of fate, redemption, and the consequences of past actions. The king’s dilemma symbolizes the clash between tradition and personal agency, highlighting the tension inherent in societal expectations. The transformation of the beast-wife serves as a metaphor for unresolved grievances and the cyclical nature of vengeance. However, the film’s thematic exploration remains surface-level, lacking the depth or philosophical introspection found in recent comparable works like King of Thieves. The allegorical potential of the narrative, particularly regarding human-animal symbolism in Yoruba folklore, is underutilized. Despite an opportunity for the film to transcend levels and stand out amongst the Yoruba fantasy dramas, the film’s thematic impact is severely limited.
Ajakaju (Beast of Two Worlds) premiered in cinemas on March 29, 2024.
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Side Musings
- How can the King’s three wives be pregnant at the same time and give birth on the same day?
- Is Adaralewa, the King’s new wife, part demon or part divine, or fully human and fully divine? Eventually, the transformation or redemption doctrine fails to convince.
- The dialogue is brimming with colorful idioms and Yoruba figures of speech, but unfortunately, it doesn’t add much depth to enrich the plot.
