‘Wedding Party’ copy that falls short in several ways

Movie Title: Ada Omo Daddy

Running Time: 2 hours 5 minutes

Released Date: 15 December 2023

Directors: Kazim Adeoti, Mercy Aigbe, Akay Mason, Adeniyi Johnson, Carol King, Charles Okafor, Dele Odule, Sola Sobowale, Taiwo Adeyemi, Unusual Phyna, Tayo Faniyan, Tomi Ojo, Nkechi Blessing, among others.

Usually, fans are thrilled with anticipation for their favourite actor’s next big movie when they have been off-screen for a long time. But that is not true with ace actor Charles Okafor and Omo Ada Daddy.

Many would recall the Nollywood actor for his stellar performance in the 1999 Nollywood blockbuster horror movie, ‘End of the Wicked’, where he played the role of Chris.

The Anambra State-born actor started his acting career with the 1996 landmark Nollywood movie, ‘Domitilla’, at age 26, shortly after a six-year-long career with the Security and Exchange Commission of Nigeria.

Mr Okafor, a graduate of Theater Arts from the University of Port Harcourt, grew to fame after featuring in several Nollywood blockbuster movies like ‘Igodo’ (1999), ‘Conspiracy’ (1999), ‘The Lost Kingdom’ (1999), ‘Mothering Sunday’ (2001), ‘Saving Alero’ (2001), and ‘My Desire’ (2004), amongst many others.

After dominating the movie industry for over two decades, Mr Okafor took a break from acting while his career peaked.

After some years away from the screen, Mr Okafor made a come-back to Nollywood with an eponymous biopic of Archbishop Benson Idahosa, ‘Idahosa’s Trails’ in 2016, where he played the famous Bishop Benson Idahosa. But there again, Mr Okafor disappeared from the screen, not until the release of ‘Ada Omo Daddy’

Ada Omo Daddy is co-produced by Mercy Aigbe and Kazim Adeoti and directed by Akay Mason and Adebayo Tijani.

The movie delves into the paternity dilemma of Perosola, a young lady on the verge of marriage.

The storyline unfolds as Ifeanyi, eager to meet and walk his daughter down the aisle, pressures Ireti, her mother. Perosola’s world shatters when she discovers that her beloved father is not her biological parent, forcing her to navigate the conflicting loyalties between the man who raised her and her newfound connection to her birth father.

Plot

The movie opens with a woman running in the middle of the night with her daughter, whom we later learn is Ireti and her daughter, Perosola, fondly called Pero for short, seeking refuge amid community crises; suddenly, there is a gunshot.

The subsequent scenes narrate the life of Pero Balogun, the pride of her father, who has been announced as the successor of her father’s company. Her life was going well, as her boyfriend, Victor, proposed, and she is set for marriage soon.

But her once-perfect life is suddenly shattered when her sister, Fara, a social media influencer, keeps feeding the internet with everything happening in her family. Unfortunately, Ifeanyi runs into one of the videos and finds his long-lost daughter, Pero.

Determined to reclaim his daughter, Ifeanyi relocates to Lagos, but all his efforts were frustrated by Ireti, his ex-wife. Not until Ifeanyi brings undeniable pictorial evidence that finally captures Pero’s interest.

Amid wedding plans, Pero grapples with her uncertain paternity. She confront her mother, Ireti, who is forced to ecount their past. Ireti narrates, through flashbacks, how she falls in love with Ifeanyi during her youth service year; an unplanned pregnancy forces them into marriage, and after that, when she has given birth, Ifeanyi has a change of character, this time for the worse.

He now womanises and beats his wife, but one particular night, his daughter is convulsing and needs to go to the hospital in the middle of the night.

He chases Ireti out of the house to go to the hospital along with his sick daughter. On her way, she meets a gang fighting, and she almost loses her life and that of her daughter. That night, she swears never to return to Ifeanyi.

Ireti remarries and births two children, Feyi and Fara, and her new husband, Chief Balogun, loves and cares for Pero like his own daughter. Despite knowing that Pero is not his biological daughter, he loves and cares for her as his own.

Now, Ifeanyi strives to mend his relationship with Pero, seeking acceptance and forgiveness. Will Pero recouncile with her estranged father, or will the scars of the past prove too deep to heal?

Character analysis

Despite the ensemble cast’s commendable performance, which includes a mix of seasoned actors and rising talents, their efforts couldn’t rescue the film from its shortcomings.

While Charles Okafor has been seen less frequently on screen in recent years, he nonetheless showcased his enduring talent impressively. Unfortunately, the role he undertook did not provide him with the comeback he might have hoped for.

Sola Sobowale and Mercy Aigbe seamlessly embodied their characters, not only through their acting prowess but also in their physical presence.

Chiweta Agu, in the role of Uncle Ndubisi, consistently provided comic relief throughout the movie.

Omowumi Dada skillfully guides viewers through the narrative, maintaining engagement and interest.

However, Tayo Faniran’s performance fell short of expectations. Lacking enthusiasm, his portrayal seemed lifeless and uninspired, giving the impression that he might have been forced into acting.

Movie analysis

‘Ada Omo Daddy’ attempts to break away from the conventional tropes of wedding-themed films, delving into complex themes of paternity deception, family dynamics, and the quest for identity. Unfortunately, the film falls short of its ambitious goals, stumbling into a confusing narrative that struggles to find its footing.

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The narrative, which had the potential to be the movie’s forte, ended up being its most significant drawback.

If anything stands out in Ada Omo Daddy, it is that, unlike many films in its genre, the focus here is not solely on the wedding ceremony but extends to a narrative that navigates the complexities of family dynamics.

Despite its effort to be different, parts of Ada Omo Daddy oddly resemble the 2016 blockbuster ‘The Wedding Party’. There’s a conflict resolved during a wedding ceremony, and the characters exhibit similar personalities, with a reserved family featuring a standoffish mother and extroverted in-laws led by an exuberant mother.

The Wedding Party, a significant wedding-themed film in Nollywood, thrived by tapping into the rich traditions surrounding these ceremonies. As viewers yearned for alternative narratives, Ada Omo Daddy attempted to infuse some twists but didn’t quite hit the mark.

To avoid replication, Ada Omo Daddy introduced plot twists that needed help to justify. The film’s attempt to introduce plot twists added more confusion than depth to the narrative.

The motivations of key characters, especially Ifeanyi, must be clarified, leaving the audience disconnected from their struggles and decisions. The lack of remorse from Ifeanyi, despite confirming his neglect at the time of Pero’s birth, challenges the film’s central message.

The two-hour runtime feels misused. Ada Omo Daddy had the potential to offer a fresh perspective on family-centric narratives but ultimately succumbed to a forced plot and lack of clarity. Despite commendable efforts from the cast, including Charles Okafor, the film struggles to leave a lasting impression and falls short of the viewer’s expectations.

However, the movie enjoys good visuals courtesy of the cinematography and rich customs, and the settings were carefully selected, which could tell the story even better.

Verdict: Despite the movie’s flops, Ada Omo Daddy earned a 6/10, as it’s not a befitting comeback for an actor like Charles Okafor.