By Agbo Favour Amarachi
FUNMILAYO-RANSOME-KUTI, the historical movie by Bọlanle Austen-Peters is about the women’s revolt for equal rights that happened in 1947. Funmilola Ransome-Kuti, who oversaw the Abeokuta Women’s Union, was at the forefront of the movement alongside Eniola Soyinka (Wole Soyinka’s mother), played by Omowunmi Dada.
They both led the Ẹ̀gbá women to protest high taxes imposed on women and the marginalization of the female gender in the government. The protest forced Ọba Ladapo Ademola, the Aláké of Ẹ̀gbá Land, to abdicate his throne temporarily, end taxation on women in Abẹ́òkúta, and provide seats for women on the local council.
For her actions in spearheading this protest, Funmilayo earned the moniker “The Lioness of Lisabi.” Her heroics in the struggle for women’s rights are crafted as the focal point of this biopic, a narrative that is shored up by other pivotal moments like being the first female student at the Abeokuta grammar school and promoting education for women and children. This ensures that the inspiring character is not reduced to one popular narrative.
Many have heard of Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, the legendary artist from the 70s and 80s. But some may not know that his mother Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti was also a legend in her own right, a woman of First, first woman to drive a car, lioness of lisabi as she was fondly called, first feminist as a women’s right activist unabashedly pushing for equality in Nigeria at a time when people weren’t having those conversations.
“Funmilayọ Ransome-Kuti” emerges as a new vivid exploration of Fumilola Ransome-Kuti’s journey. From growing up and learning about the importance of education, to her groundbreaking step in becoming the first girl to attend Abeokuta Grammar School at just 13, going to London and then becoming emboldened to return to Nigeria to step into her role as an educator and organizer. Her story is really inspiring as I did not want this biopic to end.
The biopic opens with a violent raid on Fela Kuti’s Kalakuta Republic, where soldiers brutally attack the denizens, including Funmilayo. The harrowing event captured in Fela’s 1979 album Unknown Soldier, sees her thrown from a second-story window and serves as a dramatic prelude to the biopic’s broader narrative, centered on Funmilayo’s revolutionary activism in Abeokuta.
The portrayal of the character by the three actresses was seamless and is a close reflection of FRK’s real-life personality. Each actress effectively captures the essence of the character during different stages of her life. Iyimide brings to life a vibrant and fearless teenager, while Kehinde Bankole shines as the character evolves into the formidable lioness of Lisabi. Joke Silva, on the other hand, beautifully portrays the older and more serene version of the character.
On the other hand, most of the secondary characters receive a mundane portrayal. At times they are almost detached from the action, in what is possibly an intentional measure to minimize the risk of the main eponymous character being decentered. For that reason, the performances of the supporting cast are quite limited in this film.
Despite suggesting that family was important to Funmilayo, the film fails to present a proper depiction of her family in the several contexts in which they appear. Instead, we see a caricature representation of her siblings and kids in several instances like. A scene that comes to mind is a hospital visitation. Here, the acting is out of sync and the actors look like they can’t wait for it to finish. Additionally, the film presents a perplexing timeline. The rapid succession of events creates a sense of time passing quickly, although certain details contradict this perception. It makes it quite challenging to incorporate the development of her children within the film’s timeline.
There is even more confusion caused by the inconsistency in the language used. The events depicted in the film happened in the 1940s when literacy rates were low and there were fewer English speakers. Also, they must have felt more comfortable conversing in their native language than in English. Thus, it is strange that several characters speak English to each other in informal settings. It is even more strange that English would be the language of communication in a traditional Yoruba royal court.
This film also explores how the men in Funmilayo’s life influenced and shaped her character. Her father is depicted as a source of courage and inspiration, who instilled in her the values of bravery and perseverance. Her husband, Israel Ransome-Kuti (Ibrahim Suleiman), emerges as a supportive partner who, despite his own battle with cancer, steadfastly encourages her activism.
These relationships are well-portrayed, highlighting the interdependence and mutual support that fueled Funmilayo’s relentless fight against colonialism and patriarchy.
