Call of My Life wastes no time drawing you in. We immediately meet Soluchi (Uzoamaka Power), the film’s spirited lover girl protagonist, pushed around a supermarket in a shopping trolley by her best friend, Zimuso (Beverly Osu), hunting for the perfect birthday surprise for her boyfriend, Kalu (Zubby Michael). Soluchi is excited to celebrate her boyfriend with the other people in the market. Throughout the film, her heart is constantly on her sleeve, obviously feeling everything loudly and holding nothing back. Unfortunately for Soluchi, Kalu is not only avoidant, they just don’t speak the same love language.
Soluchi is a customer service agent, and everything shifts for her when a routine work call lands her on the line with Eli (Andrew Bunting), who is drawn to her for her sonorous voice. . What begins as a customer interaction slowly blooms into the relationship that Soluchi has been yearning for with a man who does not think she’s too much and is willing to love her the way she wants to be loved. She must then decide whether she is ready to love again.
Firmly in romcom territory, Call of My Life gives the genre a Nigerian identity. It runs just under two hours and leans into classic tropes such as serendipitous meetings, love triangles, and grand gestures. What grounds it is the Igbo cultural warmth running through it, it felt like a story straight out of a Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie novel. There is even a scene where Soluchi unboxes a package from Eli that contains Adichie’s latest novel, Dream Count, so this is probably not so far fetched.
With Soluchi and Eli’s relationship, the chemistry is there, but the dialogue between them often feels too neat and rehearsed, as if every exchange is carefully written to communicate emotion rather than reveal it naturally. Compare that to the Soluchi-Kalu dynamic, which feels messier and more relatable, the difference is hard to ignore.
Call of My Life is a solid and enjoyable rom-com. Here are some side musings:
Is Call of My Life the Origin Story My Body, God’s Temple Never Knew It Had?
If you have seen the Zikoko Life short film, you already know what Uzoamaka Power and Andrew Bunting are capable of together. In My Body, God’s Temple, they play newlyweds struggling to consummate their marriage. The characters are different here, but something in Power’s rhythm and delivery feels continuous, like Soluchi and Omasilu are cut from the same cloth. Watching Call of My Life, it becomes hard to shake the feeling that you are seeing an earlier chapter of a story you have already fallen in love with. Power and Bunting are, without question, a match made in movie heaven.
Soluchi’s Character Bible Shines Through Uzoamaka Power’s Entire Performance
Soluchi, who was in fact written by Power, is bubbly, expressive, emotional, and deeply intentional about love, and not a single scene lets you forget it. Her wardrobe, apartment, hair and makeup, tells you exactly who she is before she even opens her mouth. The detail that sealed it for me was her being a Johnny Drille fan. It is not a throwaway detail. Soluchi just looks like someone who owns every album and knows every lyric. That kind of specificity does not happen by accident. Power clearly knew this woman inside and out before she ever stepped on set.
Soluchi Is The Archetype That Nollywood Has Been Missing Out On
What makes Soluchi refreshing is what she refuses to do. She will not shrink. She will not dial herself down to keep a man comfortable. In many Nigerian stories, a woman in her position would compromise, soften her edges, and fight to hold the relationship together. Soluchi does not do that. She identifies what she actually needs, emotional availability, and she chooses it, even when it is uncomfortable. It is a small but significant shift, and it is exactly the kind of female character Nollywood needs more of.
Justin UG Has Arrived. Nollywood, Take Note.
It was never really a question of whether Justin UG could act. Anyone paying attention already knew, but seeing him hold his own in Call of My Life makes it clear that he is here to stay. One thing worth noting is the scene where his character loses his hearing. For a brief moment, it felt like the film was about to open up a meaningful conversation about deafness, disability, and accessibility in everyday Nigerian life, however, it did not follow through. Still, UG made the most of every moment he was given, and that instinct alone says a lot about where he is headed. If any skit maker or influencer deserves a spot in a movie, it is Justin UG.
Beverly Osu Is The Gift That Keeps On Giving
Beverly Osu’s talent has always been there. Oloture made a lot of people sit up and pay attention. As Zimuso, she brings warmth, steadiness, and a quiet kind of charisma that makes every scene she is in feel a little more grounded. At this point, the conversation has to turn from supporting roles to what a Beverly Osu led film would look like, because she has what it takes.
More Of This Cinematography, Please!
Muhammad Attah Ahmed deserves his flowers. The visual world he builds in Call of My Life is bright and deliberate. Every location feels chosen with intention, and every frame carries colour that reflects the tone of the story being told. The film creates a sensory experience that enhances the romance. This is the kind of craft that elevates a good story into something you actually want to live inside for two hours.
