Like his best friend Obalola, Ify also lost his father at a young age and turned to the streets for survival. A gang member by day and local rapper by night, Ify is on the verge of getting a life-changing record deal when he is murdered in the war that engulfs everyone.
It is Ify’s death and the truth of his and Obalola’s father, and Nino’s murder that shakes the very foundations of Isale Eko, and unites Oba and Gift for a final clash with Kazeem.
Chike is Ify
How did you approach your role as Ify in Gangs of Lagos, and what was your experience like working on the film?
When I read the script, I mean I was excited, but I could say that one of the things I did was sample the opinions of the other characters of what they thought about Ify. Because in my head, reading the script gave me a certain way that I wanted to interpret the role, but I also didn’t want to be blindsided by the norms of what an Ify should be, or what an Ify is expected to be.
So there was guidance from the director of course, and opinions from the cast of how they would perceive Ify. So all that helped me play the role.
Ify has big dreams of becoming a successful Afrobeats artist. What do you think are some of the challenges that young musicians face in Lagos today?
One of the challenges I would say is getting to that point where you realize that you have to do the work. So, one challenge that young musicians create is just like what Ify created for himself, believing that you have to sign with a big record label before you can make any progress. Because of how artists in these big labels are doing well, it makes any artist who is up and coming or fast rising think that that’s the first thing they need.
Another challenge is having people listen to you and recognize you as an artist and of course, there’s funding. Everybody now wants to get paid for their work, on whatever scale, so that’s a challenge, I think. Funding the music at least to a level where you can even get seen and get signed by a big record label. You could even see Ify’s people supporting him, the people he calls family, his friends supporting him financially to help him pass that challenge.
What do you think audiences will take away from Gangs of Lagos, and how do you hope the film will contribute to the Nigerian film industry?
Honestly, I think there’s going to be a lot of feelings in the audience about friendship, on how strong and how deep it runs, you know there’s going to be a lot of feelings too on trust and whether you can trust the person right next to you.
So, it’s literally an emotional journey throughout, and I think it would contribute immensely to the Nigerian film industry because this film was done very purposefully, everything was intentional. A lot of effort went into making it, it doesn’t feel like just a movie but it gives you the feeling of having some sort of reality unfold right in front of you. It was as realistic as possible and I think it would also encourage the industry to maintain that standard.
What was your favorite scene to film in Gangs of Lagos, and why?
I’m a family-oriented person and my favorite scene is where Ify is with his mother and his friends and they are celebrating the family together, that’s one of those scenes that establish the bond between all the parties. He’s celebrating his child, and they are talking about how much his child looks like him, the banter with his girlfriend, that’s one of my favorite scenes, it’s just so blissful at that point.
What do you think distinguishes Gangs of Lagos from other action/crime thrillers, both in Nigeria and internationally?
For Nigeria, especially I would say, because Isale Eko is referring to a place, it’s not just fiction. You can almost feel it around you because you know the place they are talking about. So, with the action in this movie, there’s a good blend between make-believe and reality. You know the places they are talking about, the people, you know their struggles as well and I think that makes a huge difference. Maybe what I’m trying to say is that it’s indigenous.
The film features an all-star cast of Nigerian actors. What was it like working alongside such a talented group of performers?
This was a good experience. I mean, for me, I got to physically see certain people that I had only watched on the screen. So, I can say that it was a coming together of big actors and artists, and it helped establish certain relationships which I think is what art is about. Bringing people and bringing creatives together, and it’s beautiful.