“Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti” Review: A Moving Depiction of A Legendary Feminine Force

Olufunmilayo Ransome-Kuti, mother to Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo, is remembered as one of the most important women in Nigeria’s socio political  history. Known for her women rights activism, she championed the Abeokuta Women’s Union and led the protest of thousands of women against the authorities for unreasonable tax rates and poor local representation of women’s interests. At the height of the protest, the Alake of Egbaland was forced to temporarily vacate the throne. Bolanle Austen-Peters’s biopic, titled Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, is inspired by the life of the icon, as it keys into major incidents in her life. This includes her formative years influenced by her father, during which she became the first female student of Abeokuta Grammar School; her education in London; her marriage to Israel Ransome-Kuti; her confrontation with the colonial and traditional authorities; and her efforts at mobilizing the local Egba women.

Much of the film stays faithful to history, with the obvious aim of venerating the woman for her quasi-revolutionary efforts at a time when the voices and concerns of women were suppressed. In the film, there is no Iyaloja to represent market women amongst the gathering of elders in the Alake’s palace, which is a testament of the marginalization of women in the society. Through the representation of Madam Funmilayo’s exploits, the film recognizes the strengths and beauty of womanhood and feminine independence in a patriarchal society. Across several traditional African societies, including the Yoruba culture, women are expected to be subservient to male-centric authorities and controlled by their husbands at home. But, as the film proves, besides wifely and motherly responsibilities  and feminine politesse, the modern African woman is capable of demonstrating shrewdness and political awareness. So, with the power of western education, Funmilayo is able to stand her ground, make independent decisions devoid of the direct influence of her husband and systematically revolt against a sexist and oppressive system. 

Whether in biopics or any other genres explored in Nollywood, the influences  of women have been recognized, drawing comparisons to male representations. Efunsetan Aniwura, a 2005 biopic written by Akinwunmi Ishola and directed by Tunde Kelani, dramatizes the life of the legendary Iyalode of Ibadan who, during her lifetime, was a powerful slave merchant and a stickler for the capital punishment. Powerful and ambitious female protagonists have equally graced modern stories in the Nigerian cinema, sending strong signals about the abilities of women to compete favorably and aspire to similar heights as their male counterparts in  contemporary society. The easiest reference is perhaps Kemi Adetiba’s King of Boys, a political drama in which the female lead, Eniola Salami, rising from almost nothing, survives nerve-racking antagonisms as she schemes her way through underground power and aspires to gubernatorial authority. Funmilayo’s guts in Austen-Peters’s film are just as arousing. 

Set in the 1900s in Abeokuta, Southwestern Nigeria, the film spotlights the British colonial system of indirect rule that involved the use and manipulation of local authorities against the people. Through flashback, a 77-year-old, hospitalized Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, played by Joke Silva, narrates her story to a foreign investigative journalist . Young Funmilayo in her formative years and high school days is played by Iremide Fantasticks Adeoye. But Kehinde Bankole’s body language, a solution of unfeminine sangfroid and feminine tenderness, brings the youthful version of the character to life. The opening scenes feature footage of a Fela stage performance, media reports, the fictional scene depicting the invasion of Kalakuta Republic, Fela’s home, and the physical assault of the aging Madam Funmilayo.  The assault was possibly collateral damage in an attempt to get back at her singer-activist son Fela who, at the peak of his career in post-colonial Nigeria, posed a threat to the military government. She would die of complications from the injuries sustained, although this is not graphically captured in the film.

Funmilayo is dubbed the “lioness of Lisabi”, a sobriquet  she earned due to her cultural heritage (being a descendant of Egbaland) and her fearlessness akin to that of a lioness. Lisabi was a legendary warrior of ancient Egbaland who led the people to rebel against heavy taxation and achieve independence from the Oyo Empire at the time. Moments with her father, as depicted in the film, reveal his active involvement and contributions  to her becoming a resilient and culturally aware woman. The acknowledgement of African tradition is, for instance, evident in the meeting with the Ransome-Kuti family during which she respectfully disagrees  with Reverend Josiah , her would-be father-in-law. 

Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti brings together history and sleek storytelling, its screenplay credited to Tunde Babalola. Having partnered with other filmmakers on productions like October 1, Last Flight To Abuja and Citation, Tunde Babalola enjoys a reputation as one of the most dependable screenwriters in Nigeria. His narrative genuineness and penchant for a writerly style shorn of redundancies comes to play in Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti. But then, the historical faithfulness of the film remains relevant in modern discourses, speaking to the perennial vision of feminism and related issues of women empowerment.