Synopsis:
Isoken is a film written and directed by Nigerian Jade Osiberu with a romantic comedy-drama theme. It centers around Isoken Adekoya (the character played by Dakore Egbuson-Akande), who is a 34-year-old woman hailing from an affluent Nigerian family and has a steady career. However, being single at this age, Isoken also feels the pressure from her family and particularly her determined mother (Tina Mba) to be married, which is quite uncommon and rightly so, problematic in the Nigerian culture.
Isoken attends a cousin’s wedding where she meets two more men. There’s Osaze (Joseph Benjamin), a handsome and rich Nigerian who is perharps everything that Isoken’s family wants, while there is also Kevin, a white British photographer (Marc Rhys) who Isoken likes, regardless of the fact that they come from different cultures and Kevin is married.
Isoken finds herself in a society where marriage and family setting are highly valued yet she is very career oriented and doesn’t want to settle just like that. Love, family, self-fulfillment and professional career are some aspects of modern life that become a bigger headache than happiness in many ways. The film addresses major themes like identity, culture, and the challenges women face in society, but also touches upon interracial relationships in a rather conservative and traditional Nigerian environment.
Awards & Wins:
Isoken received critical acclaim for its fresh take on familiar themes within Nollywood and won several awards and nominations, including:
- Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA) 2018:
- Best Director – Jade Osiberu (Nomination)
- Best Actress in a Drama – Dakore Egbuson-Akande (Nomination)
- Best Supporting Actress – Funke Akindele (Nomination)
- Best Film West Africa – Won
- Best Screenplay – Won
The film was praised for its strong performances, relatable themes, and its approach to sensitive cultural topics like marriage pressure and interracial romance.
Cast & Crew:
- Director: Jade Osiberu
- Main Cast:
- Dakore Egbuson-Akande as Isoken Adekoya – The protagonist, a woman caught between her family’s expectations and her own desires.
- Joseph Benjamin as Osaze – The ideal Nigerian man, who represents tradition and societal approval.
- Marc Rhys as Kevin* – A British photographer who challenges Isoken’s notions of love and compatibility.
- Tina Mba as Mrs. Adekoya – Isoken’s overbearing mother, who is determined to see her daughter married to a Nigerian man.
- Funke Akindele as Agos – Isoken’s friend, who provides comic relief and is a voice of reason.
- Patrick Doyle as Mr. Adekoya – Isoken’s father, who is more relaxed about his daughter’s choices.
- Screenplay: Jade Osiberu
- Cinematography: Tosin Igho
- Music: Vince Neme, Grey Jones
IMDb Ratings:
- IMDb Score: 6.8/10
- Isoken was well-received by both audiences and critics. It was praised for its relatable and refreshing portrayal of modern Nigerian women facing family pressure to marry, as well as its nuanced treatment of cultural and societal issues, especially around the subject of interracial relationships in Nigeria. The film’s humor, heartwarming narrative, and strong performances contributed to its popularity.
Personal Insights:
Isoken, in overall pictures the Niger Delta region in Nigeria with wonderful themes associated with Nollywood Affairs like marriage pressure and family dynamics ‘but in a new dimensional fashion’. Primarily, this is the story of a woman who loves her family but is caught in a society where amnion is the final class which all other benchmarks are judged for females.
In comparison to the characters formed by others this type focus is owned by Dakore Egubason-Akande in Isoken because of her appreciative performance. An equally successful woman as many other women director to be there is only and simply an enormous pressure to “settle down” as created in Nigeria. As part of her dilemma, her struggle that she faces is how her values honouring her family and her interests intertwine, and the centre of this is on love.
The issue of race relations in the movie is also okay with the audience, and it is quite a sensitive subject particularly in Nigeria and other places in Africa. Isoken’s relationship with Kevin is thoughtful as well as complicated and shows how love can be challenged by cultural … Yet Marc Rhys plays Kevin very nicely, and naturally there is spark between him and Dakore Egbuson-Akande.
The most potent component of ‘Isoken’ is the comic relief which was delivered by the brilliant supporting cast. Funke Akindele who plays Isoken’s best friend Agos also brings in a lot of fun and helps ease the gravity of the film. She can be found making fun of the society hairstyles, which many young women of Nigeria feel obliged to parade since it is on the must-have list of a culturally amplified bride.
Another highlight is Tina Mba, who plays Mr. Adekoya’s domineering wife, Isoken’s mother. This typecasts her as the stereotypical Nigerian mother; one who disregards all the daughters suitors until she finds the ideal one for her child and how emotional and funny this process gets. The relationship that Isoken has with her is indicative of ndamilwi some of the struggles that that Nigerian parents face with their kids who are growing and trying to balance their wants in this busy modern world.
On the other hand, the aesthetics of this movie are impressive, and color photography captures the essence of Lagos cosmopolitanism and Nigerian culture in a melting pot. Also, with the help of the picture and the stylish clothes presented in the film, the characteristics of the culture of Nigeria are further enhanced and enrich the plot.
Love in Isoken is not only about romantic love; it is about the journey of finding themselves, the ability to make their own choices and the bravery to defy what society expects of them. This is a tale that not only Nigerian women can relate to, but also women from all over the world who share the similar burden of marriage and societal expectation. Among other issues, it deals with self, self-respect and the conflict of pursuing one’s goals in a society, which still emphasizes conventional goals.
Yet in a wider sense, looking at Nollywood in general, Isoken is different in the way that it is in a consumer-friendly way that has a strong dramatic element and contains a clear cultural critique. One of the reasons why Isoken, makes her directorial debut, is because in the Nigerian film industry it is not all doom and gloom, it is funny and has feelings, and she is definitely someone to look out for in Nollywood.
Cultural Significance:
Isoken addresses the issue of societal pressure on women to marry within certain age limits, a common challenge faced by many women in African societies. It also engages in a sensitive conversation about interracial relationships, confronting deep-seated cultural biases while highlighting the importance of love, compatibility, and personal happiness over societal expectations. The film is a bold reflection of modern Nigerian society, balancing tradition with contemporary views on relationships and marriage.
