Áfàméfùnà: An Nwa Boi Story follows the story of Afamefuna, a now wealthy businessman who started as an apprentice under affluent businessman Odogwu. The abrupt arrest of Afam for the death of Paul makes us revisit his apprentice days and understand the history between them. Paul, who was also an apprentice, initially took Afam under his wing as a newcomer, which led them to bond and become close friends/brothers. Soon Afam settled and flourished in his position and earned his blessing. This joyous occasion was overshadowed by Paul’s jealousy as he believed it was his turn, having started before Afam. Another point of contention was Afam marrying Odogwu’s daughter, who was Paul’s long-term girlfriend.
The movie brings to light the tradition of the Igbo Apprenticeship System (IAS), how it works and why it works. The beauty of the system lies in that the businesses relinquish market share to their apprenticeships, which means that there is no dominance by a single business and there is a community of equal opportunities. This system has proved to be successful having produced thousands of thriving ventures, a notable one being Innocent Chukwuma of Innoson Motors. Read more about the IAS in Harvard Business Review.
Áfàméfùnà excels as a movie on different scales but most notably the superb acting. The scenes between Paul (Alexx Ekubo) and Afam (Stan Nze) left you stunned as they poured out their emotions on screen. The elements of betrayal, anger, frustration as well as love were masterfully portrayed. Odogwu who was played by Kanayo A Kanayo delivered remarkably in yet another show of his prowess as an actor.
The movie has its dialogue almost entirely in Igbo giving it authenticity and having you wondering if the English translations were accurate and enough. I also believe that having the dialogue in the actors’ native languages allows them to express themselves better in their facial expressions and nuances that would otherwise have been lost in translation.
As I am not Igbo and this being my first exposure to the IAS, I can not comment on the accuracy of the storytelling. However, Afamefuna as a character showcased the determination and ‘hustle’ that is often synonymous with Igbo traders.
Overall, I would rate the movie 4/5 for being easy to follow, insightful, and it’s great acting.
Afamefuna is available to watch on Netflix. Enjoy!