Why ''Corpers' Lodge'' should be in the Cinemas

 

By Yamilenu Bamgboye

Saying it as it is always has consequences and whether or whether not I have been burned, remains a question I don't have an answer to. From the moment I encountered "Corpers' Lodge", it was very evident that it aimed to make a statement--- a we-have-come-home statement like every stand out Nigerian movie that says, "Hey yo, we killed it!"

For few filmmakers who dabbled into faith-based movies like "Breath of Life", "Heaven's Door", "God Calling", etc., I always felt they did better than those who chiefly dwell on them like MZFM (Mount Zion Film Ministry) on all grounds, especially, acting. So, with no expectations I sat to watch out of curiosity and skepticism but I got completely blown away instead. 

The movie, co-written by Damilola Bamiloye and ife James, tells the story of three young people: Daniel, Amanda and Femi-- a flirtatious, pretentious church boy. With Femi being the focal point and the centre that holds all the strings of events together, his path crosses with Amanda's, person wey no get joy. She makes a recording of him and posts it on Instagram. From that moment on, Femi's life spirals downward.

Let’s break it down: the first impression is the opening---the Amanda pepper body kind, young and sassy. It is grand, setting the right mood for the unending drama between the corp members (corpers). I don't want to believe they intended for anything unusual like that because of the natural flow or maybe they just got it right.

Next is the plot. The nonlinear nature makes it a robust multi-faceted curation comprising the concurrent run of Amanda's personal struggles, her addiction to Instagram and her open animosity towards Femi; Femi's first class church boy deception and the exploration of his sexual desires in his service year, Clara's faith in God, Anita's emotional roller coaster and Daniel's yearnings for the fulfilment of purpose. All of these are testament to the reality of today's youth both within and outside the church. The comic relief that stretches throughout the story also adds colour to it. Should there be more than one Emeka who douses tension from time to time with his unserious nature, it would have been a comic flick rather than a tragicomic.

Good scripts and good acting are inseparable. If one falls short of the other, then purpose is defeated. I am particularly wowed by the top notch performances of the guys featured on this project including new voices like Amanda (Ayomide Adufe). From the commotion in the lodge to the one in the school where they serve, to Femi's convincing lies and demonstration of antipathy towards Amanda and eventual fear of being hurt after beating up the son of a notorious herbalist, everything flowed naturally. They all killed it.

Of course nothing is perfect so is "Corpers' Lodge". First is Anita's ekun egbere. Lol. Women are wired that way, yes but displaying that quality every now and then renders it a cliché, a very disturbing practice that makes you wonder if it's aimed at drawing pity or aimed at revealing a mental deficiency. While the camera quality isn't high-class like that because of production budget, it still manages to tell a good story, making it worth a closer look by a larger audience.

If Damilola Bamiloye were an entrepreneur, this five-part series (for now) shot between March 2024 and March 2025 would have been on streaming platforms like Netflix or Showmax or even the cinemas across the country. Amazingly, he isn't. He, together with the ministry, survives on donations. That's why most of their productions lately are published on YouTube for millions of people all around the world to be blessed without paying a dime. 

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