"Expensive Househelps" and the Fantasy of Realism

 

By Olumide Labulo 

There is no denying the fact that Nigeria is gradually tilting in the direction of free premium entertainment on different streaming platforms with YouTube at the forefront. As sweet as this may sound, pay TVs like DSTV, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Showmax and Iroko TV that shut down their operation in Nigeria over a year ago are feeling the heat terribly. For Iroko TV, their $100 million investment was a mistake that could have been avoided according to Jason Njoku who narrated how hard they tried to survive in Nigeria. For DSTV, the continual and not necessarily reckless but compulsory increase in subscription for survival and maybe profit has been their greatest undoing in Nigeria's harsh economic environment. While Amazon and Netflix have cut down on their huge investments in local contents because of the same reasons, YouTube seems to be thriving. With it's own style of operation; offering premium contents at no cost (except the without ad thing now), it has provided an enabling environment for local contents to thrive and many Nollywood actors/companies like RuthKadiri247, Omoni Oboli's TV, etc. are taking good advantage of it. Different strokes for different folks you will say, right?

Ruth Kadiri's latest comic flick, "Expensive Househelp" published on May 22 on this pĺatform, has garnered over 3 million views. It's also earned encomìums from  her fans and followers. You see ehn, this life can be very funny. You don't know what exactly will resonate with people while you do your thing. And when you miss the mark, the kind of bashing they will give you ehn, you would hate your life. Lol.

"Expensive Househelps" chronicles the life of two housemaids: Obehi (Ruth Kadiri) and Iboro (Sarian Martins) --- one is of Calabar stock while the other is of Edo stock--- who have been brought to Lagos to work and earn a living. Funnily, Obehi seems to have an agenda of her own secretly lurking in her mind. Hence, she is determined to do whatever it takes, including offering sex through seduction to her employers to secure a permanent place in their lives. With this attitude, she influences Iboro and projects her seductive ideas into her weak mind. While Iboro tries and fails with her "widower" boss, Obehi always gets evicted eventually. Though she remains undeterred until she meets a psychotic guy who wants her for keeps at all cost. 

Desperation is a bitch you might say, hun? But it is exactly what we all do; we are always caught in the web of our own fantasies and ideals. Always wanting things to be exactly like our imaginations: fast cars, quick money, dark tall and handsome, perfect love, etc..So, we try hard, believing if pursued hard enough through manipulations and shortcuts can become reality without consideration for consequences. 

Iboro on the other hand is an epitome of the controversial "If you love something, let it go. If it's yours, it'll come back". Like her feeble mind, many are dragged into fantasies not their own, believing they’re chasing something real when they’re merely tools in someone else’s illusion. No thanks to Obehi. But fate has good plans for her. Another accidental typicality of the proverbial "What works for A doesn't work for B".

Conclusively, the fantasy of realism is a mirror that reflects our desires but distorts our judgment. It questions whether what we pursue is truly ours or just a dream fed to us by society, Nollywood, and our hungry hearts.