A Tribe Called Judah

A Tribe Called Judah tells the story of Jedidiah Judah, a resilient single mother raising five sons from different fathers. The film explores the challenges of single parenthood and confronts the societal stigma associated with it. The film stars Funke Akindele, Jide Kene, Timini Egbuson, Tobi Makinde, Uzee Usman, Olumide Oworu, Uzor Arukwe, Nse Ikpe-Etim, and Genoveva Umeh, among others.

I really enjoyed this film. Everything about it was so well done. The storyline and the dialogue were topnotch. The film was so chaotic but in a good way, as there was a lot happening but it was focused on one story — the struggle of a single mother raising five men. Although the film touched on a lot of serious issues, every scene managed to infuse humour seamlessly.

My favorite scene was in the very beginning when we were being introduced to each character. Someone had insulted Jedidiah while she was out with her youngest son, and he called his four brothers who left everything they were doing to go and defend their mother. I love captivating intros, and this was a perfect way to grab our attention and give us a glimpse into the Judahs’ world.

The cast was fantastic; each character excelled in their roles. The directors skillfully ensured a balanced performance, preventing any actor from overshadowing the others.

Chigozie, played by Uzor Arukwe, stood out as my favorite character. His accent, expressions, and costumes were spot-on, perfectly capturing the essence of a self-centered Igbo trader. His versatility as an actor makes him one of my absolute favorites in Nollywood.

Testimony and Ejiro’s love story was also pretty hilarious and a great addition to the movie altogether. Although their love story wasn’t fully developed, I understand that it was included for comic relief. At the end of the day I found myself rooting for their love, especially because Testimony emerged as the real hero in this film.

I love how strategic Funke was in choosing each character. Each character represented a different tribe and a different sales pipeline eg Uzee Usman to cover the North, Jide Kene for the Igbos, Tobi Makinde for the Yorubas, etc.

All that being said, there were still a few unanswered questions:

• What happened to Grandma Judah?
• Did the security man ever make it to the US?
• What about Collette or should I say “Corret” 😂 and her gang? Were they killed or rescued by the police?

I thoroughly enjoyed the film! I deeply admire Funke Akindele’s talent, and watching this in a London cinema was a fantastic experience. Hoping the success of this cinema run paves the way for more Nollywood movies, including premieres, in UK cinemas! A massive congratulations to the team on making this the highest grossing Nollywood film of all time, as it just recently passed the 1 billion mark!

This film is a solid 8/10 and is still showing in cinemas across Nigeria and the UK.