Black Panther is a movie that sparked the interest of many, both for and against, depending on the part of the racial divide you belong to. It was a dynamic movie that portrayed a hero who fought for his right to be king in a fictional African kingdom called Wakanda, where all the tribes lived in harmony and were far advanced in technology when compared to the rest of the world.

From the premise alone, it can easily be seen why Black Panther was controversial on release as the movie held different meanings to different audiences around the world. We are not here to discuss the differing viewpoints held by the western world on the movie. We are more interested in what Black Panther means to an African audience living in Africa.

A United Africa

Black Panther, to some Africans, portrayed what it means to be a united Africa. In spite of the differences in culture and tribe, Wakanda showed how citizens of an African nation can come together as one.

The subject of unity is usually an elusive goal in many African countries. This is evident in African countries like South Africa, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sudan etc who have fought several civil wars in the past, gone through segregation and disintegrated into different countries.

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” Unity is usually an elusive goal in many African countries

– AMDB.tv (2020)

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Most African countries still have a problem with tribalism, a by-product of an earlier colonization by the West that saw different factions and tribes, lumped together as one country making unity a hard enough goal to achieve. But Wakanda debunks this fact showing instead that there is strength in diversity. In fact, Wakanda owes its technological advancements to the synergy between the different tribes.

Black Panther shows Africans what we have known all along: That we are capable of much more only if we look at our potentials and unlock our resources to develop our countries.

African Politics

In the world of African politics, being a ruler or even getting to a position of leadership sadly requires a great deal of corruption and nepotism. Which in some cases, due to unfair or rigged elections, can lead to civil unrest or political crises.

In Black Panther, we see the tussle for power between T’challa and his cousin, Erik Killmonger, as almost ‘civil’. This depiction of civility of a political power conflict is almost fictitious as it fails to show the reality of political conflict in Africa even though some countries have shown good sportsmanship in recent years after the loss of an election like in the 2015 Nigerian election.

In Africa, instead of a duel, it’s mostly military coups and distrust in the other tribesmen in power which leads to mass genocides like the Rwandan genocide in the 1990s. Though Black Panther tries to showcase the conflict that can occur when a tribe is turned against another, it fails to show the consequences that come with such conflicts.

Africa and Tech

It is common knowledge that the start of civilization was in Egypt. However, that has not translated to a technologically advanced Africa. Which is why Black Panther’s portrayal of Africa as an advanced technological nation whose location is unknown to the world seems even stranger than fiction.

In this regard, the nation of Wakanda to most Africans is almost alien, with their flying hover jets, futuristic beads and advanced medical technologies that supersede the ones in the West. It’s almost like a White man’s futuristic country with African tribes running around in it.

To put things into perspective, Africa is the continent with the largest number of third world countries and is also home to some of the poorest countries in the world. Most of the countries across Sub-Saharan Africa are also underdeveloped with only a few countries having some level of advanced technology but nothing comparable to the US or China.

It begs the question, how did the fictional country of Wakanda come to be? It is clearly not based on any one African country but from a perceived image of what African countries can be without the corruption, civil wars, nepotism, and tribalism.

Conclusion

Black Panther is an astounding movie. Its story is superb, the visuals are top-notch and the actors are some of the best black actors you’ll ever see in Hollywood. (Edit: Chadwick Boseman, 42, died of colon cancer on the 28th of August 2020. May he rest in peace)

But where it falls short is in its portrayal of Africa to the world. It gets points for giving the world its first Marvel superhero on screen. Viewers may be able to glean a glimpse of Africa from it but not the entirety of what it means to be truly African.

Tell us in the comment section what you thought of the Black Panther movie.

The original movie, Living in Bondage, was a charm and saw the likes of Kenneth Okonkwo, Kanayo O. Kanayo and Nnenna Nwabueze in their breakout roles. Living in Bondage was one of the precursors of change in the Nigerian film industry and ushered in the era of Nollywood.

Now, twenty seven years later, the sequel, Living in Bondage: Breaking Free, has been released. Read on as we delve into both movies, compare the two, discuss the impact of the first movie on Nollywood and find out if there was really a need for a sequel.

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Living in Bondage (1992)

The story follows the protagonist, Andy Okeke (Kenneth Okonkwo), who joins a secret cult, introduced to him by his friend, Paul (Okechukwu Ogunjiofor) and makes a Faustian bargain in exchange for earthly riches.

After getting rich, Andy is haunted by the ghost of his wife, Merit (Nnenna Nwabueze), and his material gains is mirrored by his psychological loss.

In the denouement, Andy is taken to church by a prostitute, Tina (Rita Nzelu), where Andy confesses his sins to his mother-in-law, gains redemption and worships with the Evangelical Christians after being cured.

Living in Bondage Breaking Free (2019)

The sequel focuses on Nnamdi Okeke (Swanky JKA), the secret offspring of Andy’s second wife, who in his quest for a luxurious lifestyle follows in the path of his father.

Subsequently, after meeting billionaire, Richard Williams (Ramsey Nouah), Nnamdi is initiated into a secret cult called the Brotherhood of the Six, an offshoot from the cult in the original. Nnamdi’s association with this cult makes him extremely rich.

Andy Okeke, with the help of an investigative journalist and blogger, Uzoma (David Jone David), who is currently investigating the suspicious murders surrounding famous billionaires, join efforts to save his son, Nnamdi, from the cult before it’s too late.

Comparison

Both films are critically acclaimed movies. While the original was known for influencing what we know as Nollywood today, the sequel has not only become a box office hit but has ranked as the eighth overall on the list of highest-grossing Nigerian films of all time, which is no small feat. We have also included it together with the original on our list of Top 100 African Movies of All Time

The first movie Living in Bondage, displayed new ways of making Nollywood movies with the direct-to-video production. A superb plot and the use of the indigenous Ibo language made it an instant cross-cultural success that would set the bar for many more Nigerian films to come.

Living in Bondage: Breaking Free capitalized on the success of the original, with Veteran actor, Ramsey Nouah, together with screenplay writers, Nicole Asinugo and C. J. Obasi, delivering a masterpiece in 2019 and what would become the standard for sequels of Nollywood classics to come.

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Read: 10 Best African Movies In 2019

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Without showing a single flashback scenes, a tool mostly overused by other Nollywood sequels, the writers reminded us of the original plot of the first Living in Bondage movie with themes of wealth, occultism and the stigma of being poor. From the opening scenes, where a girl is beheaded for a ritual sacrifice, viewers are reminded of the series of events that made the 1992 blockbuster a hit.

The importance of the sequel cannot be overemphasized, as it has laid the groundwork for how sequels of old Nollywood blockbuster movies should be done.

The well-written script was perfectly matched by Nouah’s fresh directorial skills that depicted Nnamdi’s vain quest for the luxurious life in a glamorous and opulent manner, without diluting the real essence and message of the film.

At the 2020 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA), Living in Bondage: Breaking Free went on to win 7 awards out of 11 nominations.

The awards included a Best Overall Movie and Best Director wins for Ramsey Nouah and Steve Gukas.

Living in Bondage was available on VHS when it first came out, but as of 2019, you can see it for free on several YouTube channels with a 5-hour run-time. The sequel, Living in Bondage: Breaking Free can only be seen in cinemas around Nigeria at the moment. We hope to see it soon on either Amazon Prime Video or Netflix.

Edit: Living in Bondage – Breaking Free is available to watch on Netflix starting from May 22nd 2020.

Conclusion

With countless rave reviews and the positive reception of the sequel, Living in Bondage: Breaking Free has without a doubt, been a successful follow up to the original release.

Tell us what you think of Living in Bondage: Breaking Free in the comment section.