When EbonyLife released the trailer for Oloture a few weeks ago, we were on the edge of our seats.
The thriller about a young and naive investigative journalist who goes undercover as a Lagos prostitute to expose human traffickers premiered on Netflix on Friday, 2nd October 2020, and it certainly didn’t disappoint.
There’s one thing that sticks out in Oloture, and it’s research. The movie, directed by Kenneth Gyang, portrays the prostitution world in Nigeria somewhat convincingly: traffickers running cover-up businesses; pimps becoming redundant in the prostitution business. It shows the lengths people go to get what they want: frustrated and desperate women searching for a better life at all costs and devious traffickers preying on that desperation to cash out.
While we are drawn to sympathy for the lead character, Oloture (played by Sharon OOja), the struggles of other characters are also relatable — feeling out of place, losing a loved one, fending for a family and fear.
In Oloture, characters submerge themselves into their roles. Omoni Oboli, who plays Alero, the madam in charge of trafficking the girls delivers an astute performance. Blossom Chukwujekwu, Oloture’s boss (and probably lover), also bodies his role as a helpless but worried character.
Although there are a few pitfalls such as the unresolved story on the relationship between Oloture and Emeka and that bathroom scene between Emeka and Sir Philip, Oloture is an impressive movie that tells an important story with a great delivery.
We can’t wait to see what else Kenneth Gyang has up his sleeves.
