Nigerian filmmaker Kenenna Obi has premiered a new short film, Ogbanje, exploring Igbo mythology alongside the experiences of young Nigerians seeking opportunities abroad.
The film premiered at the YSJ Auditorium in York, England, on September 25, drawing an audience from different cultural backgrounds, including viewers being introduced to the concept of ogbanje for the first time.
Obi, who is based in the United Kingdom, uses the traditional concept of ogbanje as a metaphor for characters caught in repeated attempts to escape difficult circumstances, while examining the realities of migration and life abroad.
‘In Igbo cosmology, Ogbanje is a spirit that visits families in the form of a child, who begins and continues a cycle of life, dying and being reborn into the same family without attaining adolescence,’ Obi said.
The concept of ogbanje has featured prominently in Igbo cultural and literary traditions, including works by Nigerian writers such as Chinua Achebe, where it has been used to portray recurring childhood death and the grief experienced by affected families.
Obi said the film also explores the socio-economic experiences of young Nigerians, particularly the complexities associated with relocating abroad in search of better opportunities.
The characters’ repeated attempts to escape their circumstances mirror what has become popularly known as the ‘japa’ phenomenon, the migration of Nigerians seeking better economic and professional opportunities overseas.
However, the filmmaker said relocation did not necessarily bring an immediate end to the difficulties confronting migrants, as they could encounter new challenges in unfamiliar environments.
‘I wanted to explore what happens when you think you’ve escaped simply by moving to another country, only to discover that some things are not about geography,’ Obi said.