In pursuit of the postmodern African marriage
I watched Andrew Dosunmu's 'Mother of George' finally.
I’m a filmmaker, well at least attempting to be one. Since I can’t afford formal film school, I have concocted a makeshift curriculum as a substitute. Pretty much watching a lot of beautiful films, in hopes of creating many myself. Last week, I watched Mother of George. The second directorial debut by Nigerian artist Andrew Dosunmu had me conflicted about African women, men, and our marriages.
The romantic drama narrates the marriage of Ayodele and Adenike Balogun, Yoruba newlyweds in need of a child, preferably a son. While the story’s setting is their Brooklyn restaurant and apartment, it still feels like you’re in some Nigerian metropolis due to the Balogun’s strict adherence to their cultural traditions and superstitions.
“It is the habit that a child forms at home, that follows them to their marriage.” -Some old African adage
Darci Picoult’s screenplay is poignant but yet brief. A complex story told in short scenes, where what isn't said is more important than what is. Dosunmu’s photography background aids itself in how terrifically shot and colored the entire film is. Scenes stick to two color themes: gold and indigo.
I could go on and on about the filmmaking techniques, but I have written you today to discuss the African marriage, particularly the postmodern one.
Being in love while African
Being African is not the issue when it comes to love, it’s more the “colonial roots of gender inequality”. Remnants that further enforce men as providers and women as loyal subordinates. Today in more modern African couples, these roles have not disappeared but just heavily camouflaged. Like the Nigerian Ph.D. candidate who watched me buy Plan B, even though the hiccup was a matter of both our concerns. Or the big-time Ghanaian artist who nervously asked me for money. And when I provided, ghosted me afterward. Too embarrassed to admit he couldn’t repay the loan.
The crux of Mother of George is a very fixable problem turning into a larger one due to these systems. Ayodele and Adenike want a child. They can’t get pregnant, and instead of agreeing to a doctor's visit, Ayodele’s patriarchal pride resists. Adenike wanting nothing more than to be a mother, sleeps with his brother. According to her mother-in-law, it's the same bloodline so it shouldn't matter. Do you see how easily that could have been avoided?
