Something Unusual Studios presents Jammal Ibrahim (Amir), Charles Etubieba (Kazeem), Muyiwa Ayoola (Cabman), Jemima Ousunde (Nkem), Master Adebulugbe (Young Amir), Jude Chuwkwuka (Mallam Sadan), Chris Iheuwa (Ofili), Kahinde Fasuyi (Sister Dorcas). Writer/ Director, Adenkule ‘Nodash’ Adejuyigbe; Director of Photography, Adenkule ‘Nodash’Adejuyigbe; Executive Producer, Adenkule Adejuyigbe. ©2018
A prostitute and a runaway Buku Haram terrorist strapped with explosives meet in the most uncommon circumstance in an abandoned car. Nkem and Amir introduce each other by name, and Amir shows a piece of paper to Nkem to take him to the address, which he pays for the service. But Nkem wants to change her dress before taking him to the address. In her room, Nkem sees Amir, strapped with explosives, but tells Amir, she doesn’t care, especially she gets some crispy dollars from him as a pay anyway.
Amir and Nkem are both abused as kids. We are aware of Amir, abused by Mallam Sadan, and that his actual name is Joseph, but renamed Amir by Mallam Sadan, Nkem too voluntarily narrates her story to him, once Amir tries to blame her for being an Ashawo. Her uncle has been abusing her since she was eight. And one day, she refuses to be raped because she was menstruating, he uses a hot pressing iron on the side of her face, giving her face a permanent disfigurement.
Before Amir and Nkem reach Sister Dorcas orphanage, Mallam Sadan had called there and put them on alert. While in there, the bodyguard tries to kill Amir but misses and instead gets killed. Amir takes a bullet from Sister Dorcas’s gun on the side of his stomach. He kills Sister Dorcas with a stab to her stomach. He and Nkem escape from the orphanage to a medical practitioner to stop his bleeding. Here too, Kazeem follows them to the practitioner, hit Nkem out, and kills the medical helper. When Amir and Kazeem finally meet, brings us the moment of truth in the story:
Amir, “You are not my enemy Kazeem. I had the chance to kill you at the hideout, but I didn’t.”
Kazeem, “You are not fighting the holy war, who are you fighting for?”
Amir, “This war is mine, and I will not stop until Mallam Sadan falls.”
Kazeem, “Mallam Sadan is our father. How can a servant of God be your enemy?”
Amir, “Mallam Sadan doesn’t serve God. He only serves himself.”
Kazeem, “You dishonor God with your words.”
Amir, “God will be dishonoring himself if he chose a mouthpiece like Mallam Sadan. Quran is the mouthpiece of God.”
Kazeem, “To us, Mallam Sadan is the mouthpiece of the Quran.
Amir, “We killed people, but he called them infidels.”
Kazeem, “Amir, it is written in the Quran. Is It?”
Amir, “It is in the Quran that we should live in peace with everybody.”
Kazeem, “What has Mallam Sadan done to you to deserve such disloyalty?”
Amir, “Mallam Sadan is not a true Muslim. Among his many victims was Malik. He pleasures himself with our bodies. And I became jealous when Malik one day told me how Mallam could do with him. I was jealous of him and lied about him to Mallam, and we stoned him to death.”
Kazeem couldn’t fight with Amir anymore after hearing the reason for Amir’s hatred for the Mallam but warns him to get out of town and never to hear from him. Amir, however, couldn’t make it with the bomb, but Nkem goes and deliver it to Mallam as he stands outside the Mosque. And he knows his time comes; he shouts Allah ho akbar!
The Delivery Boy is a universal theme most films exploit. And it’s not only with the Islamic religion but with Christianity as well. The abuse most people in religious authority metes on the kids they thrust in their cares. I guess you felt the cry of the reclusive Agbekoya (Kunle Afolayan) in October 1 movie, at his confession for a hatred that had been brewing in him since secondary school days. Or we simply take the anger of Prince Aderopo’s deviant social misbehavior by raping virgins before slashing their throats. They were both abused by the same priest but kept it bottled up in them until they became men. Agbekoya, in the film October 1, suffocates the priest in bed, as Amir in The Delivery Boy.
The Delivery Boy is a dark tale of abuse and vengeance. A well-rounded art film, as you can find out. The hospital Amir is supposed to have bombed is where Nkem’s brother admits, the more reason Amir refused to deliver after learning about the boy, and the relationship with Nkem. Both principal players went through a life of suffering that could be paid back only by death. I’m assuming that Nkem pays Amir’s debt to the Mallam by blowing herself up together with them. And Amir visits the uncle of Nkem just before roll-up. What do you think is Amir going to kill him, for abusing Nkem?