Editi Effiong’s The Black Book is the coolest thing that happened over the weekend. The movie’s lead character, Paul Edima (Richard Mofe Damijo), has Nigerians in a chokehold.
Paul led a quiet, yet fulfilling life until the Nigerian Police brought their wahala. They shot his son Damilola Edima (Olumide Oworu) and tried to frame the deceased young man for a kidnapping.
Edima’s response to this was basically“Una go see crazy”.
If like him, people are testing you, learn a thing or seven from the way he approached his problems.
Lead a quiet life
To unsuspecting neighbours, Edima, a former hitman was nothing but a deacon, a father who mostly existed for the happiness of his only son. He was Uncle Paulo; the neighbour who had the community’s interests at heart and would always go above and beyond to offer a helping hand.
That’s how he stayed safe for so long before Nigeria finally happened to him.
Military background is a must
Senator Dipo (Patrick Doyle) and Angel (Sam Dede) almost shat their pants when they found out Paul Edima was the father of the child they’d murdered and tried to frame for kidnap. You can only have this “not to be fucked with” effect on people when they know the level of physical carnage you’re capable of.
Have a secret room
So that under the bed wouldn’t be your only option when armed robbers or hired assassins storm your apartment. This is your call to convert that unassuming wardrobe in your bedroom to your secret bunker.
Always be a step ahead
How else will you explain Paul Edima comfortably handing a gun to General Issa (Alex Usifo), knowing what the good general is capable of? He’d emptied the bullets before giving him the gun. Your ops will be wise, but you need to be wiser.
Hold your day ones close
Paul Edima won in the end but that battle would have been lost if Big Daddy (Shaffy Bello) hadn’t come through for him with her baddie army. Do you see why it might be dangerous to use scissors to cut people off every three market days?
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Learn how to swim
Our dear deacon wouldn’t have survived if he didn’t know how to swim after the popo tossed him into the ocean. So, I ask you, as a grown adult, why don’t you know how to swim? It’s literally one of the most important survival skills. Fix up.
Keep a black book
In the wise words of Burna Boy, “You go explain tire, no evidence.” Paul Edima knew this. That’s why he kept a record of those involved in his past criminal activities in a black book. If you must go down, don’t go down alone.
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