There’s no better way to put it: Gangs of Lagos is iconic.
The trailer promised an abundance of fist swinging, high jump leg kicking and hard head nods that’d destabilise anybody. And the movie didn’t disappoint, so now, it’s time to rank all the fights that took place in the Isale Eko of Gangs of Lagos.
The avenging of Nino
After Nino’s killers delivered his body in a wheelbarrow like they were alabarus delivering goods in Balogun market, Isale Eko was drenched in blood and chaos. Deservedly so because why would anybody kill Nino “Money is for spending” and not think there’d be consequences?
Verdict: Survivable
But the only way you’re surviving this is if you’re there to avenge Nino, or you have odeshi like London. If not, it’s sorry for you.
Obalola and Gift’s collection job
They walked into that garage in stealth mode and cleared out the place in minutes. We know it wasn’t the life Nino wanted for them, but still, he would’ve been proud.
Verdict: Survivable
You could escape the garage through the back door, or point Wemimo out to Gift and Obalola.
The unfair non-fight fight
Look, we’re still sour over this. All Ify wanted to do was sing, blow and leave the trenches with his family, but Kazeem’s bad character goons ambushed him on a lonely street. We’d ask God to judge him, but Gift took care of that.
Verdict: Sorry for you
It was a lily-livered ambush, but the survival rate is a very strong sorry for you.
Isale Eko’s Mama Ify-inspired unrest
After Mama Ify called for vengeance and a general lack of peace (she was very specific), the streets flowed with blood once more. It wasn’t the same as when they were trying to avenge Nino, but still, everyone showed up pissed AF. Once Gift blew someone’s brain off in the first 20 seconds of the fight, we knew this was it.
Verdict: Sorry for you, on all sides.
A fight that almost cost Obalola and Gift their lives? Everyone was ready, so if you were caught up in it, you’d have to be dodging blows and broken bottles till you got home.
Kash and Obalola’s 1-on-1
After fighting through the streets, a very tired-looking Obalola thought dropping his weapon and engaging in hand-to-hand combat with Kash would end well for him. It didn’t.
Verdict: Survivable, as long as you don’t cut Kasope’s neck ice.
The great massacre
RIP to the odeshi carrying London, and sorry they used your funeral to squash beef. But there was no better moment than that first pow and Kazeem’s realisation that this could be the end.
Verdict: Highly Survivable
If you have strong survival skills, and amebo is not your calling, you could easily crawl away and save yourself.
Obalola and Kazeem’s 1-on-1
RIP Kazeem, the evil you’ve done is enough.
This fight didn’t even have to be a fight. All Obalola had to do was shoot Kazeem in his wicked head and call it a day. But he wanted to form Bash Ali with hand-to-hand combat, a recurring character trait he needs to abolish because he keeps getting his ass handed to him.
Verdict: Survivable
But only if you’re on Obalola’s team, or you lie down flat, hold your breath and pray they pass you by.
