A Father’s Love

A Father’s Love is the fifth film in the First Feature project, an initiative by Steve Gukas and Dotun Olakunri that provides financing for directors’ debut feature films. Among the notable movies produced by this initiative, including Love & Life, Cake, and most recently Kill Boro, A Father’s Love arguably stands out as the best.

Directed by Sebastian Ukwa, A Father’s Love follows David Nwachukwu (played by David Jones David), a taxi driver striving to support his wife, twin daughters, and a son suffering from sickle cell anemia. During one of his trips commuting passengers he finds an abandoned child on his back seat and decides to take the child home. This sets him on a journey to reunite the baby with his parents and to clear his own name.

This movie boasts of three exceptional strengths. The first strength will be the storytelling prowess delivered by Sifa Asani Gowon. The first half details David trying to reunite Baby Auta with his parents. This takes him to the police station, the church and finally a radio station. Each of these stages presents its own set of challenges. At the police station, the deep-rooted corruption in Nigeria’s police department is starkly revealed. This state of rot is presented with a factual truth that is appalling, highlighting why citizens don’t believe the police are our friend. At the church, David feels morally conflicted about leaving the child in an empty congregation. This act will ultimately mirror the same one the child’s parent(s) did, and David being a father of three can’t abandon the child. Many people will leave the child and rid themselves of that responsibility, given the burdens back at home, so blame can’t be accorded to anyone that doesn’t stand up to such an occasion. The radio station presents a unique challenge as people greet David’s story with skepticism, prompting a DNA test to prove his intentions. This skepticism stems from widespread mistrust caused by individuals exploiting charity with false claims.

The first half of the movie follows David’s journey with Baby Auta as he moves from place to place finding his parents and trying to prove he isn’t the child’s biological father whilst dealing with the burdens at home. By the end of this section, I was curious about the direction of the story. However, this isn’t to say the journey wasn’t engaging—it certainly was. The film then takes an exceptional pivot. Nollywood movies are mostly easy to predict, but the plot twist effected here was genuinely surprising. This plot twist works exceptionally with how the story had been built up to this point. The movie adeptly sets the stage for this pivotal moment that by the time the plot twist comes through, it feels well-earned and deeply satisfying, given how invested the audience has become in the story.

A Father’s Love delves into numerous complex themes, with paternity fraud emerging as the most prominent by the film’s end. The movie refrains from taking a definitive stance on whether this act is right or wrong. Instead, it intricately explores the theme and leaves the audience to form their own conclusions. Ladi (Yvonne Jegede), engages in paternity fraud in an attempt to keep her family together. However, the film also highlights that David’s behavior significantly influences her decision. While it’s easy to hold Ladi solely responsible, David’s alcoholism and change in character are major contributing factors to her actions. The film also subtly explores the issue of men avoiding medical help for conception. It touches on how fragile egos and toxic masculinity can prevent men from seeking solutions and addressing their own fertility issues.

A Father’s Love offers a rare and nuanced exploration of themes not often seen in Nollywood. Unlike the typical Nollywood romance, which is set against a backdrop of glamorous dinner dates, exotic locations, and luxurious lifestyles, this film portrays the love between David and Ladi within the context of their harsh realities. This depiction is deeply relatable, as many Nigerians experience their own love stories in similar challenging circumstances. The chemistry and dynamic between David and Ladi in the first half of the film are so compelling that it’s impossible not to root for their reunion, even after the secrets are unveiled in the second half. Socioeconomic struggles, concepts of forgiveness and accountability are also explored in this movie.

The second standout strength of A Father’s Love is the stellar performances. David Jones David, after minor roles in Sabinus The Best Man and Omo Ghetto: The Saga, truly shines in his lead role here. His previous performances were often mediocre, but in this film, he undergoes a remarkable transformation, delivering a performance that feels tailor-made for him.

Beside him, Yvonne Jegede complements his efforts with a thorough and compelling portrayal. While there might be minor critiques regarding the delivery of some of her pidgin lines—a flaw shared by a few other cast members—these do not detract from the story’s authenticity.

The young cast, including Beloved Osagie, Ofon Success, and Darasimi Nadi, also hold their own against the seasoned actors. Darasimi Nadi, in particular, continues her winning streak from Aburo, and with the solid material she works with here, she’s able to shine without detractions; the sky’s definitely bright for this young actor. Rounding out the brilliant cast are Stanley ‘Funny Bone’ Chibuna and Uche Jombo.

The third strength of A Father’s Love lies in the masterful direction by Sebastian Ukwa. His direction is both clean and clear, demonstrating a level of finesse and precision typically associated with seasoned veterans. Remarkably, this is Ukwa’s first feature film, making his accomplishment all the more impressive. Ukwa expertly ties together the intricate storytelling and stellar performances and the result not only solidifies his name in the filmmaking world but also sets a high bar for future projects, marking him as a director to watch in the industry.

Overall, A Father’s Love is a poignant movie experience that will leave a lasting impression.