The CEO

Director: Kunle Afolayan

Starring: Angelique Kidjo, Wale Ojo, Jimmy Jean-Louis, Peter King Nzioki, Nico Panagio, Hilda Dokubo, Aurelie Eliam, Kemi Lala Akindoju

Five eligible executives from around Africa in the running for the top job of CEO of a telecommunications firm with headquarters in Lagos, Nigeria are brought together on a retreat. The objective is to pick the best candidate who will emerge from the outcome of the retreat. They’re taken to a beach resort where they are welcomed with a musical performance from musician Adekunle Gold acting as himself.

Any of them could have been forgiven for thinking that they were in for a competitive but enjoyable time. Things don’t pan out as planned. Do they ever? The story turns to a case of whodunnit. Murder meets suicide. Staying alive becomes more important than getting the top job. And the greatest of twists happens at the very end.

I enjoyed watching The CEO at the cinemas. It isn’t everyday you get a Nollywood film which didn’t get to the cinemas as an after thought. It can be frustrating for the viewer who pays the same fee to see the sharp difference in visual quality between films.

Moving on, the resultant effect of The CEO’s attention to detail is a visual quality that’s arresting. Especially before the wannabe-CEOs arrive the beach resort. Presenting a truly pan African cast, such as The CEO boasts of, is also noteworthy. This may not be a big deal to some but I have to commend all the work that went into making this happen.