Movement-Japa Recap, Ep.2: A Kidnap Brings Bad Luck

Vanessa Obioha

This week’s episode of ‘Movement-Japa’ dwells on the unemployment rate in the country and the frustration that accompanies it. That frustration often leads to desperation to seek greener pastures outside the shores of Nigeria irrespective of the cost.

The episode titled ‘Bad Market’ opens with Osas receiving a sack letter from the security agency he works for as well as his girlfriend Mimi losing a gig because of her looks, a subtle jab at the film industry’s practice of favouring looks over talents.

The three meet at a local bar to discuss their fate, lamenting over the unemployment rate in the country even for those as educated as Osas. The resolution for the friends is to leave the country by “any means necessary” as echoed by Shina. Osas suggests they meet with an Uncle Willy who has a reputation of helping desperate Nigerians to travel to any country of their choice.

He tells them they will go as stowaways and charges each One Million Naira. The cost sounds ridiculous to Shina who is still battling to buy drugs for his sick mother.

But Osas, calm and collected, comes up with an idea to kidnap the daughter of a former employer to raise the requested sum. Shina objects to the plan but a phone call from his sister that the drugs he bought was fake and his mother’s health deteriorating changed his mind.

The duo carries out the kidnapping but instead of requesting a N4 million ransom as earlier agreed, Osas raises the sum to N10 million to the surprise of Shina.

He manages to convince Shina but their plan swiftly hits the rocks when a jealous Mimi storms the house and discovers the kidnap. The amateur kidnappers are further destabilised when Mimi reveals that the victim’s father is a former police commissioner.

The scene brings a comedic effect with the actors’ facial expressions at their bad luck, especially Shina who keeps giving Osas the ‘I-told-you-so’ look. However, the new dilemma that the friends will have to confront in the next episode is whether to carry out the order of the victim’s mother to kill her and get an additional sum of N2 million or to let her go.

‘Movement-Japa’ shows every Monday night on Africa Magic Showcase. It is also available on Showmax.