MOVIE REVIEW: A date with Asmau

BY HASHIM YUSSUF AMAO

My lips were moist – moist in the hymn of Kabirat Kafidipe; who had wronged my intuition about “A Day With Asmau”, being mere hype and fluff. A Colossus, Kabirat has been. “Araperegangan” of “Saworoidẹ”, the savvy actress of days before the before. Very far had she come, that she had perfectly mastered the acting craft, which, she yet displayed in a tiptop movie of topnotch actors and actresses.

My first read of the movie I took as a fortuity, the second, fluke, but having read of it for the third time from a mentor, I couldn’t help my interest but visit YouTube with key search, “A date with Asmau”. It gladdened my 1hr 39 mins to have expended on a worthy movie that had garnered 264K views under just three weeks. Hence my decision to make my pen puke in the review of a third movie; just after “Citation” by Kunle Afolayan and “Eni Iyi” by Bolanle Ladipo.

Scholars of Islam, over the years, have taken various means like writings, lectures, courses, and all to explain the concept of Polygyny or make people see the beauty in it, at the riddance of emotional talks. However, regardless of how telling many of their lectures/audios/courses seem to be, many people (especially women) reneged their calling – presupposing it as a tricky means to shove Polygyny down people’s throats, or one to shift goalpost for self or gender interest. Thence, Kabirat Kafidipe thought of a different way to lay bare, what darkness signifies in Polygyny, in a clear pattern for all eyes to see – regardless of emotions, gender, class, or what have you.

Who would have thought that Asma’u, an OAP and devout Muslimah, whose proximity to Allah would not even make her see any beauty in Polygyny would end up as a Second Wife? Like many other Muslim ladies, her emotions override her from seeing the beauty in Polygyny. She had thought it would be a gratuitous insult to a pretty and petite lady of her calibre, sharing a husband and her intimacy with another lady. But, the vicissitude of life knocked, and death came calling on her husband, AbdulWahab, at his prime age. Which was when the reality dawned on her, that anyone could end up as a second, third, or fourth wife.

This, she has been foretold during a course of one of her many TV sessions, where normally shares a date with any guest invited; like Dr Fatima Habeeb (an Obstetrician and Gynecologist), Mrs Aisha Adams (a Marriage Counselor), Dr Shāykh Abdulfattah Adeyemi, (a reputable Scholar of Islam and an advocate for peaceful marital home).

Dr Abdulfattah Adeyemi had explained to her, the many reasons behind the idea of Polygyny, like;

– death of either the husband or wife

– divorce of either the husband or wife – especially when marriage was borne of deception, naivety, and other instances where Shari’a permits divorce

– escapade from marital frustrations

– the polygamous nature of men and avoidance of extramarital affairs, “side-chicksm”, among many other reasons – yet Asmau wouldn’t succumb.

At the transition of her husband to the other world, her mother would persuade her to remarry as she’s too young to live alone, especially when she’s yet to mother any child, but she would think of a way to convince her Mum, who also failed to remarry at the death of her husband(Asmau’s father). Replying to her instigation, hear her mum: “Yes I failed to remarry, but I married many heal issues; I am married to the fibroid, married to depression, but I don’t want that for you, I want you to get married”. After much ado, preparations were said and done, and Asmau ended up as a second wife to Umar, where she was peacefully received and treated, that she even invited her co-wife, Sabura Arikewuyo, on her show, where they both shared date and preached the pristine beauty in Polygyny and how Allah had saved her, had there not been Polygyny.

Like Asma’u, many ladies have once besmirched Polygyny, not until the reality of life dawned on them or their loved ones, which redeemed their view about Polygyny being a blessing, rather than a burden. Many thanks to lady Kabirat for reminding the male folks too that Polygyny is not a must, it’s only recommended if one is mentally, emotionally, and financially fit for it – and would be JUST being the main clause to it. Kabirat Kafidipe and her co-actors like Ibrahim Chatta, Afeez Oyetoro, and many others, have indeed, dished a nice spiritual meal to the world. I’ve devoured it and hope many do, too. It was worth my time and that of many others who had watched it. It’s deserving of everyone’s watch.