Chiwetalu Agụ and the Biafran Sign

By

Obododimma Oha

Chiwetalu Agụ is known in Nollywood for comic displays and utterances. When I first saw him dressed in the Biafran outfit recently and being harassed by the Nigerian military, I thought that he was just making a film. But, no. It was not film shooting. It was real. The man was reported to have been arrested by the military and later by Department of State Services (DSS). He was arrested for the sign on his attire. The sign was considered offensive and opposed to the privileged Nigerian sign of nationhood.

So, there was that urge to write a blog article about it, after all one belongs to that sinful and adulterous generation looking for signs! It is worthwhile to join in laughing at signs and costumes that end up in the courtroom to debate signification in the time of global trouble.

This is good enough for a film script. When Jonathan Swift was writing about a war between the people of Blefusco and the people of Lilliput over from which part an egg should be opened before the egg is eaten, we thought that he was taking satire too far. But now we have seen the ridiculous situation in other shades. A sign of difference on costumes is taking human beings to court. They could even have killed themselves!

A sign is a sign when it stands for something. It is only psychological. That relationship of something and something may lead to assumptions and regrettable consequences.

So, Chiwetalu Agụ is now the sign, no longer Chiwetalu Agụ. Even if he does not put on the costume later, he is still the sign.

But there is also an emerging, laughable part: there is the link between symbolic costuming in Nigeria and laughter in the presence of an injured law enforcement. The attitude of law enforcement is really laughable, even comic. They can arrest a youth and rebarb the hair. There was even a time that black-colored cars in some countries are only for the police. Who are you to be in black? Are you police? They can even arrest me for expressing my view in a blog article. Now, they are arresting the Biafran  sign. Who says there is no comedy in modern African politics?

There is one thing with movie actors like Chiwetalu Agụ. You can't tell when they are laughing and when they are crying. Could it be that they are crying their laughter and laughing their cry? Is it not possible that this whole thing in society is becoming one big comic drama to them and all of us are acting? Yes, a ridiculous social drama. Maybe a movie now because we are supposed to embrace modern culture.

Chineke! Ara nwaanyị Asaba!

So, we have become actors, even without going for an audition! No sweat. After all, these days one can study mathematics in the university and be an actor finally. It is just a pursuit of something.

Don't mind them, Chiwetalu. I can guess what is happening. Some people are just jealous of your costume. They should have been humble enough to approach you so that you can teach them. Don't mind the jealous, overzealous fellows.

Ara nwaanyị Asaba! 

And don't be worried. You are not alone in bringing to our focus this epic movie. You have got some followers already. I saw some video clips of people sitting on the road, donned in the costume, even some mothers carrying their babies with clothes designed with the sign. Ara nwaanyị Asaba! Haven't you started a theatrical revolution? 

This Ara nwaanyị Asaba revolution may even be advertised by those who pretend to oppose it. Let's wait and see. Let's wait for the person giving us a haircut to travel round our heads. It's a burden that one has placed on oneself.