Ejiofor (Uzor Arukwe) is a hardworking mechanic who loses his parents to the cold hands of death at a young age. For most of his life, he has lived in survival mode. Doing what he can to keep himself afloat. He is in friendship with a certain Chief Emeka (Tony Beshel), who happens to be his best friend.
Chief Emeka takes him out to drink and have a nice time. That seems to be the essence of their friendship for him. Every time Ejiofor brings up the topic of helping them out, he distracts or avoids the conversation. This fragmented relationship looks right on the surface, but has an unstable foundation. Their relationship reflects the toxicity of relationships that are not founded on good and godly values.
On the other hand, there is Ngozi (Bamike Olawunmi), a born-again Christian woman, serving God and trusting him for her husband. Before now, Ngozi already received a word that Ejiofor will be her husband, to the disapproval of her mother and close companion, Nneka (Liz Charleson). She chooses to wait for God’s manifestation to take place in his life so there won’t be any obstruction in their relationship.
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Unfortunately, Ejiofor only sees her as his one-time junior in school and a Jesus girl. His poverty makes him believe that he is not enough to take care of a woman like Ngozi. So, he doesn’t entertain such thoughts. Furthermore, his ‘friend’, Chief Emeka, doesn’t spare a moment to remind him of his misfortune. Unknown to him, Chief Emeka already has eyes for Ngozi and secretly asks for her hand in marriage.
Ngozi, standing strong on the confirmation she received from God, refuses his proposal and that of every potential suitor, for that matter. This leaves her mother undoubtedly confused and unhappy. She tries her best to convince her that Ejiofor is not worth waiting for and that time is not on her side. Ngozi’s resilience is baffling, and there’s tension between her mother and her. Ngozi holds it in her heart that God will perfect his vision at the opportune time.
Ngozi’s act of affection towards Ejiofor leaves him wondering why. Especially as she begins to bring food to him daily. Chief Emeka, playing devil’s advocate, tries to defile her intentions, and this makes Ejiofor more skeptical. It gets worse when he starts having dreams of himself preaching to a huge crowd. He shares the dream with his friend, but nothing fruitful is born from their conversation.
Eventually, Ejiofor awakens to his gift of healing and seizes the opportunity to shine and overcome his poverty. Despite warnings from Ngozi, he goes off and charges people for his gift. This new phase in his life also illuminates the cracks in his friendship with Chief Emeka. Ejiofor becomes famous with his gift, and he does all he can to milk it out of purpose.
Pride goes before a fall, they say. Ejiofor’s new life moves a hundred and eighty degrees when an incident raises mistrust from the community concerning his anointing. The community exposes his shortcomings, forcing Ejiofor to flee in shame. Fortunately, Ngozi’s arms remain open to him for comfort, and he expresses his gratitude towards her.
Ejiofor finally settles to listen to Ngozi’s advice and goes on to learn about God properly. He recognizes that God is the giver of gifts, and those gifts were meant to serve and not be a means to an end. He embraces the true message of the gospel and falls under the authority and teaching of a priest.
It is later revealed that his friend, Chief Emeka, is sick from contracting STDs. He lets go of the hurt from the past and lets God work through him to save his friend. Ngozi is so pleased with Ejiofor, and his transformation is a shock to all naysayers, including her mum (Oby Titus) and friend, Nneka.
All ends well as they both let God move in their relationship. There’s a beautiful conversion story around Ejiofor’s life. Ngozi’s ability to trust in the voice of God, despite the opposing voices, is a fresh sight. It wasn’t a smooth ride, but their love grew on the grounds of truth.
Ejiofor now lives in the reality of his gift, which is service and spreads joy doing so. His and Chief Emeka’s relationship also seems to have turned a new leaf, and they are found hugging.
There is a relatable and soothing feel in the movie’s transition around Ejiofor’s story. It didn’t feel rushed in any way.
I love the fact that the movie’s plot is not rushed. There is a careful thread of events. Ejiofor’s humble beginning starts it off on a clear note. The turn of events is built on the discovery of his gift. This arouses betrayal and envy from side characters. Tension simmers at this point until the story reaches its climax, where Ejiofor forfeits his own idea of how to use his gift
The Gift Within explores the themes of love, faith, destiny, and redemption. It cleverly presents the tension between destiny and choice. Though Ejiofor had countless confirmations concerning where his life was meant to be, it was still his choice to pursue it. The movie weaves spirituality with modern struggles in a beautiful setting. It demonstrates how people can turn divine endowments into either blessings or burdens, depending on how they use them. There’s also this showcase of faith amidst the voices of doubt. This makes it culturally and universally relatable.
Uzor delivers a brilliant and layered performance in his role as Ejiofor. There was never a sudden turnaround in his life upon discovering his special gift. Instead, there is a natural build-up to his character arc, including relatable mistakes that are typical of humans. This makes his character so compelling because it mirrors clearly the journey of self-doubt to self-actualization.
Bamike also embodies her role as a strong Christian woman, trusting God for the manifestation of her future husband’s ordained life. The character, Ngozi, is a typical representation of every Christian lady listening for the voice of God to know their future spouse. The tension that rises between her mother and her feels authentic. Her strong will is admirable and captivating. Every Christian lady will love Ngozi, that’s for sure.
The supporting roles, like Chief Emeka, Ngozi’s mother, and Nneka, add to the richness of the movie. All with their nuances add diversity to the storyline. There are raw emotions that spew from these characters, not the cheesy type. Chief Emeka, for instance, embodies envy and ambition. Ngozi’s mother reflects the desperation that African mothers have towards seeing their children get married. While some of them act as moral anchors, there’s also a group of devil’s advocates. Thus, creating a dynamic interplay that gives life to the story.
However, the filmmakers orally mentioned some characters but never showed them. This turn of events disappointed me because I glued my eyes to the screen, waiting to see who these people were, yet they never appeared.
When it comes to the visuals, the movie was quite ambitious. The tones and colour combinations were amazing and set in modern times. The camera close-ups were effective in capturing the raw emotions of the characters. There were wide shots that displayed when a character was praying or a ministration was going on. Overall, the transitions were smoother, allowing a cleaner narrative flow. Yet, some scenes lingered more than expected, and I didn’t think it was necessary.
The Nollywood drama, The Gift Within, is a thought-out balance of spirituality, human frailty, and redemption. I will rate it with an 8 out of 10 because of its well-layered storytelling. I believe it’s a great watch for everyone.
Catch up now on YouTube via Awele Hansel TV. Starring Uzor Arukwe and Bamike Olawunmi Adenibuyan.
