Foreigner's God (2019) Movie Script
Everything begins with darkness.
In creation
according to the holy book,
...In the sky and on the
land and everywhere, there is darkness.
This story is no different.
Wake the foreigner.
Now Children,
have you all done your house work?
- Yes Sir.
- Good.
I've washed all
the plate in our house.
- Mm-mm, good.
- I've filled the pot with water.
Ah-ah.
Now that I'm satisfied
that you have all done your house work,
can you clap for yourselves?
Good.
So, we can now begin
our story session for today. Mm?
You know I'm an old man,
I can't even remember where we stopped.
Can any of you remind me?
Father, please start from the beginning.
You want me to start
from the very beginning?
Yes, sir.
Alright.
I think it's a story of three people. Mm?
One is Nweri,
the other is a man whose skin color...
is that of spoilt milk.
And the third person is
a man from two worlds
looking for a home, right?
- Yes, sir.
- Good.
Yes, Chima.
What is Nweri?
Nweri is a man or woman
who can take the face of anybody who
or she wants to commit some atrocity.
Can also transform into an animal,
depending on what
he or she wants to achieve.
So, we shall begin our story today.
Our story begins at night.
You see...
One night...
God bless Nigeria!
Ayke,
Ayke what happened to this lens?
Ayke!
Ayke!
What's wrong?
The telegram said
our liaison has no time to spare.
- You okay?
- Yeah, I'm fine, I'm fine.
We can't keep Lord Walker waiting.
So, I... I'll take this.
No, no, no.
I'll sort it out. Just go get him.
Go get the guy.
Alright, Ayke.
Run!
Sir!
Do you see this?
Here,
I think...
I think this is our guy.
- Sir!
- This is the liaison.
Sir, welcome. I'm John.
The chief steward of my Master.
Master Judge SS Walker.
- Right.
- He sended me here.
- Thank you, John.
- You are Mr... Paper... uh...
- Pepper Claude.
- Pepper Claude.
- Yes.
- Oh, yes!
Yes, you're welcome,
you're welcome.
This is Ayke, he's my research assistant.
- Oh! Welcome. Welcome.
- Thank you.
Uh, Ayke is in fact,
that's short for Ikenga.
Yes um...
Ikye for Ikenga.
- Oh, Ikenga? Ah-ah.
- Yes.
You're from the eastern part?
- Yes, of course.
- You're Igbo?
Yes.
- Yes. Yes, yes.
- Eh-eh.
So, what are you doing here?
Well, he is here cause
- he's my research assistant.
- I'm Igbo. Yeah.
Okay. It's all well.
Good. Let me help you.
- That's it?
- Yeah, this one.
You're ready.
Thank you.
So you're after the mask of An...
What exactly is it?
It's called the mask of Anyawu.
It's a mask of the people of Umuchu.
Which I hear is only
an hour's journey away from here.
We intend to go we have some research.
You're going to the
land of those savages?
Savages?
Look...
How did you find out about Umuchu?
How did the mask come all the
way from England and go there?
Well, as it happens,
my assistant heritage is from there.
Good evening, Mr. Walker.
You sure do have uh... a beautiful home.
Who's let that bloody monkey in here?
- Calm down, Mr. Walker!
- John, bring me my gun.
This is my assistant.
- In the king's name who let this man in?
- Hey!
Give me my gun, John.
You have a monkey
for your research assistant?
Give me my gun, John! Give me my gun.
Mr. Walker... Mr. Walker, please!
Mr. Walker!
This is my research assistant.
He is the one who told me about Umuchu.
- John, would you take this.
- John, go.
I understand that
I'm a guest in your home tonight,
but I will not sit here and accept you
speaking to him in this derogatory manner.
His name is Ayke.
No, Pepper.
Ayke sit, it's fine, it's cool.
From this letter,
I'm authorised to give you any assistance
you wish on this documentary.
This...
search for the mask...
Mask of Anyawu.
But one of the forms of assistance
includes making sure you're unharmed.
But it's in my best
interest to warn you, that
blacks, have an unevolved intelligence.
They are of a lower level than we are.
You must understand that,
because you are putting
your safety at joepardy.
Do you understand that Ayke here
is one of the most intelligent and
compassionate man I've ever worked with?
You couldn't.
You'd never opened your mind
to a possibility such as that.
Pepper, the fact and reality is,
you can take a circus lion
and you can train it
to jump through hoops of fire
but you will never make it a toad.
Boy, have you visited this place before?
- Never.
- Do you know the
ways and customs of the people?
Not directly.
My father use...
My father used to... my... my father...
Stop! Stop!
Your father, nothing. Listen Pepper,
you're going into
the darkest area and it's a death trap.
The fact of the matter
is though, you've set your mind on it.
So, I'll grant you
assistants from my side.
I will send with you one of my slaves.
- Slaves?
- He knows the
ways and the customs of the people there
he will guild you.
Further,
I will give you a letter you can bear and
give to the plantation head
who is also one of my slaves.
He will assist you in every way.
Now, the fact is you must be very tired
and you have a long journey ahead of you.
So, I bid you farewell and good night.
Yeah, we are.
Thank you. Ayke, let's go.
Ayke,
you must know
I don't share his sentiments.
Ayke.
You're one of the finest gentlemen I know.
I'm sorry for that man.
That he treats you like that, I'm sorry.
It's alright, Pepper.
I know you.
You're a good man.
People like... Mr. Walker,
I see every day in the streets of London.
I'm used to them.
It's that it's strange...
It's happening here,
back home.
But don't worry about me.
I'll be fine.
I know you will.
Say Akye,
do you think your gift
makes me look more, more African?
Blend in with the locals?
What do you think?
I'll give you a moment.
You'll be fine IAyke.
I'm going to the loo, I'll be back.
Sorry to be disturbing
things oh, Mr. Ayke.
What?
Is everything okay?
No. There's a problem.
- You are a problem.
- How do you mean?
What are you doing in this country?
Where things are hard.
You leave white man's land,
come to this place. Why?
I don't understand you.
Look at the heat.
Mosquitos. Huh!
No food!
Punishment. If I show you my back,
you will see.
So...
why are you here?
I'm sorry about... what you're
going through. I'm sorry about that.
No, no, no, no. That is my hustle.
After, master promised to
take me to... white man's land.
Abroad with him.
But, you, you left white man's
land come to this place.
It is like...
somebody that is crazy.
John! This is your land.
You own it.
It reeks of freedom.
You can be free!
Over there is a different story.
It's a white man's land.
John!
You can lead here.
It is not better.
Black is not better!
This place is not better. Eh!
Mr. Ayke.
So, you want to leave the
white man's land where things are good.
Where it is cold.
Where water is dropping from the sky.
Frozen water, soft like feather,
and come here.
Goodnight John.
Everything okay here?
Everything is okay, Master.
What was that?
People of Umuchu!
My name is Pepper Claude.
Would you... Help me translate, please?
How dare you address
the Great Nnebugo in such a manner?
When you are done
making a fool of yourself,
let me know.
You speak English?
From the very old
to the suckling child.
It is what the missionaries made sure of.
You're welcome
to the great village of Umuchu.
They call me Nnebugo, the undying.
I am many things,
but today,
I will be your guide.
Who are you foreigner?
My name is Pepper Claude.
- My companion here...
- Ay... It's uh, Ayk... Ayke.
- I am...
- Ha!
Come and see this!
Water has passed
through the great tree root.
This cannot be...
No!
How is Ikenga,
son of Nzeribe,
brother to Onwubiko here?
How is he alive?
My forefather...
This world is small.
The brother of
the man you are named after,
he lives near the great mango tree,
just south of here.
While you are from this land,
your spirit is not of here.
You are not of Umuchu.
If you have to be...
part of us,
it will require
a great sacrifice.
This is Oge.
She will take you to the guards
that will take you to Odigbo.
The man that you seek.
Follow me.
Suffer not a witch
to live.
After me.
Suffer not a witch to live.
Again.
Suffer not a witch to live.
For whosoever
that layeth with witch,
- shall be put to... Eh-eh.
- Death.
Let us sing the scripture.
One, two, go.
- Pepper!
- What is doing the white man?
Why is he fainting?
He is allergic to blood.
- Allahagic?
- Allergic!
Stop him.
I said stop him!
Ayke go!
I know but,
we don't know what's going on
so we can not just stop him.
Who are these people again?
Sorry.
It's okay.
Oh! From Lord Walker.
Okay. Uh... Uh,
why did you not talk like so now?
Come, my friend,
remove this witch here.
Why you're...
You're making uh, oyibo to see us um...
Uh, we're witches like... As if
we are barbarians. Are we barbarians?
- No!
- Eh-eh.
Take the witch away.
Ah-ah. Ah-ah!
My friend!
God Almighty!
- Dim!
- Ezogo!
- My friend.
- Ah-ah!
You are getting fat.
What can we do, eh?
How is uh, our friend, Lord Walker?
Lord Walker,
pretty good, in good health.
There is the white man
you have been informed about.
- Oh, Mr. Pepper.
- Yes.
Come, Mr. Pepper,
You're very welcome to Umuchu.
Eh? Eh-eh.
What's wrong now?
Gogo!
Bring me soap
and water to wash or,
are we quarreling again?
We are not, my... my lord.
Eh-ehn.
Eh-eh.
Gogo...
You say we are not quarreling again oh.
Eh-eh, um...
Mr... Pepper.
Eh... I hope that your
journey is very pleasantry? Eh?
Some what.
What is it?
Are you the white man's slave?
I'm a research assistant.
- Please.
- I said see the Priest.
You said see the father.
- Isn't it the same thing? Eh-eh?
- It's the same thing.
I don't understand what you're saying.
Uh, it's okay
like that, leave it.
Eh, come.
Chacha.
Uh, the way that you're
looking at the oyibo.You're... Look, uh,
your work here is finished.
Come and be going.
- Dim!
- Right now, go!
Where is uh, Nnebugo?
She will be joining us shortly.
Eh-eh.
Come, my friend,
what is wrong with the white man?
What was her crime?
What did she do?
Who are you talking?
The girl you flogged.
Oh! That woman is, is witch.
Very big witch in this place.
You uh... tired, very hungry now eh?
Let me show you to
where you will be staying.
Uh come, my friend,
carry their bags and let them...
You'll want to
sleep now and then tomorrow you can...
uh, tell me about this documeantharry
that you've come to do here.
Documentary.
It's documentary.
You will sleep outside this night.
Would you stop that, please?
Do you be wanting an honest answer,
or a lie?
I be wanting some sleep.
Say, while you shoot this documentary,
the villagers,
they harm you.
What will you be doing?
Why will they harm me?
Wrong answer.
What will you be doing?
Need some kind
of content to answer that.
Say you defecated on one of their gods,
or you break one of their traditions.
What will you be doing, my friend?
I will never break
a tradition of which I'm aware.
Again,
wrong answer.
You might want to die,
but I, Ezogo, I don't.
Calm souls with boobies like oranges
- will be waiting for me over there.
- Ezogo!
Can we sleep, please?
Yeah.
See, was that so hard?
Yeah.
I have to go see him...
my uncle.
I've been meaning to
ask you how you felt about that.
I felt curious,
anxious and... and scared.
Well, you know,
I can come with you if you want.
No, no.
No, Pepper.
You don't have to do that,
just focus on the research.
It's our priority.
It's why we're here.
I... I'll be fine.
You will be.
Mm. Mm.
I spent my whole life thinking,
I'm the only one in this world.
But now, there's...
there's someone
out there that I'm related to.
Not only by ancestry but...
by blood, also.
Mm.
It's a beautiful feeling, isn't it?
You know...
You be in no rush to return here.
Take as much
time with him as you need.
Really, it's fine.
You're a good man, Pepper.
Thank you.
I like how that sounds.
But now, how do I get you
to say that when I ask for my bags?
Good night, Pepper.
Sleep well, Ayke.
Would you...
Run.
The huntsman?
He's dead!
That wasn't a dream?
No, it wasn't!
Mr. Pepper.
I am very sorry, eh!
Mr. Walker, uh... the hunter man,
he have die.Eh?
And this witch here,
- this witch here,
-Witch?
...she kill him.
She's a witch?
- Yes.
- That's preposterous!
Pres... what? What's that?
Preposterous, it means
you're senseless Dim Odigbo.
Come, my friend!
Everybody in this Umuchu,
they know this girl, Nneka.
Nneka is a... is a serpent. Snake.
- Snake.
- Snake.
This one.
Everybody here they... they know that.
That is why she's living in uh,
living in the camp of witches.
This one is onyeri.
- Onyeri?
- Yes, onyeri.
What the hell is that?
Uh, it is thief face, face thief.
- She steal faces?
- Uh, yeah, onyeri.Yes.
I can understand you
seeking justice for your friend.
But you think
that cute little girl did that?
So, who killed him?
Who attacked him?
Look, it was a wild animal.
Eh?
A wolf, lion or something.
Wolf, lion, animal, or something.
What does that mean?
Eh?
Look,
My friends,
the white man is thinking that uh, this...
this girl cannot kill uh,
uh, the Walker officer.
This white man is stupid, right?
- This girl is a witch, isn't she?
- She is.
Oh-oh. Okay.
Hey, hey hey! Stay away.
Uh... Yeah...
Kaaki and uh, Ato let us um...
- Bring out the witch.
- Leave me alone!
Bring me the basin.
I'm innocent.
I'm innocent.
From the ground you come,
and to the ground you must to go.
No!
I'm innocent.
You all know I'm innocent.
Dim Odigbo!
You know I'm innocent.
If I'm lying, let my family perish.
Your family is cursing already.
But, if I'm innocent,
you, Dim Odigbo,
you will die like a wild animal.
Your stomach will rip
open while you sleep.
Flies will feed on your corpse.
Ashes to ashes.
Dust to dust.
I'm innocent!
No! No! No!
No! no!
No! No!
I'm innocent!
Kaaki.
- Master.
- Eh-eh.
Where is uh, Ngozi?
- She is in your chamber.
- Ah-eh, very good.
Tell her to eat very well
and prepare for this night, eh?
Yes, Master.
You know what I mean.
- Of course.
- Eh-eh.
I demand to
see him this very moment!
Ah-ah, hey!
I need to speak to him.
- Two minutes.
- Guys, easy. Easy guys, easy.
Come, white man, what is it?
- Can you not see that I'm eating food?
- You are eating? How dare you?
How dare what?
She was in her teens! A child!
You set a bloody child on fire.
Point of correction, Mr. man.
I passed judgment!
Judgment on a witch.
Understood? Just as God...
passed judgment and
covered the whole earth with water.
What are you talking about?
Can you hear yourself?
Come, my friend, carry your
white man from... before he's fainting here.
Excuse me Mr. Dim Odigbo,
Where we came from, people are
giving the chance to defend themselves
before judgement is passed. Yes.
Giving chance to defend what?
We know that the... the girl is... is a...
is the cause of uh...
Kill the white man officer!
Under my roof.
Come, my friend,
don't um, be disturbing me here.
Listen to that.
You do realize that why the
world sees Africa as a den of savages.
This whole operation
only furthers that narrative.
- Narateve.What is that?
- Oh my God.
Mr. Dim Odigbo,
the girl you... you burnt alive,
her family, where... where are they?
She has no family.
You see.
The girl is cursed.
And death...
- eventually becomes her nemesis.
- Oh-oh!
The only thing that girl did wrong,
was be born in this God forsaken place.
Well, maybe things are different
from the land where you come from.
But here in Umuchu,
witches have no family.
They live at
the camp of witches.
They... They live where now?
They live at ulo ndi amosu,
the camp of witches.
It's about an hour's trek from here.
- An hour's trek?
- Yes.
Then how did you
find that girl so quickly?
Come my friend, don't be...
- Take me there!
- No, no, you cannot go there.
Take me to the witches'
camp now!
What the cow
is running away from
is what the chicken wants to peck on.
Exactly!
Wait um... Pepper, Pepper,
you can not go there
what about the research?
We have to do the research.
We can not just let it go. Just...
allow this to be.
- We have to put a pause on it.
- Put a pause?
We cannot put...
We cannot put a pause on the research.
What kind of man would we be,
if we turn blind eyes
to what these two are doing?
As I said, take me to the witches camp!
If you insist,
- Chacha will take you there.
- Okay.
And uh, when Nkiru comes,
she will become your caregiver
as long as you are in this land.
Very well.
- Ayke, we better get ready.
- No, no, no, we cannot.
- Pepper, Pepper listen to me.
- What is it? Ayke, not now.
- Hang on a bit.
- Hold it!
- Please Pepper, listen to me.
- What is it?
It's a bad idea!
How is that?
We don't have the right
to meddle with their affairs...
Do they have the right to do this?
Listen to me.
Listen to me!
Can we just do what we came here for?
What kind of trouble white man is this eh?
Come woman,
are you thinking that this
white man will cause problems for us?
You mean besides the
one that you've already given me?
Bushmeat.
If you care so much
about them then write a
letter to the Bristish governement,
- Government?
- then they will sort it out.
Ayke, take a look around this place,
does it look like
the government even cares?
Oh, come on!
Look at Dim.
He's like some... some demigod.
Within mere hours of our arrival,
he's assaulted one female
and burnt another alive.
What do you think happens in our absence?
What are you gonna do about it?
You cannot do anything about it.
Dim is Dim.
There's a cancer here!
It's palpable!
I felt it right from the train station.
- Oh, you did?
- You didn't?
I don't know, I didn't... I don't know.
We're good men,
but if we leave this place in the same
dispicable condition that we found it,
then we're no better
than those who made it so.
So my good friend,
I can't just write a report.
I will go to this witches camp,
and see what justice I can do.
-You go and see your uncle
-You need me.
- Not... Not today.
- I am your eye. I need to...
Count today as, as your day off.
I can tell you're
not excited to go anyway.
You cannot just judge me like that.
I can tell, it's fine. I understand.
Listen, Pepper I need to be there.
Tomorrow we'll resume the research.
Chacha will come with me,
- you take the other girl.
- Hey, hey!
White man, are you fainting?
No, let's carry on. I'll ma... I'll manage.
Shut your mouth!
White man, sorry. Let's go.
Ah-ah.
Let us rest
here for a while. Okay?
White man, are you okay?
Truthfully, no.
My leg hurts like hell.
When you said we had one hour, you didn't
say it was under this sweltering heat.
- Sorry.
- It's okay.
Here?
- Yeah, that's the spot, yes.
- Oh, okay.
Sorry, you hear?
Why your hair... like that of a woman?
And your eyes, the color of the sky?
It's um, it's evolution, I guess.
Meaning?
Evolution. It... We, we were evolved to...
I don't know how to say this. Um,
where I come from,
it's very different from here.
Very different.
Where you come from?
England, and there,
the weather is so different.
Different? How?
You see this?
Mosquito?
Anwu... Yeah, well, we call it mosquito.
And, where I come from in England,
they are not dangerous,
and I only ever see them in the summer.
In.. Engrand.
England.
Eng... land.
It's a little more like it.
Come um,
um... Mr. Paper, right?
- Pepper.
- Paper.
listen, we have to
proceed on this journey now.
Yes! I cannot come and sleep
on the road because of you.
So, please, stand up,
let's continue the journey.
Ise, let us go.
You go?
In Engrand where you come from,
are there more um, white people?
- Ndiocha?
- White people, like you?
Actually yes,
there are lots of um, of ndiocha.
Everybody is that.
- We must go.
- We... We go now.
Um, thank you.
Everyday cold, cold, cold. Eh?
You will come and do like this.
Wait for me,
let me use this thing and break your head.
Look at you, Jugwe,
because of your greed,
you went and carried,
carried and inflated backside.
That weighs you
down in everything.
Is it not why you married me?
- You can't even move in bed!
- Because I have it
Eh-eh? That's why you married me.
I'm a lazy man...
All the other women are doing one or two...
Good day, uncle Onwubiko.
Nzeribe?
I am Ayke, Ikenga.
I came in from London,
to see you. I'm your decendant.
My decendant?
- Yes.
- From a dream?
How?
Well um...
It's a long story so um...
- He got married on the ship...
- Who got married?
Your brother got married
on the ship with a slave girl of...
about 18 years.
And uh...
I'm the product of that marriage.
You are the product of
my brother and a girl,
he married in the ship?
You're proudly saying
you are the product, the way you are.
It's a pity.
So um... I, I came to see you.
How can you say...
Are you seeing me?
Am I your queen?
Oh fine, see me. I'm your queen.
I know that Nzeribe was a fool.
But I do not know
and I couldn't have contemplated
that Nzeribe would have
given birth to an idiot, complete one.
No, no, no.
Listen!
You came back here with nothing!
The essence of me
sending Nzeribe into slavery is
so that if he survives,
he would come back with something good.
Car, money.
Anything valuable, goodies.
And you came back empty hand.
And that was why
you sold him because of a mirror?
I sold him because of a mirror.
I can even sell you because of pencil.
Pencil is even too valuable.
Eh, and people from my family,
we don't have all this bush you have.
Your face is so conjested
that we don't have
people like you in my family.
Pepper,
welcome,
to the camp of witches,
home of witches.
I hate this place.
You're not supposed to be here!
Nnenna.
- Nnenna!
- Hey, hey!
- Let's go, Ato!
- Nnenna.
- What's she trying to do?
- Leave me...
- Ise let go of her!
- Leave me. Leave me!
- -Who's she?
- Anya!
White man.
- Get out of here!
- Hey! Hey! Hey!
- What is she trying to do?
- I don't know.
Nnenna.
Nnenna.
Nnenna! Look at me.
Look at me.
God forbid!
I see you.
You do not want me to be here.
I do not want you to be there.
You cannot stay here.
And I cannot stay there.
Don't worry.
You will be alright. Nnenna.
How?
How am I going to be alright
when something grows in my tummy?
Who is she?
This one? She's a nobody.
- Anya! Anya.
- What is it!?
It's Ginika, she is crying.
Chacha, who is that lady?
She's a nobody.
She's just one mad one who
decided to move in here with the witches.
Just a mad one?
Well, she used to be
one of Nnebugo's girls just like me.
-Hey! White man! Pepper,
-Hey, hey!
Umuchu is the other way!
If anything happens to him,
Dim will have our heads.
And I love my head.
- Hey, go, go!
- Go!
Sorry.
Eh.
Sorry.
What do you think
you are doing here stranger?
- Can I?
- Go.
- I just want to help.
- Go way back! Go!
He saved me.
I did?
- That was you?
- White man...
How is she tied up like this?
- Foolish question.
- Like a common animal.
- What is this?
- What do you think you're...
- What do you think you are doing?
- Don't dare!
She's a known witch
after Dim Odigbo's life.
A witch?
You're all brainwashed!
Wake up and help me here.
- Is this guy well?
- What is this now?
A witch? Enough nonsense.
- What do you think you are doing?
- White man, stop it!
Do you have any
idea what you're doing?
Yes, saving a life.
Are you going to watch
or are you gonna help me?
Come in here.
Don't touch her back.
What do you think you're doing?
Just a little further.
- White man, she is a known witch.
- Get her out from the other side.
White man!
Is this guy well?
- White man, are you okay?
- Sorry.
Yes.
It is alright!
It is okay, you have tried.
I... I want to help.
Sorry.
I do not understand you.
You clearly cannot stand her sores.
But you keep trying.
Why?
I can't just
stand back and do nothing.
You have done enough.
Now go!
And if I don't?
Whatever it is you call yourself...
It's Pepper.
Look outside!
You do not want to know,
the things that I know.
They are angry,
and angry people,
only destroy things.
Ignore them.
They can't harm me.
And besides, we have Ato and Ise.
Just relax.
Easy.
I am not talking about
them harming you here.
What if something happens at night?
While you sleep.
Is that not the way of the witches?
Wait, you believe that too?
- You do not?
- Of course I don't.
But forget about me.
Why would you be here
If you don't think that these
women were unjustly sent here to die?
Why are you here?
I am here because...
witch or no witch,
people deserve to be treated fairly.
Look at them.
They can't do harm to anybody.
How can anyone with common sense...
Common sense does not answer everything!
There's a girl here,
Every night she sleeps inside the hut,
but wakes up outside.
- Noctambulation.
- Please, speak clearly.
Sleepwalking, that's what it is called.
It's a sleep disorder, nothing more.
You have met Nnenna,
the one with the stones.
- Yes.
- She talks to the spirit in her sleep.
Everyone knows this.
- Talking in your sleep is normal.
- But to talk in the voice of the spirits?
It's just a voice hoarse due to sleep.
What about her?
Hm?
Are there any male witches?
Why will a man,
be a witch?
- So they are no men?
- There are...
in your head.
Idiot!
If there are no men,
why is she pregnant then?
She said something
is growing in her belly.
Who's the father of that child?
Who did that?
You are asking a broken clay pot
to carry water.
Ginika.
Please, stop.
Okay?
For what reason?
Why was I wipped?
They say it's because you're a witch.
If speaking up to Dim Odigbo
makes me a witch,
then I will rather die a witch
than with my voice under a calabash!
Dim comes here,
pick any girl he likes.
Young or old, no one is safe.
We are nothing more than cattle to him.
Or is it this thing
between our legs that is a curse?
Or is it beauty?
I do not feel beautiful.
What?
One wrong word.
One wrong look.
And this is what we get!
Go!
Ask around, I swear to God!
If it's not as I say,
then may I die where I lay.
Ah-ah, white man?
Dim! Dim!
Get your ass down here!
Um, Kaaki, let him.
White man, what is it now?
You're a repulsive
disgrace to our species!
What is it?
You don't get?
Ah-ah.
They are my people. Eh.
My property and I can fit to be
doing as I... I am want with them.
People are not things, you can't own them!
Eh-eh?
Then go and tell that to uh,
Mr. Walker that one.
Come, my friend, don't
come here, and be shouting like a mad dog.
He's so unreasonable.
Trying to reason with
this man will solve nothing. So,
if what you're saying is true,
why don't we
just go someplace and
find a solution that... that can help them?
Come my friend, look,
White man.
All this uh,
annoyance that you're annoying
can you use it to boil rice?
So unreasonable.
Do you know what
will happen if I wrote a report?
To the British government
about this operation?
Are you aware?
Do you know what will happen?
So what... what am... what am I doing here?
What have I done? Eh?
Am I not a man again,
or can a cock not crow?
Try to tell that
to the people who own you!
Just for one second,
think about what will happen
if they knew that
I was almost killed here.
Under your supervision.
Did we not kill the witch?
The witch?
Did we not kill the witch?
And all the people that are
responsible for all that happened here?
You're obsessed with this nonsense.
How can you prove that she's a witch?
Come, my friend,
Any child that
is a... is... is a...
Parent die during child birth is a witch.
Then what of the men?
Where are the male witches? Hm?
Men?
- It's not funny!
- Please.
Uh, come Mr. Peppersoup or what is
that name that you're calling yourself.
Man cannot be witch.
Understood?
Maybe you're doing
that in your country but,
here man cannot be witch.
Okay.
Then I will lie to them.
Who is it you think they'll believe?
A tyrannical demigod?
Are they going to believe you?
You think so?
Come my friend,
What wrong is
it now that I am doing?
Come, what do you want?
First,
I want every drug under your roof.
Eh?
And two,
- I want access to all your men.
- Don't
- be talking like that.
- Take it or leave it, that's the deal.
Look, eh,
you can take all the drug there but uh...
I cannot allow you to take
my men and go frolicking with witches.
Okay.
- Fine. Deal!
- Come!
You made your bed!
Dim, we did everything that we could.
- We tried.
- He did not even listen.
Strangers.
Ow!
They are two.
It's... Pepper.
Oh!
So, you want to go
to the camp of the witches
to gum body
with the witches.
What we are going there
to do is a humanitarian act.
Humanitarian act, gumming body,
same words big meaning.
If that helps you understand, then yes.
Gumming body is what we will do.
You know, we saw Anya.
- Chacha said she was one of your girls.
- Ugh.
A long time.
Long long time ago.
Huh.
And the answer to your question is no.
The answer to what question?
I and my girls
will not join you to gum body.
We're ordered only
to take you,
help you in your research.
That's fine.
Gumming body is not your job.
- I understand.
- Hm.
But in that case,
We no longer need you or your girls.
No, just wait... Be considerate, please.
I have seen that before.
The madness in his voice.
You cannot reason with people like that.
You leave them...
for the truth to break.
Come...
Eh, Ngo!
Ngo!
- Ngo!
- My lord.
Are we still quarreling?
- No.
- Eh-eh.
So, why are you still wearing dress? Eh?
- I...
- Eh?
Remove the dress now eh.
You know that eh...
Now, my body is
very strong like uh, rock of ages. Eh.
- Take off your clothes.
- Please my lord.
- Come on, remove the dress.
- No, please no...
Ah-ah, What is it?
Jesus!
You scared me.
You do not strike me as a religious man.
I didn't know you
were staying here tonight.
Nnebugo is blinding.
So, it is not safe for her
to walk late in the darkness.
- Alright.
- We stay today, tomorrow we go.
Okay. I understand. Um...
- I was about to turn in for the...
- I see how you've been looking at her.
What are you talking about?
Anya!
I'm not a baby.
Huh?
You be looking at me like that
when I be pressing your leg.
Now, all you want to do
is to be gumming body with the witches.
I'm asking you to leave, now!
Anya is nothing compare to me.
Touch me and see what
it is like to bed the water goddess.
Get dressed and leave!
Or I will have Dim throw you out.
You cannot.
I will if I have to.
That is paradise.
I know you are here.
I know you are watching.
I know you are listening.
But for, for how long
am I supposed to stay here
and tolerate this monster?
When I know you can do something about it.
Come!
Who are you
talking with, to by yourself here?
No one.
Only you inside here,
you're talking for yourself?
I... I... I um...
Did I not tell you
to prepare for this tonight?
Eh?
So, now you think that only
one hand can... be good for me?
Come on, take yourself
inside the chamber there.
I said walk to the chamber!
Where did you get this from?
Let's just say I have my way.
Oh, this is my
research assistant, Mr. Ayke.
Ayke, this is Anya. I told you about her.
Anya?
My pleasure, Anya.
Research assistant?
From where?
From England.
Is that where the Pepper comes from?
I grew up in the US but,
we both live in London now.
That's in England.
Can we speak to the women?
Now Anya?
Wait here.
See, when you leave
in a natural environment like this
your personal hygiene is critical.
You can't live here, dirt everywhere.
Wild animals attacking you.
You can't live under these
conditions and expect to be healthy.
There's a better life than this.
Go Pepper! Go Pepper go!
I... I see how you look at her.
I see the energy and all that but...
Please, I beg of you, the
time allocated for the research
of the... Of the mask
of Anyawu, it's almost done.
Do you understand,
what if our purpose
for been here has changed?
What?
To tell their story.
We'd... We'd have to change the title.
To something...
Foreigner's god or something.
But that will make an amazing documentary.
The title to what?
If we change their story.
I was up all night thinking about it.
I took notes, I wanna show you.
We'll review it when we get back.
- Foreigner's god?
- Mm-mm.
Thank you.
So Anya,
you must tell me something.
- Why would you ever come here?
- Mm?
This place, how do you call it? Um,
- U lo du mosu.
- Ulo Ndi Amosu.
Okay.
Why did you come here?
I used to be one of Nnebugo girls.
Before my father died.
My father was a fisherman.
One of the best...
in all of Umuchu.
My mother was from
a long line of bead weavers.
The necklaces...
anklets and waist beads of my family
were once famous all around Umuchu,
for the good fortune that they brought.
All that changed
when papa went fishing
on the day that the rain fell hardest.
He argued that...
this was when all of
the big fishes came out to play.
But we had never seen so much water...
in Umuchu.
Papa never came back.
About this time,
mother was pregnant.
The grief must have turned
the child inside her to a witch, at least,
that's what Nnebugo said.
Because...
after his death,
she was forced into labour.
She died...
giving birth to my sister,
Uju.
Who was brought here.
To the camp of witches.
What happened to your sister?
Died.
Anya, I'm so sorry.
Do not be.
I remain because...
shortly after Nnebugo branded me a witch,
by association.
By...
by... By gumming body?
Right?
Look at that...
You have a beautiful smile.
Stop it.
Okay.
Can I ask you a question?
Ask me.
Knowing all this,
all this injustice you tell me,
how can you still maintain
that witches are real?
Because of everything I have seen
since coming to this place.
So, there are witches here?
In Ulo...
Ulo Ndi Amosu.
There are?
Yes.
And I take it they're angry at my arrival?
And they want to hurt me?
Yes.
Alright.
Okay.
So let's have a wager.
-If I pass the night,
-What is a wager?
A wager um...
It's a bet.
Okay.
So to prove to you
that witches are not real,
I'll stay here for the night.
In Ulo...
Whatever it's called.
Okay.
Something supersitions happens,
then I'll be on your side.
I'll believe your theory.
However,
if I sleep well,
you must pass the day with me.
Is that a deal?
Stupid man.
You're just afraid to find the truth.
Sounds like a deal to me.
How are you feeling?
There have been worst days than this.
But, does it feel any better?
Yes?
You know,
that crazy Nnenna,
I can't grasp that story.
- Stay still.
- Don't worry.
Leave my back.
You can go.
- I don't...
- Leave my back and go.
I don't understand,
did I say something wrong?
Our elders will always say to strangers,
to carry a calabash full of compassion
wherever they go.
No uh, you're taking it the wrong way.
That is what men always say when we
speak our truth!
I don't mean to undermine her, I just...
I'm exhausted.
I'm not in my sound mind.
I'm sorry.
I am.
Eighteen times.
That is how many times
Dim Odigbo came to me.
Eighteen times.
Do you know what people
said every time I tried to speak?
Your wrapper is too tight.
Your wrapper is too loose.
Why did you come out
with your breast like that?
Why did you serve him dinner alone?
As if I had a choice.
Pray to your God,
instead of sitting here crying.
Some even said
maybe the gods are trying to
teach me patience and understanding,
by giving me all of these trails.
I only spoke once.
And look at me.
I only, spoke, once.
One single time.
So, if you must laugh at Nnenna,
then laugh at me too
because the both of us
were foolish enough
to think that our silence
could make it stop.
At least I spoke.
But Nnenna...
She is a warrior.
She was a warrior.
Did you know?
A skilled warrior.
Trained to take orders.
So she never spoke.
And one morning,
we woke up to find her like this.
Broken.
Ginika...
- I'm so sorry.
- I do not want your sorry, Mr. white man.
What I want is your understanding.
Because only when you understand
why we are broken,
will you know to be compassionate.
I will get you justice.
I do not want justice.
What I want is vengeance,
and I will have it in this life,
not the next.
There she is.
- What's this?
- Make your bed.
You say you want to sleep here right?
Really?
I thought it'll be inside the hut?
What the hell are you doing?
Madam!
I'd like to be left alone.
Let Nnenna do as she pleases.
Might be the
safest decision you make tonight.
But...
- How can I sleep...
- She will eventually get bored,
and leave you alone.
So...
I'm alive and guess what?
I slept like a baby.
Good.
Good? So, guess who you have a date with?
The Pepper,
Go home.
Bath.
Meet me by the river.
But, where do the women take their bath?
You want to bath where
the women used to bath?
- Well, what I'm I going to do?
- Have you seen Ginika?
No, why?
The women are talking.
- Talking... Talking how?
- Nevermind.
I will bring you a bucket of water.
Thank you.
You know, I never thought you'd come.
I might be called a witch,
but what I cannot be
accused of is breaking my word.
Okay well, come in then.
Come.
It's fine, you'll be safe.
See.
I have a gift for you.
What's that?
Wow!
I made it.
Thank you.
I thought you might like it.
I love it.
It's beautiful, thank you.
And now, what's all this?
I picked them fresh, this morning.
So, what should I try first then?
What is this? Ooh!
- You're sure?
- Mm-hm.
It's safe for me?
Oh, White man!
Is that the first time
you've ever laughed?
What ha... What is this? You too?
This was Dim too?
For the longest time...
I was afraid of water.
A reminder of how papa died.
And sometimes I think...
what if he wasn't so stubborn?
If he had just listened to mother.
He would still be here.
This village...
Umuchu,
has taken everything away from me.
You must leave this place!
You think if I could I would not?
There's Nnebugo,
and the village to contend with.
But...
Do you understand
that these beliefs, they are not real?
Ghost and witches,
goblin, gods.
This is not real stuff.
I don't know whether to laugh...
at your naiveness
or be impressed.
So tell me, why are you here?
Researching the mask of Anyawu,
if you do not believe?
It has nothing to do with belief.
It's curiosity. Do you...
Do you know what the external
world will think if the saw all of this?
Do you know their fascination?
Further, do you know
what they will pay to see this?
Umuchu people...
believe that the sun
is the dwelling place of Anyawu.
The god of light.
A... Anya!
Anyawu chooses its human and
non-human agents by their merits.
If Anyawu likes...
he uses a boy,
or a girl.
Or a dog, to send its message.
It transcends religion and culture.
And of course, gender.
As long as the subject is humble
and pure
and truthful.
Anyawu will use them.
Anya...
So you sincerely believe this stuff?
Pepper, you have to believe in something.
There's life after here!
A force that controls
all things from above or then...
then...
there'll be no explanation
where people go when they die.
There is...
When we die, we die.
That's it, dust.
God's are what we make them, what we love.
Our culture, arts.
Our work, food.
We create our gods.
Anya,
a man can love a woman so much
she becomes his god.
You are looking at this world from here.
Use here.
Anya, sit.
We need to leave.
- What? What?
- Now!
It's okay, it's fine.
You do not understand, we need to go!
- Now!
- Okay, let's go.
- Calm down it's fine.
- We need to go!
It's fine.
Relax. Anya!
Grab her!
- No, no, no, no, no!
- Hey!
No, please no, no, no, no!
What's the meaning of this?
This thing cannot
be let into the village. Mm-mm.
It is not our way.
Now...
we will wait and see.
See what?
Tell me, what do you see?
I see...
A dark ring
encircling the sun.
Now it's happening.
Anya!
Would you... Help her!
She's convulsing.
Even in the face of truth...
you choose to be blind, foreigner.
Now, the wind has blown
and has exposed the chicken's behind.
Now...
What do you really see?
The skies are clearing.
Tie the witch!
Take her to
the camp of witches and let them flog her.
Bring the foreigner with us.
Dim will hear about this.
Shh.
You know why I am here.
I thought you will never come.
Never coming was never
an option I was willing to take.
Now, take me to Dim.
There's something I want to show him.
Hey.
Your buttocks are getting bigger.
Stop it!
Watch and learn.
A fine girl who
emerges from the water.
Come, I'll give you the real one.
Come to me.
Dim!
Who is there?
Let's go.
This one is a Jezebel.
Come, who's there?
Come,
what was that noise I hear?
I hear one noise, what is that?
Can you not talk?
If my hands are clean,
...you, Dim Odigbo,
you will die like a wild animal.
What is it?
Something is wrong.
Something is wrong somewhere.
Put on your cloth.
Put on your cloth. Hurry up.
Put on your cloth. Now!
Ginni!
What have you done?
Something that I should have done
a long time ago.
- I was going to get you justice.
- Justice!
No man can give me justice.
If I want justice,
then I must take it
with these hands.
Describe it to me.
The witch Ginika,
she killed Dim.
His stomach everything is out.
His intestines, everything is gone.
Bring her to me.
Closer!
And the knife.
No!
Please, don't do this.
White man,
why do you care
so much for the witches? Eh?
- Why don't you?
- The girl...
she had an accomplice.
Who was she?
I will never answer
to you ever again.
I need to know
who aided her in her task?
The master's serving girl, Ngozi.
She was the last person
to be seen with him.
What is that thing that Dim Odigbo,
says when it's time to deal a lash?
Dust to dust,
ashes to ashes.
There must be another way.
Give her to me, I'll take her
to the appropriate authorities.
Do it.
It was all your fault!
Your presence in Umuchu
brought strife
and strenghtened the witches.
And now like wolves
they have lost control.
From henceforth, no one
listens to what the foreigner has to say.
Dust to dust.
Ashes to ashes.
Bring her to me.
- Finally.
- No!
Pepper! Pepp...
Find the serving girl.
Bring her to the river.
Today,
she walks on water.
My staff.
For killing your master,
your death will not be easy.
- Come on, remove the dress
-No please no!
You are a disgrace to womanhood, Nnebugo.
Your silence has raped more women
than Dim Odigbo.
I will not be afraid.
I will not be afraid.
I will not be afraid.
I will not be afraid!
Yes, I killed Dim Odigbo!
I say it proudly!
Today...
I stand in victory!
And not in death!
Meet me by the river side.
We must leave Umuchu. Now!
- Ha!
- The festival is... is on.
We must leave Umuchu.
Meet me there.
Meet me there.
People of Umuchu,
I welcome you,
to the festival
of Anyawu.
Let the celebration begin.
Hello for a dance!
Where have you been?
I've been looking
everywhere for you.
Amazing!
I need to tell you something.
Uh, Pepper and I will...
Will what?
Let's dance.
Hey, hey, hey.
What?
- Where are you going again?
- Just keep dancing.
Okay.
Anya!
Anya!
An...
Anya, Anya.
She's not here.
What do you mean she's not here?
You're not listening.
The Anya that you are
looking for is not here.
Leave her and be gone!
That's nonsense.
Anya!
Anya!
Anya!
Is that you?
Anya, who did this?
You'll be okay.
Need to wake you.
Anya, wake up.
Quickly.
We must go.
We must hurry, come come.
Over here.
Quickly, quickly. We must go.
It's going to be okay.
We have to hurry.
Let us leave now!
Let me talk to them.
He's on our side.
He wants to help us.
I will go with him.
That's the only way
they will believe our truth.
Through his help.
We have to go, hurry.
Anya, come.
Thank you, let's go quick.
Stop! Stop!
Stop the celebration!
Chase the foreigner!
Bring him to me!
Now!
Go!
Anya.
What's the problem?
I tied the horse
right here.
Just right here.
What are we gonna do?
We cannot wait here.
The more we wait...
The more...
Okay.
- Let's go. Come.
- No! No.
Not there.
It is not safe there.
If we stick to the path, they'll find us.
Anya, trust me.
Come. Trust me.
I trust you.
We must hurry, come.
Right?
This way.
Let's go. Come. Come! Yeah.
Anya!
Anya!
Wake the foreigner.
Ayke.
I'm sorry, Pepper.
There is nothing
to be sorry about.
You have made the right
decision by putting your people first.
I told you it won't come easy.
A chance to be one of us,
it will require sacrifice.
I see the way you look at Nkiru.
Her,
and your identity
as a full-blooded Igbo man,
you can never have.
The foreigner
has desecrated our tradition.
And spat in our faces.
Now, it's time
to prove that you are one of us.
By doing the needful.
No.
No, don't.
Please don't do that.
Ayke.
There must be another way.
This is the only way.
Kill the foreigner.
And rid of this white poison
and madness in your eyes.
I can't do that, I can't...
Please, please I can't do that.
Help.
Louder.
Help!
You must scream
if you want me to hear you.
You see, the festival drums were too loud
and my ears are numb.
Aah! Well I'm sorry there won't
be anyone here to help you tonight.
We are all tired.
Aren't we?
Yes!
The witch.
I warned you about this one.
But like the stubborn cow,
you wanted to learn your lesson
in a boiling pot of Nkwobi.
Now, it's time to be slaughtered!
No, please.
- Give me the sword.
- No, please. Please, no.
Nnebugo, please! Please.
Pleas are for the hand of God.
I am his judgment!
- Bring him to me.
- Please, please.
No, please. No, please!
No! No! No! No! No!
No, please! No! No! No!
No! No! No! No! No!
Anyawu!
No.
This cannot be.
No!
It begins.
No! No!
No!
I am Nnebugo,
the undying. No.
No. No! Noo!
Anyawu chooses...
It's agent based on their merits.
And if they're humble, pure, and truthful...
Anyawu will use them.
You were right all along.
Anya...
- are you...
- Yes.
I am.
- Did... Did you?
- Shh.
You are bleeding.
I need to get you to safety.
You're my safety, Anya.
The nest on which I cast my doubt.
You made me believe in something.
That was you.
You are my god.
Rest now.
It begins.
It ends.
Good morning, Mr. Pepper Claude.
What time is it?
It's morning.
Okay, so let
me get this straight.
My man Dim, had a fight with my huntsman
just because my huntsman
looked at one of his girls wrongly?
That's what I said.
So, Dim is dead.
What happened to my huntsman?
If it helps, he died a torturous death.
As it should be.
And your boy, did you leave him there?
Now how does that matter?
Farewell Pepper Claude. Come back soon.
Not in this life.
And so,
even though the foreigner came
with doubt and questions in his heart,
he found his answer in a
native woman who became his god.
For Anya was the foreigner's god.
And as everything begins
with darkness in creation,
in death, everthing ends in darkness.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
Mister,
have a safe trip.
You too.
Father, please
what happened to Anya abroad
and did Mr. Walker find out the truth?
I want to know what happened to Nnenna?
So, all of them were witches?
That is enough story
for one day. My children, please.
My husband is very tired.
He needs to rest. Okay?
Don't worry, your questions
with be answered tomorrow, okay?
- But it is just a story, right?
- Eh-eh?
- Is it?
- Ikenga, please stop.
Come and eat.
Eh, Nkiru,
I will come and eat, but please uh...
There's just one more thing
I want to tell them.
Pepper, don't do this to me.
Pepper, please don't die on me.
Pepper, I'm sorry.
- No.
- I'm sorry.
- I'm sorry.
- No.
This cannot be true.
I just saw the foreigner on
my way here from the river side,
entering the boat.
No!
Nnebugo.
No.
The foreigner.
No.
No!
No!
As one life eats the earth,
another life recieves
the breath of a new beginning.
Anu Akiyode.
In creation
according to the holy book,
...In the sky and on the
land and everywhere, there is darkness.
This story is no different.
Wake the foreigner.
Now Children,
have you all done your house work?
- Yes Sir.
- Good.
I've washed all
the plate in our house.
- Mm-mm, good.
- I've filled the pot with water.
Ah-ah.
Now that I'm satisfied
that you have all done your house work,
can you clap for yourselves?
Good.
So, we can now begin
our story session for today. Mm?
You know I'm an old man,
I can't even remember where we stopped.
Can any of you remind me?
Father, please start from the beginning.
You want me to start
from the very beginning?
Yes, sir.
Alright.
I think it's a story of three people. Mm?
One is Nweri,
the other is a man whose skin color...
is that of spoilt milk.
And the third person is
a man from two worlds
looking for a home, right?
- Yes, sir.
- Good.
Yes, Chima.
What is Nweri?
Nweri is a man or woman
who can take the face of anybody who
or she wants to commit some atrocity.
Can also transform into an animal,
depending on what
he or she wants to achieve.
So, we shall begin our story today.
Our story begins at night.
You see...
One night...
God bless Nigeria!
Ayke,
Ayke what happened to this lens?
Ayke!
Ayke!
What's wrong?
The telegram said
our liaison has no time to spare.
- You okay?
- Yeah, I'm fine, I'm fine.
We can't keep Lord Walker waiting.
So, I... I'll take this.
No, no, no.
I'll sort it out. Just go get him.
Go get the guy.
Alright, Ayke.
Run!
Sir!
Do you see this?
Here,
I think...
I think this is our guy.
- Sir!
- This is the liaison.
Sir, welcome. I'm John.
The chief steward of my Master.
Master Judge SS Walker.
- Right.
- He sended me here.
- Thank you, John.
- You are Mr... Paper... uh...
- Pepper Claude.
- Pepper Claude.
- Yes.
- Oh, yes!
Yes, you're welcome,
you're welcome.
This is Ayke, he's my research assistant.
- Oh! Welcome. Welcome.
- Thank you.
Uh, Ayke is in fact,
that's short for Ikenga.
Yes um...
Ikye for Ikenga.
- Oh, Ikenga? Ah-ah.
- Yes.
You're from the eastern part?
- Yes, of course.
- You're Igbo?
Yes.
- Yes. Yes, yes.
- Eh-eh.
So, what are you doing here?
Well, he is here cause
- he's my research assistant.
- I'm Igbo. Yeah.
Okay. It's all well.
Good. Let me help you.
- That's it?
- Yeah, this one.
You're ready.
Thank you.
So you're after the mask of An...
What exactly is it?
It's called the mask of Anyawu.
It's a mask of the people of Umuchu.
Which I hear is only
an hour's journey away from here.
We intend to go we have some research.
You're going to the
land of those savages?
Savages?
Look...
How did you find out about Umuchu?
How did the mask come all the
way from England and go there?
Well, as it happens,
my assistant heritage is from there.
Good evening, Mr. Walker.
You sure do have uh... a beautiful home.
Who's let that bloody monkey in here?
- Calm down, Mr. Walker!
- John, bring me my gun.
This is my assistant.
- In the king's name who let this man in?
- Hey!
Give me my gun, John.
You have a monkey
for your research assistant?
Give me my gun, John! Give me my gun.
Mr. Walker... Mr. Walker, please!
Mr. Walker!
This is my research assistant.
He is the one who told me about Umuchu.
- John, would you take this.
- John, go.
I understand that
I'm a guest in your home tonight,
but I will not sit here and accept you
speaking to him in this derogatory manner.
His name is Ayke.
No, Pepper.
Ayke sit, it's fine, it's cool.
From this letter,
I'm authorised to give you any assistance
you wish on this documentary.
This...
search for the mask...
Mask of Anyawu.
But one of the forms of assistance
includes making sure you're unharmed.
But it's in my best
interest to warn you, that
blacks, have an unevolved intelligence.
They are of a lower level than we are.
You must understand that,
because you are putting
your safety at joepardy.
Do you understand that Ayke here
is one of the most intelligent and
compassionate man I've ever worked with?
You couldn't.
You'd never opened your mind
to a possibility such as that.
Pepper, the fact and reality is,
you can take a circus lion
and you can train it
to jump through hoops of fire
but you will never make it a toad.
Boy, have you visited this place before?
- Never.
- Do you know the
ways and customs of the people?
Not directly.
My father use...
My father used to... my... my father...
Stop! Stop!
Your father, nothing. Listen Pepper,
you're going into
the darkest area and it's a death trap.
The fact of the matter
is though, you've set your mind on it.
So, I'll grant you
assistants from my side.
I will send with you one of my slaves.
- Slaves?
- He knows the
ways and the customs of the people there
he will guild you.
Further,
I will give you a letter you can bear and
give to the plantation head
who is also one of my slaves.
He will assist you in every way.
Now, the fact is you must be very tired
and you have a long journey ahead of you.
So, I bid you farewell and good night.
Yeah, we are.
Thank you. Ayke, let's go.
Ayke,
you must know
I don't share his sentiments.
Ayke.
You're one of the finest gentlemen I know.
I'm sorry for that man.
That he treats you like that, I'm sorry.
It's alright, Pepper.
I know you.
You're a good man.
People like... Mr. Walker,
I see every day in the streets of London.
I'm used to them.
It's that it's strange...
It's happening here,
back home.
But don't worry about me.
I'll be fine.
I know you will.
Say Akye,
do you think your gift
makes me look more, more African?
Blend in with the locals?
What do you think?
I'll give you a moment.
You'll be fine IAyke.
I'm going to the loo, I'll be back.
Sorry to be disturbing
things oh, Mr. Ayke.
What?
Is everything okay?
No. There's a problem.
- You are a problem.
- How do you mean?
What are you doing in this country?
Where things are hard.
You leave white man's land,
come to this place. Why?
I don't understand you.
Look at the heat.
Mosquitos. Huh!
No food!
Punishment. If I show you my back,
you will see.
So...
why are you here?
I'm sorry about... what you're
going through. I'm sorry about that.
No, no, no, no. That is my hustle.
After, master promised to
take me to... white man's land.
Abroad with him.
But, you, you left white man's
land come to this place.
It is like...
somebody that is crazy.
John! This is your land.
You own it.
It reeks of freedom.
You can be free!
Over there is a different story.
It's a white man's land.
John!
You can lead here.
It is not better.
Black is not better!
This place is not better. Eh!
Mr. Ayke.
So, you want to leave the
white man's land where things are good.
Where it is cold.
Where water is dropping from the sky.
Frozen water, soft like feather,
and come here.
Goodnight John.
Everything okay here?
Everything is okay, Master.
What was that?
People of Umuchu!
My name is Pepper Claude.
Would you... Help me translate, please?
How dare you address
the Great Nnebugo in such a manner?
When you are done
making a fool of yourself,
let me know.
You speak English?
From the very old
to the suckling child.
It is what the missionaries made sure of.
You're welcome
to the great village of Umuchu.
They call me Nnebugo, the undying.
I am many things,
but today,
I will be your guide.
Who are you foreigner?
My name is Pepper Claude.
- My companion here...
- Ay... It's uh, Ayk... Ayke.
- I am...
- Ha!
Come and see this!
Water has passed
through the great tree root.
This cannot be...
No!
How is Ikenga,
son of Nzeribe,
brother to Onwubiko here?
How is he alive?
My forefather...
This world is small.
The brother of
the man you are named after,
he lives near the great mango tree,
just south of here.
While you are from this land,
your spirit is not of here.
You are not of Umuchu.
If you have to be...
part of us,
it will require
a great sacrifice.
This is Oge.
She will take you to the guards
that will take you to Odigbo.
The man that you seek.
Follow me.
Suffer not a witch
to live.
After me.
Suffer not a witch to live.
Again.
Suffer not a witch to live.
For whosoever
that layeth with witch,
- shall be put to... Eh-eh.
- Death.
Let us sing the scripture.
One, two, go.
- Pepper!
- What is doing the white man?
Why is he fainting?
He is allergic to blood.
- Allahagic?
- Allergic!
Stop him.
I said stop him!
Ayke go!
I know but,
we don't know what's going on
so we can not just stop him.
Who are these people again?
Sorry.
It's okay.
Oh! From Lord Walker.
Okay. Uh... Uh,
why did you not talk like so now?
Come, my friend,
remove this witch here.
Why you're...
You're making uh, oyibo to see us um...
Uh, we're witches like... As if
we are barbarians. Are we barbarians?
- No!
- Eh-eh.
Take the witch away.
Ah-ah. Ah-ah!
My friend!
God Almighty!
- Dim!
- Ezogo!
- My friend.
- Ah-ah!
You are getting fat.
What can we do, eh?
How is uh, our friend, Lord Walker?
Lord Walker,
pretty good, in good health.
There is the white man
you have been informed about.
- Oh, Mr. Pepper.
- Yes.
Come, Mr. Pepper,
You're very welcome to Umuchu.
Eh? Eh-eh.
What's wrong now?
Gogo!
Bring me soap
and water to wash or,
are we quarreling again?
We are not, my... my lord.
Eh-ehn.
Eh-eh.
Gogo...
You say we are not quarreling again oh.
Eh-eh, um...
Mr... Pepper.
Eh... I hope that your
journey is very pleasantry? Eh?
Some what.
What is it?
Are you the white man's slave?
I'm a research assistant.
- Please.
- I said see the Priest.
You said see the father.
- Isn't it the same thing? Eh-eh?
- It's the same thing.
I don't understand what you're saying.
Uh, it's okay
like that, leave it.
Eh, come.
Chacha.
Uh, the way that you're
looking at the oyibo.You're... Look, uh,
your work here is finished.
Come and be going.
- Dim!
- Right now, go!
Where is uh, Nnebugo?
She will be joining us shortly.
Eh-eh.
Come, my friend,
what is wrong with the white man?
What was her crime?
What did she do?
Who are you talking?
The girl you flogged.
Oh! That woman is, is witch.
Very big witch in this place.
You uh... tired, very hungry now eh?
Let me show you to
where you will be staying.
Uh come, my friend,
carry their bags and let them...
You'll want to
sleep now and then tomorrow you can...
uh, tell me about this documeantharry
that you've come to do here.
Documentary.
It's documentary.
You will sleep outside this night.
Would you stop that, please?
Do you be wanting an honest answer,
or a lie?
I be wanting some sleep.
Say, while you shoot this documentary,
the villagers,
they harm you.
What will you be doing?
Why will they harm me?
Wrong answer.
What will you be doing?
Need some kind
of content to answer that.
Say you defecated on one of their gods,
or you break one of their traditions.
What will you be doing, my friend?
I will never break
a tradition of which I'm aware.
Again,
wrong answer.
You might want to die,
but I, Ezogo, I don't.
Calm souls with boobies like oranges
- will be waiting for me over there.
- Ezogo!
Can we sleep, please?
Yeah.
See, was that so hard?
Yeah.
I have to go see him...
my uncle.
I've been meaning to
ask you how you felt about that.
I felt curious,
anxious and... and scared.
Well, you know,
I can come with you if you want.
No, no.
No, Pepper.
You don't have to do that,
just focus on the research.
It's our priority.
It's why we're here.
I... I'll be fine.
You will be.
Mm. Mm.
I spent my whole life thinking,
I'm the only one in this world.
But now, there's...
there's someone
out there that I'm related to.
Not only by ancestry but...
by blood, also.
Mm.
It's a beautiful feeling, isn't it?
You know...
You be in no rush to return here.
Take as much
time with him as you need.
Really, it's fine.
You're a good man, Pepper.
Thank you.
I like how that sounds.
But now, how do I get you
to say that when I ask for my bags?
Good night, Pepper.
Sleep well, Ayke.
Would you...
Run.
The huntsman?
He's dead!
That wasn't a dream?
No, it wasn't!
Mr. Pepper.
I am very sorry, eh!
Mr. Walker, uh... the hunter man,
he have die.Eh?
And this witch here,
- this witch here,
-Witch?
...she kill him.
She's a witch?
- Yes.
- That's preposterous!
Pres... what? What's that?
Preposterous, it means
you're senseless Dim Odigbo.
Come, my friend!
Everybody in this Umuchu,
they know this girl, Nneka.
Nneka is a... is a serpent. Snake.
- Snake.
- Snake.
This one.
Everybody here they... they know that.
That is why she's living in uh,
living in the camp of witches.
This one is onyeri.
- Onyeri?
- Yes, onyeri.
What the hell is that?
Uh, it is thief face, face thief.
- She steal faces?
- Uh, yeah, onyeri.Yes.
I can understand you
seeking justice for your friend.
But you think
that cute little girl did that?
So, who killed him?
Who attacked him?
Look, it was a wild animal.
Eh?
A wolf, lion or something.
Wolf, lion, animal, or something.
What does that mean?
Eh?
Look,
My friends,
the white man is thinking that uh, this...
this girl cannot kill uh,
uh, the Walker officer.
This white man is stupid, right?
- This girl is a witch, isn't she?
- She is.
Oh-oh. Okay.
Hey, hey hey! Stay away.
Uh... Yeah...
Kaaki and uh, Ato let us um...
- Bring out the witch.
- Leave me alone!
Bring me the basin.
I'm innocent.
I'm innocent.
From the ground you come,
and to the ground you must to go.
No!
I'm innocent.
You all know I'm innocent.
Dim Odigbo!
You know I'm innocent.
If I'm lying, let my family perish.
Your family is cursing already.
But, if I'm innocent,
you, Dim Odigbo,
you will die like a wild animal.
Your stomach will rip
open while you sleep.
Flies will feed on your corpse.
Ashes to ashes.
Dust to dust.
I'm innocent!
No! No! No!
No! no!
No! No!
I'm innocent!
Kaaki.
- Master.
- Eh-eh.
Where is uh, Ngozi?
- She is in your chamber.
- Ah-eh, very good.
Tell her to eat very well
and prepare for this night, eh?
Yes, Master.
You know what I mean.
- Of course.
- Eh-eh.
I demand to
see him this very moment!
Ah-ah, hey!
I need to speak to him.
- Two minutes.
- Guys, easy. Easy guys, easy.
Come, white man, what is it?
- Can you not see that I'm eating food?
- You are eating? How dare you?
How dare what?
She was in her teens! A child!
You set a bloody child on fire.
Point of correction, Mr. man.
I passed judgment!
Judgment on a witch.
Understood? Just as God...
passed judgment and
covered the whole earth with water.
What are you talking about?
Can you hear yourself?
Come, my friend, carry your
white man from... before he's fainting here.
Excuse me Mr. Dim Odigbo,
Where we came from, people are
giving the chance to defend themselves
before judgement is passed. Yes.
Giving chance to defend what?
We know that the... the girl is... is a...
is the cause of uh...
Kill the white man officer!
Under my roof.
Come, my friend,
don't um, be disturbing me here.
Listen to that.
You do realize that why the
world sees Africa as a den of savages.
This whole operation
only furthers that narrative.
- Narateve.What is that?
- Oh my God.
Mr. Dim Odigbo,
the girl you... you burnt alive,
her family, where... where are they?
She has no family.
You see.
The girl is cursed.
And death...
- eventually becomes her nemesis.
- Oh-oh!
The only thing that girl did wrong,
was be born in this God forsaken place.
Well, maybe things are different
from the land where you come from.
But here in Umuchu,
witches have no family.
They live at
the camp of witches.
They... They live where now?
They live at ulo ndi amosu,
the camp of witches.
It's about an hour's trek from here.
- An hour's trek?
- Yes.
Then how did you
find that girl so quickly?
Come my friend, don't be...
- Take me there!
- No, no, you cannot go there.
Take me to the witches'
camp now!
What the cow
is running away from
is what the chicken wants to peck on.
Exactly!
Wait um... Pepper, Pepper,
you can not go there
what about the research?
We have to do the research.
We can not just let it go. Just...
allow this to be.
- We have to put a pause on it.
- Put a pause?
We cannot put...
We cannot put a pause on the research.
What kind of man would we be,
if we turn blind eyes
to what these two are doing?
As I said, take me to the witches camp!
If you insist,
- Chacha will take you there.
- Okay.
And uh, when Nkiru comes,
she will become your caregiver
as long as you are in this land.
Very well.
- Ayke, we better get ready.
- No, no, no, we cannot.
- Pepper, Pepper listen to me.
- What is it? Ayke, not now.
- Hang on a bit.
- Hold it!
- Please Pepper, listen to me.
- What is it?
It's a bad idea!
How is that?
We don't have the right
to meddle with their affairs...
Do they have the right to do this?
Listen to me.
Listen to me!
Can we just do what we came here for?
What kind of trouble white man is this eh?
Come woman,
are you thinking that this
white man will cause problems for us?
You mean besides the
one that you've already given me?
Bushmeat.
If you care so much
about them then write a
letter to the Bristish governement,
- Government?
- then they will sort it out.
Ayke, take a look around this place,
does it look like
the government even cares?
Oh, come on!
Look at Dim.
He's like some... some demigod.
Within mere hours of our arrival,
he's assaulted one female
and burnt another alive.
What do you think happens in our absence?
What are you gonna do about it?
You cannot do anything about it.
Dim is Dim.
There's a cancer here!
It's palpable!
I felt it right from the train station.
- Oh, you did?
- You didn't?
I don't know, I didn't... I don't know.
We're good men,
but if we leave this place in the same
dispicable condition that we found it,
then we're no better
than those who made it so.
So my good friend,
I can't just write a report.
I will go to this witches camp,
and see what justice I can do.
-You go and see your uncle
-You need me.
- Not... Not today.
- I am your eye. I need to...
Count today as, as your day off.
I can tell you're
not excited to go anyway.
You cannot just judge me like that.
I can tell, it's fine. I understand.
Listen, Pepper I need to be there.
Tomorrow we'll resume the research.
Chacha will come with me,
- you take the other girl.
- Hey, hey!
White man, are you fainting?
No, let's carry on. I'll ma... I'll manage.
Shut your mouth!
White man, sorry. Let's go.
Ah-ah.
Let us rest
here for a while. Okay?
White man, are you okay?
Truthfully, no.
My leg hurts like hell.
When you said we had one hour, you didn't
say it was under this sweltering heat.
- Sorry.
- It's okay.
Here?
- Yeah, that's the spot, yes.
- Oh, okay.
Sorry, you hear?
Why your hair... like that of a woman?
And your eyes, the color of the sky?
It's um, it's evolution, I guess.
Meaning?
Evolution. It... We, we were evolved to...
I don't know how to say this. Um,
where I come from,
it's very different from here.
Very different.
Where you come from?
England, and there,
the weather is so different.
Different? How?
You see this?
Mosquito?
Anwu... Yeah, well, we call it mosquito.
And, where I come from in England,
they are not dangerous,
and I only ever see them in the summer.
In.. Engrand.
England.
Eng... land.
It's a little more like it.
Come um,
um... Mr. Paper, right?
- Pepper.
- Paper.
listen, we have to
proceed on this journey now.
Yes! I cannot come and sleep
on the road because of you.
So, please, stand up,
let's continue the journey.
Ise, let us go.
You go?
In Engrand where you come from,
are there more um, white people?
- Ndiocha?
- White people, like you?
Actually yes,
there are lots of um, of ndiocha.
Everybody is that.
- We must go.
- We... We go now.
Um, thank you.
Everyday cold, cold, cold. Eh?
You will come and do like this.
Wait for me,
let me use this thing and break your head.
Look at you, Jugwe,
because of your greed,
you went and carried,
carried and inflated backside.
That weighs you
down in everything.
Is it not why you married me?
- You can't even move in bed!
- Because I have it
Eh-eh? That's why you married me.
I'm a lazy man...
All the other women are doing one or two...
Good day, uncle Onwubiko.
Nzeribe?
I am Ayke, Ikenga.
I came in from London,
to see you. I'm your decendant.
My decendant?
- Yes.
- From a dream?
How?
Well um...
It's a long story so um...
- He got married on the ship...
- Who got married?
Your brother got married
on the ship with a slave girl of...
about 18 years.
And uh...
I'm the product of that marriage.
You are the product of
my brother and a girl,
he married in the ship?
You're proudly saying
you are the product, the way you are.
It's a pity.
So um... I, I came to see you.
How can you say...
Are you seeing me?
Am I your queen?
Oh fine, see me. I'm your queen.
I know that Nzeribe was a fool.
But I do not know
and I couldn't have contemplated
that Nzeribe would have
given birth to an idiot, complete one.
No, no, no.
Listen!
You came back here with nothing!
The essence of me
sending Nzeribe into slavery is
so that if he survives,
he would come back with something good.
Car, money.
Anything valuable, goodies.
And you came back empty hand.
And that was why
you sold him because of a mirror?
I sold him because of a mirror.
I can even sell you because of pencil.
Pencil is even too valuable.
Eh, and people from my family,
we don't have all this bush you have.
Your face is so conjested
that we don't have
people like you in my family.
Pepper,
welcome,
to the camp of witches,
home of witches.
I hate this place.
You're not supposed to be here!
Nnenna.
- Nnenna!
- Hey, hey!
- Let's go, Ato!
- Nnenna.
- What's she trying to do?
- Leave me...
- Ise let go of her!
- Leave me. Leave me!
- -Who's she?
- Anya!
White man.
- Get out of here!
- Hey! Hey! Hey!
- What is she trying to do?
- I don't know.
Nnenna.
Nnenna.
Nnenna! Look at me.
Look at me.
God forbid!
I see you.
You do not want me to be here.
I do not want you to be there.
You cannot stay here.
And I cannot stay there.
Don't worry.
You will be alright. Nnenna.
How?
How am I going to be alright
when something grows in my tummy?
Who is she?
This one? She's a nobody.
- Anya! Anya.
- What is it!?
It's Ginika, she is crying.
Chacha, who is that lady?
She's a nobody.
She's just one mad one who
decided to move in here with the witches.
Just a mad one?
Well, she used to be
one of Nnebugo's girls just like me.
-Hey! White man! Pepper,
-Hey, hey!
Umuchu is the other way!
If anything happens to him,
Dim will have our heads.
And I love my head.
- Hey, go, go!
- Go!
Sorry.
Eh.
Sorry.
What do you think
you are doing here stranger?
- Can I?
- Go.
- I just want to help.
- Go way back! Go!
He saved me.
I did?
- That was you?
- White man...
How is she tied up like this?
- Foolish question.
- Like a common animal.
- What is this?
- What do you think you're...
- What do you think you are doing?
- Don't dare!
She's a known witch
after Dim Odigbo's life.
A witch?
You're all brainwashed!
Wake up and help me here.
- Is this guy well?
- What is this now?
A witch? Enough nonsense.
- What do you think you are doing?
- White man, stop it!
Do you have any
idea what you're doing?
Yes, saving a life.
Are you going to watch
or are you gonna help me?
Come in here.
Don't touch her back.
What do you think you're doing?
Just a little further.
- White man, she is a known witch.
- Get her out from the other side.
White man!
Is this guy well?
- White man, are you okay?
- Sorry.
Yes.
It is alright!
It is okay, you have tried.
I... I want to help.
Sorry.
I do not understand you.
You clearly cannot stand her sores.
But you keep trying.
Why?
I can't just
stand back and do nothing.
You have done enough.
Now go!
And if I don't?
Whatever it is you call yourself...
It's Pepper.
Look outside!
You do not want to know,
the things that I know.
They are angry,
and angry people,
only destroy things.
Ignore them.
They can't harm me.
And besides, we have Ato and Ise.
Just relax.
Easy.
I am not talking about
them harming you here.
What if something happens at night?
While you sleep.
Is that not the way of the witches?
Wait, you believe that too?
- You do not?
- Of course I don't.
But forget about me.
Why would you be here
If you don't think that these
women were unjustly sent here to die?
Why are you here?
I am here because...
witch or no witch,
people deserve to be treated fairly.
Look at them.
They can't do harm to anybody.
How can anyone with common sense...
Common sense does not answer everything!
There's a girl here,
Every night she sleeps inside the hut,
but wakes up outside.
- Noctambulation.
- Please, speak clearly.
Sleepwalking, that's what it is called.
It's a sleep disorder, nothing more.
You have met Nnenna,
the one with the stones.
- Yes.
- She talks to the spirit in her sleep.
Everyone knows this.
- Talking in your sleep is normal.
- But to talk in the voice of the spirits?
It's just a voice hoarse due to sleep.
What about her?
Hm?
Are there any male witches?
Why will a man,
be a witch?
- So they are no men?
- There are...
in your head.
Idiot!
If there are no men,
why is she pregnant then?
She said something
is growing in her belly.
Who's the father of that child?
Who did that?
You are asking a broken clay pot
to carry water.
Ginika.
Please, stop.
Okay?
For what reason?
Why was I wipped?
They say it's because you're a witch.
If speaking up to Dim Odigbo
makes me a witch,
then I will rather die a witch
than with my voice under a calabash!
Dim comes here,
pick any girl he likes.
Young or old, no one is safe.
We are nothing more than cattle to him.
Or is it this thing
between our legs that is a curse?
Or is it beauty?
I do not feel beautiful.
What?
One wrong word.
One wrong look.
And this is what we get!
Go!
Ask around, I swear to God!
If it's not as I say,
then may I die where I lay.
Ah-ah, white man?
Dim! Dim!
Get your ass down here!
Um, Kaaki, let him.
White man, what is it now?
You're a repulsive
disgrace to our species!
What is it?
You don't get?
Ah-ah.
They are my people. Eh.
My property and I can fit to be
doing as I... I am want with them.
People are not things, you can't own them!
Eh-eh?
Then go and tell that to uh,
Mr. Walker that one.
Come, my friend, don't
come here, and be shouting like a mad dog.
He's so unreasonable.
Trying to reason with
this man will solve nothing. So,
if what you're saying is true,
why don't we
just go someplace and
find a solution that... that can help them?
Come my friend, look,
White man.
All this uh,
annoyance that you're annoying
can you use it to boil rice?
So unreasonable.
Do you know what
will happen if I wrote a report?
To the British government
about this operation?
Are you aware?
Do you know what will happen?
So what... what am... what am I doing here?
What have I done? Eh?
Am I not a man again,
or can a cock not crow?
Try to tell that
to the people who own you!
Just for one second,
think about what will happen
if they knew that
I was almost killed here.
Under your supervision.
Did we not kill the witch?
The witch?
Did we not kill the witch?
And all the people that are
responsible for all that happened here?
You're obsessed with this nonsense.
How can you prove that she's a witch?
Come, my friend,
Any child that
is a... is... is a...
Parent die during child birth is a witch.
Then what of the men?
Where are the male witches? Hm?
Men?
- It's not funny!
- Please.
Uh, come Mr. Peppersoup or what is
that name that you're calling yourself.
Man cannot be witch.
Understood?
Maybe you're doing
that in your country but,
here man cannot be witch.
Okay.
Then I will lie to them.
Who is it you think they'll believe?
A tyrannical demigod?
Are they going to believe you?
You think so?
Come my friend,
What wrong is
it now that I am doing?
Come, what do you want?
First,
I want every drug under your roof.
Eh?
And two,
- I want access to all your men.
- Don't
- be talking like that.
- Take it or leave it, that's the deal.
Look, eh,
you can take all the drug there but uh...
I cannot allow you to take
my men and go frolicking with witches.
Okay.
- Fine. Deal!
- Come!
You made your bed!
Dim, we did everything that we could.
- We tried.
- He did not even listen.
Strangers.
Ow!
They are two.
It's... Pepper.
Oh!
So, you want to go
to the camp of the witches
to gum body
with the witches.
What we are going there
to do is a humanitarian act.
Humanitarian act, gumming body,
same words big meaning.
If that helps you understand, then yes.
Gumming body is what we will do.
You know, we saw Anya.
- Chacha said she was one of your girls.
- Ugh.
A long time.
Long long time ago.
Huh.
And the answer to your question is no.
The answer to what question?
I and my girls
will not join you to gum body.
We're ordered only
to take you,
help you in your research.
That's fine.
Gumming body is not your job.
- I understand.
- Hm.
But in that case,
We no longer need you or your girls.
No, just wait... Be considerate, please.
I have seen that before.
The madness in his voice.
You cannot reason with people like that.
You leave them...
for the truth to break.
Come...
Eh, Ngo!
Ngo!
- Ngo!
- My lord.
Are we still quarreling?
- No.
- Eh-eh.
So, why are you still wearing dress? Eh?
- I...
- Eh?
Remove the dress now eh.
You know that eh...
Now, my body is
very strong like uh, rock of ages. Eh.
- Take off your clothes.
- Please my lord.
- Come on, remove the dress.
- No, please no...
Ah-ah, What is it?
Jesus!
You scared me.
You do not strike me as a religious man.
I didn't know you
were staying here tonight.
Nnebugo is blinding.
So, it is not safe for her
to walk late in the darkness.
- Alright.
- We stay today, tomorrow we go.
Okay. I understand. Um...
- I was about to turn in for the...
- I see how you've been looking at her.
What are you talking about?
Anya!
I'm not a baby.
Huh?
You be looking at me like that
when I be pressing your leg.
Now, all you want to do
is to be gumming body with the witches.
I'm asking you to leave, now!
Anya is nothing compare to me.
Touch me and see what
it is like to bed the water goddess.
Get dressed and leave!
Or I will have Dim throw you out.
You cannot.
I will if I have to.
That is paradise.
I know you are here.
I know you are watching.
I know you are listening.
But for, for how long
am I supposed to stay here
and tolerate this monster?
When I know you can do something about it.
Come!
Who are you
talking with, to by yourself here?
No one.
Only you inside here,
you're talking for yourself?
I... I... I um...
Did I not tell you
to prepare for this tonight?
Eh?
So, now you think that only
one hand can... be good for me?
Come on, take yourself
inside the chamber there.
I said walk to the chamber!
Where did you get this from?
Let's just say I have my way.
Oh, this is my
research assistant, Mr. Ayke.
Ayke, this is Anya. I told you about her.
Anya?
My pleasure, Anya.
Research assistant?
From where?
From England.
Is that where the Pepper comes from?
I grew up in the US but,
we both live in London now.
That's in England.
Can we speak to the women?
Now Anya?
Wait here.
See, when you leave
in a natural environment like this
your personal hygiene is critical.
You can't live here, dirt everywhere.
Wild animals attacking you.
You can't live under these
conditions and expect to be healthy.
There's a better life than this.
Go Pepper! Go Pepper go!
I... I see how you look at her.
I see the energy and all that but...
Please, I beg of you, the
time allocated for the research
of the... Of the mask
of Anyawu, it's almost done.
Do you understand,
what if our purpose
for been here has changed?
What?
To tell their story.
We'd... We'd have to change the title.
To something...
Foreigner's god or something.
But that will make an amazing documentary.
The title to what?
If we change their story.
I was up all night thinking about it.
I took notes, I wanna show you.
We'll review it when we get back.
- Foreigner's god?
- Mm-mm.
Thank you.
So Anya,
you must tell me something.
- Why would you ever come here?
- Mm?
This place, how do you call it? Um,
- U lo du mosu.
- Ulo Ndi Amosu.
Okay.
Why did you come here?
I used to be one of Nnebugo girls.
Before my father died.
My father was a fisherman.
One of the best...
in all of Umuchu.
My mother was from
a long line of bead weavers.
The necklaces...
anklets and waist beads of my family
were once famous all around Umuchu,
for the good fortune that they brought.
All that changed
when papa went fishing
on the day that the rain fell hardest.
He argued that...
this was when all of
the big fishes came out to play.
But we had never seen so much water...
in Umuchu.
Papa never came back.
About this time,
mother was pregnant.
The grief must have turned
the child inside her to a witch, at least,
that's what Nnebugo said.
Because...
after his death,
she was forced into labour.
She died...
giving birth to my sister,
Uju.
Who was brought here.
To the camp of witches.
What happened to your sister?
Died.
Anya, I'm so sorry.
Do not be.
I remain because...
shortly after Nnebugo branded me a witch,
by association.
By...
by... By gumming body?
Right?
Look at that...
You have a beautiful smile.
Stop it.
Okay.
Can I ask you a question?
Ask me.
Knowing all this,
all this injustice you tell me,
how can you still maintain
that witches are real?
Because of everything I have seen
since coming to this place.
So, there are witches here?
In Ulo...
Ulo Ndi Amosu.
There are?
Yes.
And I take it they're angry at my arrival?
And they want to hurt me?
Yes.
Alright.
Okay.
So let's have a wager.
-If I pass the night,
-What is a wager?
A wager um...
It's a bet.
Okay.
So to prove to you
that witches are not real,
I'll stay here for the night.
In Ulo...
Whatever it's called.
Okay.
Something supersitions happens,
then I'll be on your side.
I'll believe your theory.
However,
if I sleep well,
you must pass the day with me.
Is that a deal?
Stupid man.
You're just afraid to find the truth.
Sounds like a deal to me.
How are you feeling?
There have been worst days than this.
But, does it feel any better?
Yes?
You know,
that crazy Nnenna,
I can't grasp that story.
- Stay still.
- Don't worry.
Leave my back.
You can go.
- I don't...
- Leave my back and go.
I don't understand,
did I say something wrong?
Our elders will always say to strangers,
to carry a calabash full of compassion
wherever they go.
No uh, you're taking it the wrong way.
That is what men always say when we
speak our truth!
I don't mean to undermine her, I just...
I'm exhausted.
I'm not in my sound mind.
I'm sorry.
I am.
Eighteen times.
That is how many times
Dim Odigbo came to me.
Eighteen times.
Do you know what people
said every time I tried to speak?
Your wrapper is too tight.
Your wrapper is too loose.
Why did you come out
with your breast like that?
Why did you serve him dinner alone?
As if I had a choice.
Pray to your God,
instead of sitting here crying.
Some even said
maybe the gods are trying to
teach me patience and understanding,
by giving me all of these trails.
I only spoke once.
And look at me.
I only, spoke, once.
One single time.
So, if you must laugh at Nnenna,
then laugh at me too
because the both of us
were foolish enough
to think that our silence
could make it stop.
At least I spoke.
But Nnenna...
She is a warrior.
She was a warrior.
Did you know?
A skilled warrior.
Trained to take orders.
So she never spoke.
And one morning,
we woke up to find her like this.
Broken.
Ginika...
- I'm so sorry.
- I do not want your sorry, Mr. white man.
What I want is your understanding.
Because only when you understand
why we are broken,
will you know to be compassionate.
I will get you justice.
I do not want justice.
What I want is vengeance,
and I will have it in this life,
not the next.
There she is.
- What's this?
- Make your bed.
You say you want to sleep here right?
Really?
I thought it'll be inside the hut?
What the hell are you doing?
Madam!
I'd like to be left alone.
Let Nnenna do as she pleases.
Might be the
safest decision you make tonight.
But...
- How can I sleep...
- She will eventually get bored,
and leave you alone.
So...
I'm alive and guess what?
I slept like a baby.
Good.
Good? So, guess who you have a date with?
The Pepper,
Go home.
Bath.
Meet me by the river.
But, where do the women take their bath?
You want to bath where
the women used to bath?
- Well, what I'm I going to do?
- Have you seen Ginika?
No, why?
The women are talking.
- Talking... Talking how?
- Nevermind.
I will bring you a bucket of water.
Thank you.
You know, I never thought you'd come.
I might be called a witch,
but what I cannot be
accused of is breaking my word.
Okay well, come in then.
Come.
It's fine, you'll be safe.
See.
I have a gift for you.
What's that?
Wow!
I made it.
Thank you.
I thought you might like it.
I love it.
It's beautiful, thank you.
And now, what's all this?
I picked them fresh, this morning.
So, what should I try first then?
What is this? Ooh!
- You're sure?
- Mm-hm.
It's safe for me?
Oh, White man!
Is that the first time
you've ever laughed?
What ha... What is this? You too?
This was Dim too?
For the longest time...
I was afraid of water.
A reminder of how papa died.
And sometimes I think...
what if he wasn't so stubborn?
If he had just listened to mother.
He would still be here.
This village...
Umuchu,
has taken everything away from me.
You must leave this place!
You think if I could I would not?
There's Nnebugo,
and the village to contend with.
But...
Do you understand
that these beliefs, they are not real?
Ghost and witches,
goblin, gods.
This is not real stuff.
I don't know whether to laugh...
at your naiveness
or be impressed.
So tell me, why are you here?
Researching the mask of Anyawu,
if you do not believe?
It has nothing to do with belief.
It's curiosity. Do you...
Do you know what the external
world will think if the saw all of this?
Do you know their fascination?
Further, do you know
what they will pay to see this?
Umuchu people...
believe that the sun
is the dwelling place of Anyawu.
The god of light.
A... Anya!
Anyawu chooses its human and
non-human agents by their merits.
If Anyawu likes...
he uses a boy,
or a girl.
Or a dog, to send its message.
It transcends religion and culture.
And of course, gender.
As long as the subject is humble
and pure
and truthful.
Anyawu will use them.
Anya...
So you sincerely believe this stuff?
Pepper, you have to believe in something.
There's life after here!
A force that controls
all things from above or then...
then...
there'll be no explanation
where people go when they die.
There is...
When we die, we die.
That's it, dust.
God's are what we make them, what we love.
Our culture, arts.
Our work, food.
We create our gods.
Anya,
a man can love a woman so much
she becomes his god.
You are looking at this world from here.
Use here.
Anya, sit.
We need to leave.
- What? What?
- Now!
It's okay, it's fine.
You do not understand, we need to go!
- Now!
- Okay, let's go.
- Calm down it's fine.
- We need to go!
It's fine.
Relax. Anya!
Grab her!
- No, no, no, no, no!
- Hey!
No, please no, no, no, no!
What's the meaning of this?
This thing cannot
be let into the village. Mm-mm.
It is not our way.
Now...
we will wait and see.
See what?
Tell me, what do you see?
I see...
A dark ring
encircling the sun.
Now it's happening.
Anya!
Would you... Help her!
She's convulsing.
Even in the face of truth...
you choose to be blind, foreigner.
Now, the wind has blown
and has exposed the chicken's behind.
Now...
What do you really see?
The skies are clearing.
Tie the witch!
Take her to
the camp of witches and let them flog her.
Bring the foreigner with us.
Dim will hear about this.
Shh.
You know why I am here.
I thought you will never come.
Never coming was never
an option I was willing to take.
Now, take me to Dim.
There's something I want to show him.
Hey.
Your buttocks are getting bigger.
Stop it!
Watch and learn.
A fine girl who
emerges from the water.
Come, I'll give you the real one.
Come to me.
Dim!
Who is there?
Let's go.
This one is a Jezebel.
Come, who's there?
Come,
what was that noise I hear?
I hear one noise, what is that?
Can you not talk?
If my hands are clean,
...you, Dim Odigbo,
you will die like a wild animal.
What is it?
Something is wrong.
Something is wrong somewhere.
Put on your cloth.
Put on your cloth. Hurry up.
Put on your cloth. Now!
Ginni!
What have you done?
Something that I should have done
a long time ago.
- I was going to get you justice.
- Justice!
No man can give me justice.
If I want justice,
then I must take it
with these hands.
Describe it to me.
The witch Ginika,
she killed Dim.
His stomach everything is out.
His intestines, everything is gone.
Bring her to me.
Closer!
And the knife.
No!
Please, don't do this.
White man,
why do you care
so much for the witches? Eh?
- Why don't you?
- The girl...
she had an accomplice.
Who was she?
I will never answer
to you ever again.
I need to know
who aided her in her task?
The master's serving girl, Ngozi.
She was the last person
to be seen with him.
What is that thing that Dim Odigbo,
says when it's time to deal a lash?
Dust to dust,
ashes to ashes.
There must be another way.
Give her to me, I'll take her
to the appropriate authorities.
Do it.
It was all your fault!
Your presence in Umuchu
brought strife
and strenghtened the witches.
And now like wolves
they have lost control.
From henceforth, no one
listens to what the foreigner has to say.
Dust to dust.
Ashes to ashes.
Bring her to me.
- Finally.
- No!
Pepper! Pepp...
Find the serving girl.
Bring her to the river.
Today,
she walks on water.
My staff.
For killing your master,
your death will not be easy.
- Come on, remove the dress
-No please no!
You are a disgrace to womanhood, Nnebugo.
Your silence has raped more women
than Dim Odigbo.
I will not be afraid.
I will not be afraid.
I will not be afraid.
I will not be afraid!
Yes, I killed Dim Odigbo!
I say it proudly!
Today...
I stand in victory!
And not in death!
Meet me by the river side.
We must leave Umuchu. Now!
- Ha!
- The festival is... is on.
We must leave Umuchu.
Meet me there.
Meet me there.
People of Umuchu,
I welcome you,
to the festival
of Anyawu.
Let the celebration begin.
Hello for a dance!
Where have you been?
I've been looking
everywhere for you.
Amazing!
I need to tell you something.
Uh, Pepper and I will...
Will what?
Let's dance.
Hey, hey, hey.
What?
- Where are you going again?
- Just keep dancing.
Okay.
Anya!
Anya!
An...
Anya, Anya.
She's not here.
What do you mean she's not here?
You're not listening.
The Anya that you are
looking for is not here.
Leave her and be gone!
That's nonsense.
Anya!
Anya!
Anya!
Is that you?
Anya, who did this?
You'll be okay.
Need to wake you.
Anya, wake up.
Quickly.
We must go.
We must hurry, come come.
Over here.
Quickly, quickly. We must go.
It's going to be okay.
We have to hurry.
Let us leave now!
Let me talk to them.
He's on our side.
He wants to help us.
I will go with him.
That's the only way
they will believe our truth.
Through his help.
We have to go, hurry.
Anya, come.
Thank you, let's go quick.
Stop! Stop!
Stop the celebration!
Chase the foreigner!
Bring him to me!
Now!
Go!
Anya.
What's the problem?
I tied the horse
right here.
Just right here.
What are we gonna do?
We cannot wait here.
The more we wait...
The more...
Okay.
- Let's go. Come.
- No! No.
Not there.
It is not safe there.
If we stick to the path, they'll find us.
Anya, trust me.
Come. Trust me.
I trust you.
We must hurry, come.
Right?
This way.
Let's go. Come. Come! Yeah.
Anya!
Anya!
Wake the foreigner.
Ayke.
I'm sorry, Pepper.
There is nothing
to be sorry about.
You have made the right
decision by putting your people first.
I told you it won't come easy.
A chance to be one of us,
it will require sacrifice.
I see the way you look at Nkiru.
Her,
and your identity
as a full-blooded Igbo man,
you can never have.
The foreigner
has desecrated our tradition.
And spat in our faces.
Now, it's time
to prove that you are one of us.
By doing the needful.
No.
No, don't.
Please don't do that.
Ayke.
There must be another way.
This is the only way.
Kill the foreigner.
And rid of this white poison
and madness in your eyes.
I can't do that, I can't...
Please, please I can't do that.
Help.
Louder.
Help!
You must scream
if you want me to hear you.
You see, the festival drums were too loud
and my ears are numb.
Aah! Well I'm sorry there won't
be anyone here to help you tonight.
We are all tired.
Aren't we?
Yes!
The witch.
I warned you about this one.
But like the stubborn cow,
you wanted to learn your lesson
in a boiling pot of Nkwobi.
Now, it's time to be slaughtered!
No, please.
- Give me the sword.
- No, please. Please, no.
Nnebugo, please! Please.
Pleas are for the hand of God.
I am his judgment!
- Bring him to me.
- Please, please.
No, please. No, please!
No! No! No! No! No!
No, please! No! No! No!
No! No! No! No! No!
Anyawu!
No.
This cannot be.
No!
It begins.
No! No!
No!
I am Nnebugo,
the undying. No.
No. No! Noo!
Anyawu chooses...
It's agent based on their merits.
And if they're humble, pure, and truthful...
Anyawu will use them.
You were right all along.
Anya...
- are you...
- Yes.
I am.
- Did... Did you?
- Shh.
You are bleeding.
I need to get you to safety.
You're my safety, Anya.
The nest on which I cast my doubt.
You made me believe in something.
That was you.
You are my god.
Rest now.
It begins.
It ends.
Good morning, Mr. Pepper Claude.
What time is it?
It's morning.
Okay, so let
me get this straight.
My man Dim, had a fight with my huntsman
just because my huntsman
looked at one of his girls wrongly?
That's what I said.
So, Dim is dead.
What happened to my huntsman?
If it helps, he died a torturous death.
As it should be.
And your boy, did you leave him there?
Now how does that matter?
Farewell Pepper Claude. Come back soon.
Not in this life.
And so,
even though the foreigner came
with doubt and questions in his heart,
he found his answer in a
native woman who became his god.
For Anya was the foreigner's god.
And as everything begins
with darkness in creation,
in death, everthing ends in darkness.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
Mister,
have a safe trip.
You too.
Father, please
what happened to Anya abroad
and did Mr. Walker find out the truth?
I want to know what happened to Nnenna?
So, all of them were witches?
That is enough story
for one day. My children, please.
My husband is very tired.
He needs to rest. Okay?
Don't worry, your questions
with be answered tomorrow, okay?
- But it is just a story, right?
- Eh-eh?
- Is it?
- Ikenga, please stop.
Come and eat.
Eh, Nkiru,
I will come and eat, but please uh...
There's just one more thing
I want to tell them.
Pepper, don't do this to me.
Pepper, please don't die on me.
Pepper, I'm sorry.
- No.
- I'm sorry.
- I'm sorry.
- No.
This cannot be true.
I just saw the foreigner on
my way here from the river side,
entering the boat.
No!
Nnebugo.
No.
The foreigner.
No.
No!
No!
As one life eats the earth,
another life recieves
the breath of a new beginning.
Anu Akiyode.