“Proves that some of the most effective stories are those that appear simple on the surface.”

Nothing brings families together faster than a shared crisis, since this is the moment in which all existing tensions and grudges are momentarily set aside in favour of resolving a common problem. This is the idea that informs most of Dear Ajayi, the second directorial outing of Damilola Orimogunje, who follows his debut feature with another sensitive social realist drama giving a glimpse into the lives of ordinary people in the director’s native Nigeria, looking at a few common themes through various perspectives. In this case, we’re introduced to the Ajayi siblings, two sisters who have a contentious relationship at best. Ade is a dutiful wife and mother who claims that she is content to just look after her family (especially since her husband is a struggling artist and not able to provide much for his loved ones). Titi is the opposite, choosing to pursue her dream of being a singer over a more conventional domestic life, frequenting any place that will give her a stage and a microphone in the hopes that she will get her big break eventually. When their ailing mother takes a turn for the worse, the sisters are forced to put aside their differences, but soon come to realise that the tensions between them are still too strong to entirely ignore. A film that explores a difficult dynamic with poise and empathy, Dear Ajayi proves that some of the most effective stories are those that appear simple on the surface.

We often find that the most appropriate way to explore certain challenging subjects is to approach them from a conventional perspective, simplifying specific ideas to highlight a broader message. From the beginning, Dear Ajayi establishes what it intends to say by positioning the story around two sisters who have drifted apart for a number of reasons, and have now found themselves in a state of existential malaise, neither having achieved the lives that they hoped for. The director uses this allegory as an entry-point into a deeper conversation around social issues that impact many people, not just in this social or cultural context. The family at the core of this film are simply trying to make ends meet, but through various challenges (some self-inflicted, others the product of their social and economic status) they are constantly at odds with each other and themselves. The tensions between the two sisters take most of the focus in this story comparing them – one has set aside her dreams in order to make a life for her family, while the other continues to pursue her ambitions, not aware that she may never quite make it in an industry that she expects to conquer eventually. Both Ade and Titi represent those people who are caught between tradition and modernity, negotiating their place in a world that seems increasingly difficult for them, which is something that they have in common, but perhaps not enough to facilitate the process of resolving underlying tensions.

The characters reflect the film’s fascination with the concepts of purpose and desire, which is where Orimogunje draws out some more complex ideas that help elevate a relatively conventional story. This film is working with strong emotions, and it tries hard not to succumb to the obvious approach, which would be to allow all the tension to coalesce until it reaches a distressing climax, after which everything would be resolved. Dear Ajayi is far too focused on authenticity to take such a predictable route, and we can admire how the director insists on telling a story that has meaning, even if it can be uncomfortable at times. As an effort to reflect the reality faced by many working-class people in contemporary Nigeria, the film handles its subject matter in a direct and forthright manner – there’s a lack of embellishment, and the focus is primarily on capturing life as it is, rather than any kind of idealistic version of reality. Orimogunje hands a lot of the responsibility to his actors, with Bimbo Akintola and Tosin Adeyemi deserving credit for taking such complicated characters and making them seem entirely natural. The film frequently skirts around dense emotions without actually tipping over into melodrama, which is key to the creation of a rigorous, honest depiction of these women as they attempt to overcome the challenges that they encounter while pursuing a better life for themselves.

Dear Ajayi is not a film that seems intent on providing easy solutions to the problems posed, and leans towards the more difficult conversations for the most part, which is one area in which it successfully manages to avoid being too conventional. It isn’t interested in tying everything together neatly, and the downbeat ending is quite harsh, but offers an authenticity that ultimately proves to be more valuable. The story of these two women may seem simple at a glance, but some powerful themes are being explored, particularly in how it focuses on their efforts to find a sense of belonging in a world that should feel like home and a sense of understanding where they fit in, yet not enough to lessen the feelings of alienation and the desire for a more fulfilling life. It isn’t always optimistic, but it also doesn’t diminish the hope these women have that their situation will somehow improve, if they continue pursuing their ambitions, as impossible as they may seem. The conversations at the heart of the film can be quite difficult, with a clear purpose guiding the narrative, built around the idea that we are defined by our family and the environments that raised us. Despite how we may believe otherwise, it’s not always possible to escape the past or the people within it; some resolutions can only emerge when addressing an uncomfortable reality. A straightforward concept executed with sensitivity and nuance, Dear Ajayi contains some provocative commentary that may not be revolutionary, but touches on themes that resonate more widely than its culturally specific approach may initially suggest.