Ijakumo’ Movie Causes Stir on Social Media: Toyin Abraham Responds to Critics
By Boniface Ihiasota, USA
Nollywood actress and director, Toyin Abraham Ajeyemi, has attributed the mixed reviews her movie, ‘Ijakumo, the Born Again Stripper,’ is receiving on social media to political opposition.
The film, which premiered in cinemas last December and was recently released on Netflix, has sparked varied reactions on Twitter. While some users praised the producer and actors for their outstanding performances, others criticized the movie for different reasons.
One user, @alphaamary, commented, “Ijakumo is a very interesting movie made out of intelligent script writing.”
Another user, @Only1two, shared, “Ijakumo is not as bad as you guys are portraying it to be. Some scenes were unnecessary, yes! But, honestly it’s a good watch, and generally, it’s a 6/10 for me.”
Expressing a contrasting view, @MrFokanBale praised the movie but criticized its ending, saying, “I enjoyed Ijakumo until the last 30 minutes when everything went downhill.”
@iamdejmax tweeted, “I don’t understand why these high-budget Nollywood movies are so fixated on fighting scenes. That’s not who we are. I actually enjoyed Ijakumo until the final moments. It went downhill from there till the end.”
@Babygyalxxx expressed a strong negative opinion, stating, “Ijakumo is the most useless movie I’ve seen this year. This isn’t even hate!! Alakada, at least, was fun. I can’t believe people paid to watch this. Toyin, please consider hiring a scriptwriter.”
In response to the negative feedback, Toyin Abraham defended her movie, attributing the criticism to individuals who opposed her political choice in the 2023 Presidential election. She tweeted, “You all went to create WhatsApp groups because of Ijakumo, the born-again stripper, please continue. Maybe today I will break the silence. You all will tell the world why choosing my own candidate is a crime and yours isn’t. Today, I’m prepared for you.”
She continued, “You all think you have a monopoly on talking rubbish; I’m here today for those people in that WhatsApp group. Ijakumo the born-again stripper was accepted in USA and Odeon cinemas and was showing simultaneously with Nigerian cinemas. I may remain silent on other matters, but when it comes to my work, I will speak out.”
Afterward, Toyin Abraham apologized for her outburst and requested critics to share their opinions about the movie “with love.” She wrote in a follow-up tweet, “And to everyone who genuinely loves and appreciates my work and feels bad about anything tweeted, please always remember I’m human and I love you all.”
The actress has repeatedly accused members of opposition parties of bullying her ever since she declared her support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2022.
‘Ijakumo’ revolves around the story of Asabi, a spiritualist seeking revenge against a former lover turned pastor. She enlists the help of a stripper to entice the clergyman to his downfall. The film, directed by Adebayo Tijani, features Toyin Abraham, Kunle Remi, Lolade Okusanya, Bimbo Akintola, Olumide Oworu, and Lillian Afegbai.
