[in Yoruba] Oh, Lord.
Forgive me.
Accept my token of pain,
and forgive me.
[sobbing] The back that…
carried my children will forever bear this pain.
If I had a hand in my children's death,
God forgive me!
Don't push me aside!
-Don't leave me! -[female voice] Useless mother.
[boy in English] Mommy, am I not your son?
[distorted voice] I won't let you rest until you do what needs to be done!
[highlife music playing]
[hailing Odogwu in Igbo]
Hey!
[celebrating]
[laughing]
[in Igbo] Baby, come closer and hold me.
[in English] Embrace me now!
[in Igbo] Stop acting like you're afraid to touch me.
[celebratory singing]
Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, we are live at the EAN Hangar
as we await what will arguably be the arrival of the decade.
Now, as you can see, the crowd is in a frenzy.
[cheering]
The air is thick with anticipation as we wait.
We wait with bated breath
for the nation's prodigal daughter, Alhaja Eniola Salami!
[cheering]
[in Yoruba] Mama is back! She is back!
[crowd cheers]
[powerful music playing]
[man on TV] Ladies and gentlemen,
Alhaja Madam Eniola Salami has written a short statement,
which I shall read to you…
now.
[man on TV clears throat]
"Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, for the warm welcome."
"It feels good to be back home."
"My time in exile has been one of deep reflection."
"Even though I was falsely accused,
and forced to flee the land where my children are buried,
I never lost faith in our judicial system."
[highlife music playing loudly]
Odogwu!
[in Igbo] Mgbada, what is it? You're interrupting me.
You need to see what is happening!
Can't you see I'm about to go to the next level?
Leave her and come see what's happening.
You're starting to bother me. Baby, hold this money, I'll be back.
What is it?
-Odogwu, look! -What is it?
-Look at what is happening! -What is happening?
Hey!
Hey! Turn off the music!
"I always believed that one day soon I would be vindicated…"
Odogwu?
"…allowed to return to the home of my birth…"
-[in Igbo] You see what I see? -"…and my ancestors."
"I would like to take this moment to thank the police
for choosing to seek the truth and nothing but the truth."
"I am extremely grateful to you all."
That will be all.
Madam Alhaja does not have any other comment--
[clamoring]
[woman] Alhaja, we want you to speak!
Thank you.
First of all,
I would like to say a big thank you to everyone
for this warm welcome.
You all know,
I'm a simple woman.
[in Yoruba] I don't use big English words.
[in English] I don't have
big, big grammar
to express what my heart is feeling right now.
But I want you all to know
that I, Eniola Salami,
very, very grateful.
I thank you once again. Thank you!
-[cheering] -[drums beating]
I told God…
I said, "God,
if you saw it fit…
to vindicate me
and bring me back to my fatherland,
the land I love so much,
that I, Eniola, promise
to dedicate the rest of my life to you, my people."
[cheering]
Which is why--
[muttering]
Which is why
I have decided to throw my gele
in the gubernatorial ring…
Mgbada!
…joining the race to become the next governor of Lagos State.
[crowd cheering, applauding]
[chuckles]
Hmm…
[in Yoruba] It seems the devil has left hell
to join the living.
There is trouble! [chuckles]
Hey.
[in English] I want you to double the number of guards around my cell.
[in Yoruba] That's what I said!
[Eniola in English] Over the next few days…
[in Yoruba] Hm, there's trouble.
[in English] …more about my campaign.
-[crowd cheers] -Thank you!
[celebratory drums beating]
One question, Alhaja!
Alhaja, just one question!
Don't!
You don't handle a woman like that!
Young lady, please ask your question.
Thank you, Ma.
I'm Sade Bello for KAVTV News.
You've come back to a country where you have nothing.
You've lost everything.
I think I speak for the entire nation when I ask, why?
Where are you from?
Um,
Ekiti State.
So you understand Yoruba?
A little.
A little?
[in Yoruba] "After a king's palace burns,
a more beautiful one is rebuilt."
[in English] When you get home tonight,
you ask your father
to translate that for you.
[Sade] What does that mean?
[singing in Yoruba]
-Ade! -Oba!
Welcome.
How are you?
I've been very well.
-I missed you. -I missed you more.
-Ride with me at the back. -All right.
Thank you, Ade.
[sighs deeply]
-[yells] -[in Yoruba] What is it?
-[knocking] -[exclaims]
[sighs]
[sirens wailing]
[in English] A secure line, Oba.
[Eniola] Yes?
[man 1] One moment, Madam. She's on the phone, sir.
[man 2] Eniola!
I must say it's good to have you back in the country.
I'm sure, sir.
Thank you.
We must plan to meet urgently in the next couple of days.
But only after you have settled in, of course.
As you said,
after I have had time to settle in.
Of course, of course!
I saw your announcement tonight.
Don't you think you should have discussed with me before doing so?
With all due respect, sir,
I, Eniola Salami,
I do not need to take permission from anybody!
In case you have forgotten,
I have fulfilled the terms of our agreement,
and now,
I can do and undo as I wish.
Good night, sir.
-Let's pull out. -[Ade] Yes, Oba.
Boxer,
ride in the front.
The rest of you, split in the cars and stay sharp.
And there you have it, ladies and gentlemen,
the triumphant return of the unsinkable Alhaja Eniola Salami,
cleared of all charges,
free to operate as any other citizen of Nigeria.
And, as she just announced, she will be running
for the position of Lagos State governor in the upcoming gubernatorial elections.
-Hey! -[male voice] D-man, long time!
[in Pidgin] Yo! Musa, what's new?
I'm good. How's it going?
It's going. We keep pushing.
But we're looking up at you now.
[in English] Anyway, guy, I need a favor.
Shoot!
Alhaja Salami,
she's back in town.
Last month, she was the number one fugitive in this country,
then she was cleared of all charges,
and now, she's running for the highest office in the state.
Come on, there's got to be something there! Give me the scoop!
Hello?
Musa?
Are you working on a story?
Maybe.
These are not the people you should meddle with.
Look,
the official statement is she's been cleared of all charges
after the necessary authorities gave the case a second thorough investigation.
The NCCC have already apologized for their mistake
and the police, for their gross misuse of power.
But?
But
BTS talk is,
is that it might have been at the instruction of someone high up.
How high?
High!
As in high up, tier one level!
This doesn't make any sense.
Why would the federal government meddle with the agency business?
Okay, Musa,
this is where I need you, okay?
I need you to get your hands on documents,
details of whatever that committee discussed.
I need to find out why--
Dapo! I'm not sure what you have going on,
but I really would prefer not to be involved in it.
You know, I like being on the fringe of these matters,
this is how I move without getting noticed.
I know,
but you can trust me.
Please, I promise you, I won't tell a soul that you're my source.
You have my word,
and you know that my word is good.
[Musa sighs]
Okay, give me a couple of days. Let me see what I can dig up.
-But Daps… -Yeah.
I wouldn't be your friend if I didn't advise you to let go of this one.
[in Pidgin] But I know you won't listen.
You've been stubborn since school.
[laughs]
[in English] Look,
can I promise to be careful instead?
I guess that will have to do.
I'll shoot you something in a couple of days,
but a good place to start through would be a man called Nurudeen Gobir.
That name sounds familiar.
-Wait, didn't she escape on his watch? -Yup!
He's now the head of the NCCC.
-Thanks, man. -Anytime!
-Just don't make it every time. -[chuckles]
[in Pidgin] No problem.
[phone beeps]
Shit!
[Ade] I'm sorry, Oba.
The NCCC took over our mansion and all your other properties.
This guest house is all that wasn't seized,
but hopefully, now that you're here,
we can gain access to the main mansion.
[Eniola] That's okay, Tiger.
Hmm…
[chuckles]
Ade?
Yes, Oba.
[in Yoruba] Thank you.
Thank you so much.
But the moment you mentioned the house…
it brought back some deeply painful memories.
Thank you for being there.
Thank you for your loyalty.
My own biological child
could not have done better.
Ade.
Oba.
Thank you.
[in English] I promise you,
you will never regret this.
Oba,
there is something I need to tell you about the table--
[woman] Evening, Ma.
This is Agnes, the new house help.
She is very hardworking, and I vetted her personally.
-Can I get you something to eat, Ma? -No.
Thank you.
Just take the bags and open them and--
No, excuse me.
Not tonight.
You can do it tomorrow.
I want to be left alone.
Okay, Ma.
Actually, Agnes?
Yes, Ma?
Can you do something for me tonight?
Okay, Ma.
Do you have hot ata rodo?
Yes, we do, Ma.
Plenty of it?
We went to the market for you today, Ma.
Can I have two cups of ata rodo?
Grind it.
And boil in ten cups of water.
After boiling,
you put in the bowl,
and bring it to me in the room.
Just like that, Ma?
Just like that.
Okay, Ma.
Now…
-Tiger. -Oba?
What is that thing you want to tell me?
Sit down and wait for the doctor.
Thank you.
-I'm looking for my son. -What is the name of your son?
He was in an accident at school.
I can't help you if you don't answer my questions. What is his name?
-Sir? -Aisha! Aisha!
-I'm so sorry. I lost track of time. -No!
Just get away from us.
Please, let me just make sure he's okay.
If you wanted to make sure he was okay, Dapo,
you wouldn't have forgotten your child in school!
-Please. -Look.
If you come near me or my son,
I will scream this hospital down and get you arrested.
Leave!
[melancholic music playing]
[sobbing]
No!
[sobbing]
What did I do?
[screaming]
[in Yoruba] Greed!
[in English] Oh, God!
[in Yoruba] Greed, greed, greed.
[sobbing]
[yells]
[screams]
Why are you punishing yourself?
-[whip cracks] -[Eniola yelling]
What will you do about the enemies that made you cry?
What is this nonsense?
[Eniola screams]
[distorted] Speak up, idiot!
[whip cracks]
[Mr. Fashina] Okay, so, Madam,
on Monday, we visit the orphanage at 8:20 a.m.,
after which we go to Onigbongbo Market
to talk to the market women there at 1:00 p.m.
I've also moved your TV interview with Sunrise TV
from Friday to Tuesday, 7:00 a.m.
It's really important that we strike while the iron is hot.
[chuckles]
Uh, yeah.
My contacts reached out to Reverend Ifeanyi for an endorsement,
but, uh, he's proving to be a bit difficult,
but that's to be expected, early stages of negotiations.
-I think it's-- -Um, Ade.
Yes, Oba.
-Are you sure we're going the right way? -Yes, we are.
Wow.
[in Yoruba] Lagos has changed.
[in English] Lagos has changed so much!
It has,
but it still all belongs to you.
Mm…
[sirens wailing]
[in Yoruba] We're being tailed.
Hm? Tailed?
[in English] It seems we have company.
-Should we turn back? -No.
Let them follow.
Let them see how much they ruined my life.
Pilot one, stay on course.
But shine your eyes!
Mr. Fashina.
Ma?
Before coming to run my campaign,
you might have heard a lot of stories about me.
Who? Me?
-No-- -Excuse me.
You don't need to lie.
[Eniola chuckles]
It's written all over your face.
All these things they say about me, they are all lies.
Of course, Madam!
Of course.
The media, they created this image of…
Anyway…
where they got it from, I don't know.
[chuckles nervously]
Uh, I…
That being said, Mr. Fashina,
there are some things you will see,
and there are some things you will hear,
now that we'll be working closely together for this time.
I do not need
to tell you
to…
Zip? Oh…
Of course, Ma!
Of course. Of course, Madam.
[sirens wailing]
-Ade. -Yes, Oba.
Stay here, I won't be long.
[gentle piano music playing]
[Mr. Fashina] Madam.
Maybe I can follow you, take some pictures that we'll leak to the press?
[in Yoruba] ♪ Even the banana tree ♪
♪ Has its offspring To succeed it when it dies ♪
[phone beeps]
♪ I have been thrown Into a separate world from my child ♪
♪ Let he who is advised listen ♪
♪ One who can’t accept what is Will accept whatever comes ♪
♪ A person of wealth has become A relic of history ♪
♪ A most powerful one now turned coward ♪
♪ Do you see? ♪
Where are my children?
[in English] Where are they?
Where are you?
Where is Kemi?
Where is Kitan?
[in Yoruba] Where are you?
[sobbing]
[screams]
[in English] God, what have I done?
[in Yoruba] What have I done?
[exclaiming]
[sobs]
Look at my children!
[exclaims]
[wind gusts]
I feel like killing myself. What kind of life is this.
Kemi!
My life!
[sobbing]
Kitan!
They said it! They said it!
They say, "What good is a shoe without a foot?"
"What good is the morning without the sun?"
They say that if all days were dark, very dark,
a person wouldn't know if they'd lost everything!
One who is blind wouldn't know if all their gold were stolen!
[sobs]
What is this useless crying, you foolish woman?
[thunder rumbles]
Stupid woman!
The ones that killed your children are enjoying their lives!
Eating! Drinking!
Yet you sit here, crying foolish tears!
Is that not so?
I endured great difficulties,
suffered so much,
escaped death
to return to you.
I'm never leaving again!
[in English] I'm going nowhere again!
[in Yoruba] I'm never leaving again.
I'm never leaving!
-Never! -[in English] Rubbish!
[thunder rumbles]
Rubbish!
[in Yoruba] In all the years that I was away,
all I dreamed of was revenge, to kill all my enemies!
[in English] And you cannot take that away from me, Eniola!
[exclaims]
Eniola!
[in English] Who am I fighting?
Who is fighting me?
I can give them to you in alphabetical order!
[exclaims]
Aare! Akorede!
[screams]
[in Yoruba] Lord God, I beg you!
[sobs] I beg you!
I beg you!
Forgiveness is what I'm pleading for!
You are beyond redemption. There is no redemption for you!
What would God do with you? What could you possibly offer God?
Repentance.
True repentance…
is all God asks.
God, if you can forgive me…
[in English] If you can forgive me, if you can forgive me…
[in Yoruba] I will serve and worship you with all I have, for the rest of my life.
I will serve you the rest of my life.
[Young Eniola] What a shame!
-Forgive me! -There's no redemption for you.
Your grief has totally blinded you!
[Eniola sobs]
Grief has blinded you.
It has blinded you completely!
And now you want to be governor, not to help the people…
[in English] The only reason you are running
is to get even more power!
[thunder cracks]
[machine whirring]
I thought I told you
no interruptions until 7:00, Ranti! Huh?
I know, sir, and I'm sorry!
But I've been fielding calls since 4:00 a.m.!
The party chairman threatened me, with unprintable words if I may add,
if I didn't get you on the phone immediately.
I tried to stall, sir, but he wouldn't budge.
I'm sorry.
[resigned] Yes, sir?
Yes, sir.
Yes.
-Mgbada, phone. -Odogwu.
[ringing tone]
-Ade-- -I've told you.
Oba is not taking calls or visits at the moment.
She has received your message.
And will get to you when she gets to you.
Ade, tha--
-[in Igbo] Daddy! -Huh?
Watch this goal!
[cheering]
Look at my son!
-I thought it was little Lionel Messi. -Goal!
My son scattered the net. You're good. I'm watching you.
[hailing in Igbo]
[laughs]
Oba,
this is the tenth time he's calling.
We can't keep fending him off!
-Agnes. -Ma?
This bata is pinching my toes.
Please go inside.
Go and bring another one that has this color.
-Okay. -It has open toes.
-Okay. -And shiny on the tip.
-All right, Ma. -Quickly.
-Ade Tiger. -Oba.
Never you talk business
in front of civilians again!
I'm sorry, Ma.
-It's just that Malay has been calling-- -Leave Malay alone!
Let Malay stay in his corner.
[in Yoruba] Let him rot where he is.
[in English] The person I left in charge of my crown.
See the mess I have to come back to.
Oba, the crown is still yours.
Half the elders on the table are still loyal to you,
but we risk losing that if you don't coordinate a strike now,
and eliminate Odudubariba.
He's already parading himself as the king of the table.
-Ah, Agnes! -Yes, Ma?
-[exclaims] This is it! -Okay.
[Eniola laughs] Okay.
Mm-hm.
-[Eniola] Why are you shaking? -Sorry, Ma.
-Okay. -[Eniola] Lovely!
[stamps feet] Yeah!
[laughs] Mm-hm!
Just fab!
-This is perfect! -Yes, Ma.
-How do I look? -Very fine, Ma! Very beautiful!
[chuckling]
Yes, I think I'm ready for my interview.
-What about Mr. Fashina? -He's downstairs.
-Good! -Okay, Ma.
Ade.
-Oba. -You-- [in Yoruba] What is it?
-[in English] What are you waiting for? -Sorry, Ma!
Ade, you worry too much!
[in Yoruba] He who tries to catch rainwater with a sieve deceives himself.
A butterfly
that mimics a bird…
[exclaims]
…will only suffer.
[sirens wailing]
Take me to the governor's office.
[governor] Yes, sir.
Yes, sir.
Yes sir. I assure you, sir, there's nothing to worry about.
It can't even be considered a bump in the road.
It's more than under control, sir.
Yes, sir.
All right, sir.
Goodbye, sir.
You left really early this morning.
Yes, I couldn't sleep,
so I thought I'd go to the gym and burn off some energy.
I noticed. You were tossing and turning all night long.
But this isn't the gym, Tunde.
Here.
I thought you and I were meant to have breakfast this morning.
You did promise to spend Sunday with me, remember?
Of course, sweetheart, I know.
Something came up.
As you can see, I have so much on my table I want to deal with right now.
Would it have anything to do with this?
[scoffs] Definitely not!
Why should I be worried about this?
A suspected criminal pandering to a rented mob?
Please!
-It's rubbish. -Ahem!
"Responding to excited cheers from the crowd,
Alhaja Eniola Salami confessed to lacking any real political expertise."
"But insists,
this is just the right attribute for a candidate like her to have."
"Adding, and I quote,
'I am not a politician,
I won't lie to you just to get your votes.'
'Governor Randle came from money,
-wasn't his--'" -[Eniola] …his father a rich man?
A very, very, very big man.
He was once a minister at a time.
What did he do with this power?
[crowd] Nothing!
-What did he do for his people? -Nothing!
Take a drive down Ikoyi West.
It all belongs to their families.
[crowd] Yes.
How can you sleep with good conscience in your mansion and towers,
when the people you are supposed to take care of in the streets are all suffering?
[crowd] Yeah!
-Are all crying? -Yeah!
-Are all hungry? -Yeah!
[Eniola] The election is coming.
And I'll remember your name. Say no!
No!
-Hello? -[male voice] Hello.
Uh, good afternoon.
Please, am I speaking with Superintendent Gobir?
Nurudeen Gobir.
Who is this?
Apologies. My name is Dapo Banjo, I work with The Conscience Newspaper.
-The Conscience Newspaper? -Yes, sir.
How can I help?
I was wondering if I could ask you some questions concerning Alhaja Salami
and her return to the country?
[busy tone]
Hello?
[sighs]
Let them know you cannot be fooled anymore!
[crowd] Yeah!
[crowd clamoring]
[in Yoruba] Our elders used to say,
"If a big masquerader claims not to see the smaller one,
the small masquerader will also refuse to see the bigger one."
[in English] But do not be distracted
because they are going to come and tell you that Eniola Salami has money.
Yes! I have money!
[crowd] Yes!
Yes, I am rich!
Yes, I am successful!
[crowd] Yeah!
But go back to them and ask them, where did she come from?
The streets! The streets!
[man struggling]
[screaming]
[yelling]
[screaming continues]
[panting]
You can't do this to me!
You cannot do this to me!
-I'm an elder of the table. -Oh?
There will be retaliation. There will be… [splutters]
-[exclaims] -By who?
[chuckles]
Certainly not me,
who you swore your allegiance to!
You think that woman
will come to rescue you?
[chuckles]
Anyway, let her come.
We'll be waiting for her.
But I doubt that will happen.
[yelling]
[Eniola] I lost my parents
when I was a child.
I grew up in an orphanage.
[crowd sympathizes]
I slept on the cold floor…
[crowd sympathizes]
…till I was 16.
At times, I go with no food.
I could not even afford scraps to eat.
So, I need no one
to tell me
what suffering is all about.
Everything I have today, I worked hard for it!
[crowd] Yeah!
I worked myself from ground up!
[crowd] Yeah!
Let me tell you something.
-You are nothing! -[elder chuckles]
So you actually think you could double-cross me?
[man coughs]
[in Igbo] You're crazy!
[in English] Anyway… [chuckles]
They used to say that you can't keep poisonous snakes at your backhouse
and expect them to just bite your neighbors. Eh?
-[chuckling] -[man] Please.
Please!
Now, I'm begging you.
-I'm begging. -Hm!
Odudubariba, I have family.
-I have family! -[in Igbo] Family?
[man whimpers]
[in English] I shall send my condolences to them.
[coughs]
Hey, you,
remember tomorrow to put it in the schedule
and remind me to take a very big envelope.
Okay?
[grunts]
Are we good now?
Please!
-Please, I will do anything! -Oh!
You are taking away the fun from this now!
[in Igbo] Get this useless girl out of here!
-[man in English] Please. -Take him out!
No, no, no!
[echoing] Please, no!
[in Yoruba] I knew death by name, so it wouldn't kill me at a young age.
Things were so hard that I knew hunger by its first name.
[in English] Look at my hands.
[in Yoruba] Look at my hands!
[in English] Evidence of hard work!
[cheering]
Tell your governor
to show you his own!
Eniola for governor!
♪ Salami, Salami… ♪
Yeah!
[crowd singing in Yoruba]
♪ Salami, Salami… ♪
-Salami! Salami! -[crowd] Salami! Salami!
Eniola for governor!
[crowd cheering]
Eniola for governor!
Now, tell me my love,
why shouldn't we be worried about this woman?
My wonder is
how she expects to win this sham election of hers without our help?
Or does she actually believe she can win legitimately at the polls?
[scoffs]
With all due respect to your views Odudubariba,
I still strongly insist
that we take this woman out now, while we still can.
This is Eniola Salami we're talking about, have you forgotten?
Even with her two hands and feet tied behind her back,
she is still extremely dangerous.
Not one hair on that woman's head should be touched,
until she uses her mouth to declare me king,
kneeling down in front of everybody,
putting the ring on my finger and the crown on my head
and begging me to let her live!
[reporter] As the presidential and gubernatorial elections heat up,
Nigeria's electoral commission, INEC,
has urged Nigerians to verify their voting status
in order to partake in the upcoming election.
Now, in a statement signed by the publicity director, Mallam Usman Umar,
the commission urges all Nigerians
registered between January and July of 2018
to collect their permanent voter's card, also known as a PVC,
from their local government offices and assigned registration hubs
as of 4th August.
Now, those who applied for a transfer or a replacement
of their lost or damaged PVCs are also urged to collect them on the set date.
Now, the commission assures the general public
that they have put in place everything for a truly free and fair election.
[mutes TV]
Good evening, sir.
You wanted to see me?
[official] Have you made contact again?
Yes, sir.
They got back to me this evening.
And you told her again that I want to see her immediately?
Yes, sir.
[clears throat] But she said
she no longer had any outstanding business with you
and she respectfully declined your invitation, sir.
[official] Hmm.
[unmutes TV]