I have a personal interest in the events that led to the assassination of the late Head of State Murtala Mohammed. Maybe this is as a result of my direct involvement. I was a kid in primary four when the late Col Omojokun jumped into the classroom with his service pistol drawn seeking his son Muyiwa who was a classmate. He it was who announced to us that Murtala had just been killed. Our school was located in the bowels of the Military Cantonement in Ikeja and as such a vulnerable target as both the kids of the rebels and government soldiers where all in the school.

Normal people like us were caught in the middle. As soldiers jumped in and out seeking their kids, I began to think of my poor dad who at that time was just a lowly post office clerk in far away Ebute Metta. For his own safety, I prayed he did not attempt to come to Ikeja Cantonement to pick me. I pitied him for all he had as weapon was his stammer, his Akwa Ibom accent and his love for his first born son as compared to the guns these other parents where carrying. Well today is not gist for my dad and how he 'ramboed' his way to come get me, today is about the movie.

To say I was more than impressed is an understatement. As I sat in the darkened movie hall I was shouting internally and hailing the people in charge of the Props and continuity. The costumes, the 70s memorabilia and the vintage cars plus make up all added to making it an exciting journey. Unlike most productions of this kind, the story was tight and well scripted and the casting remained top notch.

I want to especially give kudos to the continuity people, it was a marvel to see that there were no gaps. Rita and Noah gave some of the most powerful performances ever seen on the Nigerian movie circuit. They flowed easily into character and delivered more than what I think they were expected to do. Although Rita started slowly she more than made up for it when she hit her rythnm. Her natural beauty was unmistakable.

Now my little issues. After being tried to be conscripted into a mutiny of such magnitude in which Ramsey's character refused, he went back home to sleep. This can never happen in reality. The last thing he would think of doing would be to go straight home for a good nights rest with his wife. Even the conspirators allowed him and did not follow him to kill him after finding out who they where even his spiteful Neighbour.

Another point was that I could not help but observe that the scene where Ramsey was trying to leave the barracks reminded me of one Kevin Costner Movie where he had just uncovered a conspiracy in the Pentagon and was being chased around the huge building in a bid by the conspirators not to let him leave or make a report. Ramsey went around the barracks, docking and hiding in sequences reminiscence of the same movie. I could not help but see Costner in Ramsey despite the locational difference.

A small but very inconsequential mistake was a fully dressed modern Mopol at the Airport when Ibinabo's character landed and the planes where modern planes too not planes of the era.

Back to the many positives. The brilliant interplay of actual footage with the storyline all but left me drooling in my seat. It brought home the stark reality of the failed coup attempt and the dangers of life in the Nigerian Military of that era. Were the coup its right at trying to overthrows the Government using the fight for ideology as mentioned in the movie as a justification? Did they have to kill the Head of State in making a statement and in reaching the guilty verdict, was due process taken? Were their fundamental Rights to fair trail adhered to. The fact that this was a very popular Head of State whose death led to a series of protest all over the country also put the plotters at a disadvantage since they were already tried by the public and found guilty. Have we learnt our lessons as a Nation by these events? These are the issues that thug at my heartstrings as I watch this marvelous piece.

All and all, this was a beautiful attempt. The soundtrack brought back a lot of nostalgia of the era. The beautiful mix of Prince Nico Mbarga's evergreen Sweet mother and Victor Olaiya's Omo pupa all combined to give me a terrific experience at the cinemas.

Well done to Tonye and his team. This was a well thought out outing and I give you guys my five stars.

lalasticlala Seun

The film was absolutely brilliant!

Concerning the interplay of actual footage With the storyline - Damn, it was brilliant! I had to think twice before concluding it was actual footage, especially the execution part!

Their costumes were on flick, the makeup artist would surely win grab many awards for his/her work in this movie!