Power Corrupts—A Prologue

Lord Acton, a 19th-century writer, said, “Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” This quote sets the tone for the epic historical drama, House of Ga’a. It mirrors the central message of the story and captures the descent of power into tyranny.

The Tyrant Bashorun Ga’a

This is the case with Bashorun Ga’a in the epic historical drama, House of Ga’a.
Directed by the queen of modern-day theatre, Bolanle Austen-Peters, House of Ga’a portrayed the life of Bashorun Ga’a, the head of the kingmakers’ council called Oyomesi. Blessed with supernatural strength, Bashorun Ga’a’s power was only rivaled by his cruelty. He was a tyrant who caused the deaths of four subsequent Alaafins. His bad deeds caught up with him, and he met a tragic end.

A Visual Feast of 18th‑Century Oyo

Set in the 18th century of the old Oyo empire, with a great storytelling technique and compelling visuals, House of Ga’a stands out as another great historic movie directed by Bolanle Austen-Peters after the Funmilayo Ransome Kuti biopic. At this point, we can conclude that when it comes to making history unfold on screen, Bolanle Austen-Peters is a force to reckon with.

Craft, Costumes & Creation

Beyond the plot, the production speaks volumes. Just like a famous Nigerian artiste said in one of his songs, “Better soup na money kill am,” not only was money spent on the production of House of Ga’a. It required effort, hard work. Judging by the costumes alone, you would see the great attention to detail.

Performances & Critical Acclaim

This movie has received accolades from fans, history lovers, and, not excluding the cast, who went above and beyond in interpreting their roles. The movie starred professional actors, including Femi Branch, Mike Afolarin, Ibrahim Chatta, Funke Akindele, Toyin Abraham, among others. Amazing reviews have rented the internet space about this movie.

Director’s Vision & Cultural Impact

The emotional and physical demands on the cast were immense. In an interview with legit.ng, Femi Branch, who played Bashorun Ga’a in the movie, shared how the movie stretched him. He said, “It took a lot. I had to become someone quite the opposite of myself. A monster. It was mentally and physically tasking as I also had to put on some weight.” Read more on Legit.ng.

The director herself explains the vision behind the story. In an interview with Nollywire during the movie premiere, Bolanle Austen-Peters shared what she was trying to create with the movie—how an individual would do anything to obtain power. In her words, “The essence of this movie is that I want to portray what people will do to obtain power and retain power, and that’s what the story is about.” Watch Below.

Why It Matters Today

Through the power of visual storytelling, we have been able not only to peep into the lives of legends but also learn from their stories. In an interview with AMX Movie Hub, Gabriel Afolayan said, “If we don’t tell our African stories, who else will?” No one will tell our story with as much authenticity as we will.

With House of Ga’a, Bolanle Austen-Peters not only revives history but also confronts the eternal question of how far people will go for power at any cost.