Church Business

Nigerian Movie Review
Church Business – 2003
Story – Rapheal Nelson
Screenplay – Jane Agunabor
Director & Producer – Simi Opeoluwa

Starring:
Genevieve Nnaji – Chioma Okoye
Ramsey Noauh – Jimmy Okoye
Shan George – Princess
Segun Arinze – Paul Badmus
Ofia Afuluagu Mbaka – Mike
Chinedu Bamuda – Guru
Oby Kechere
Rosemary Azinge – Mama Jimmy
Williams Uchemba – Ben
Sandra Uchemba – Ada
Jennifer Nduka – Queen

Themes:
Corruption in the Church
Church as a Business
Poverty
Rituals

Nollywoodforever.com Rating – 83%

Synopsis:

When Jimmy played by Ramsey Noah loses his job through no fault of his own his family is plunged into poverty not even sure if they can any longer keep a roof over their heads. After endless job searching he becomes desperate. Seeing that his friend Mike is doing well as a Pastor he asks him if he can join his ministry. His wife Chioma played by Genevieve Nnaji is not happy about this telling him that is is not right for him to join the ministry considering the fact that he does not have the calling. Despite her worries he joins his friend Mike in the church business and then with the help of an old friend branches out and works towards the growth of his own ministry.

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SPOILERS:

The Church As A Business
Jimmy is upset when at the end of his first sermon which is so diligently prepared the money received from the church members is 350 naira “only” he exclaims to Mike,

“Can you imagine after my will prepared sermon this is all we made in todays service? 305 naira? A meagre 305 naira.”

It is clear his intentions aren’t in preaching for the right reasons. He simply sees it as a way to make money as opposed to being passionate about spreading the word. Mike sees that and tells him,

“Look Jimmy, don’t be ridiculous. You sound as if the church is a business investment where you expect returns everyday… I believe the people gave in their best and god accepted it and that is the most improtant thing.”

Jimmy makes a good point when he retorts back,

“Face it this is the 21st century and this is a country where some churches and some Pastors are even richer than some state governments.”

Indeed today we can see in mega churches and TV evangelism that the church has indeed become a business. What do you think about this?

Corruption in the Church
We see how false pastors only interested in fame and money win people over with their suave manors, flashy dress and using the lords name over and over.

In one scene he decides he wants to go to build a church in America he addresses the congregation and tells them,

If you feel god has touched you to do gods work please rise I need just 10 million naira. It’s a token fee for our lord”

Hmmmm really. What will the Lord do with 10 million naira? Indeed oooo

Poverty
It has been said that to be poor is a crime and watching this movie you would indeed think so. As jimmy becomes more and more preoccupied with making money he becomes more deceitful, short tempered and simply unpleasant. The extent that he will go to to beat poverty is unbelievable. You can see just how far poverty and desperation can drive an otherwise reasonable person.

My Favourite Scene
This is just after Pastor Badmus is caught and Jimmy relays what he saw to his wife. Initially it appears that he is trying to cover up his knowing anything and then as the scene continues and his wife is so shocked and horrified by a pastor doing rituals he becomes more and more agitated. He tells her that they should pray for pastor Badmus to which she exclaims,

“Who will pray for him? ME? God forbid. Rather that I pray god continues to expose all those fake satanic pastors who go about destroying innocent souls. May he rain his holy ghost fire upon all of them… A Pastor? Chei wonders shall never end. The church is no longer a place to worship the lord. It is a place for money making.”

It is as though he is only just realising the gravity of what he has done when he hears his wife’s extreme opposition to his friend’s actions. This scene is brilliantly and subtly acted by Ramsey Noah.

Conclusion:

I would definitely recommend this movie. Genevieve Nnaji and Ramsey Noah make a great pair. The glory days of Nollywood oooh please come back. The moral of the story is, if it seems too good to be true then it most definitely is. There is no shortcut to anything good in this life. If you want to be wealthy and roll around in cash you are going to have to work hard for it. POINT BLANK.

Tags: Chinedu Bamuda, Genevieve Nnaji, Jane Agunabor, Jennifer Nduka, Oby Kechere, Offia Afuluagu Mbaka, Ramsey Noah, Rapheal Nelson, Rosemary Asinge, Sandra Uchemba, Segun Arinze, Shan George, Simi Opeoluwa, Williams Uchemba

Category: Nollywood Film Reviews, Watch? Most Definitely!