The Atuma Brothers International Company(TABIC) premiered its latest movie, ‘Imported Wives,’ in Lagos on Friday, with a nationwide cinema release following the debut.

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that the movie features Omoni Oboli, Nancy Isime, Patience Uzokwo, Joseph Benjamin, Linda Osifo, Funke Mallam and Ngozi Nwosu and reveals how migration destroys homes rather than better migrants’ lives against their expectations.

The movie was shot in Nigeria and Canada.

Speaking on the inspiration behind the movie at the premiere, the movie director and producer, Pascal Atuma, said it revolves around migration-focused marriage, where people are married for relocation reasons. And later develops into problematic affairs, where women will call on police to lock their husbands up, to the point UK police warned Nigerian women to stop reporting their husbands for domestic issues.

He said, “This movie is very family-oriented, and the message is powerful because anything that brings the death of human beings should be acted upon and exposed, so that is why we made the movie, ’Imported wives’.

“Most parents’ daughters have an excellent relationship here in Nigeria, but when they see someone from the UK, US or Canada, they break that relationship and have these young girls marry a stranger. Then, when they get over there, they realise all that glitters is not gold.” The director explained.

The film producer, the movie’s leading actor, spoke further on audience expectations, saying, “The movie was filmed in two countries, Nigeria and Canada. So, we set a mirror for migration, especially regarding marriage and family. The audience should expect drama and comedy. It is all in cinemas in Nigeria and also the cinemas in Ghana.”

Moreover, reflecting the cross-cultural settings of the movie and possible partnership between the two countries, Nigeria and Canada, Pascal said, “Canada only has a co-production treaty with South Africa, Zimbabwe and one other country. However, Nigeria does not yet have a production treaty with Canada because of our production level. So, for that to happen, we must step up our game. Our quality control is insufficient to meet the partnering standards with Canada. We are solid in storyline, acting and directing, but when we step up in quality control, the co-production treaty with Canada.”

On her part, while relating the movie’s plot with reality, the executive producer of ‘Imported Wives’, Joy Madubuike, said, “Firstly, what convinced me is the authenticity of the storyline. It has been happening, and it is prone to people losing their lives. It is a lived experience for people out there. One of the ways to educate people is storytelling, which has been told clearly.”

Moreover, at the movie premiere, Shaibu Husseini, the director-general of National Films and Video Censor(NVCB), gave his take on the new movie. In response to a question about steps taken to prevent the film from sharing the same storyline as earlier productions, Mr Shaibu explained that the board only has the authority to ensure films do not replicate exact storylines, not to regulate those with similar plots.

Similarly, the National President of the Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Nigeria, Queen Ebigieson, endorsed the movie while addressing the audience and cast at the movie premiere in Lagos.

While congratulating the movie director, Queen said: “I just want to say we are proud of what you (the director) put together as your work, you have been doing well in the industry for over two decades, everyone, please, after seeing this movie, hashtag ‘Imported wives’”

Additionally, the newly appointed Eze of Umuihuocha, Okey Bakassi, also showed his support for the movie at the premiere, saying his presence at the movie debut was to encourage and promote the works of his colleagues.

Addressing the growing trend of migration-driven marriages, he said: “Is there anything we use here that isn’t imported? So, we might as well import everything. But if I say ‘imported wives’ is a problem, then I’m implying a level of discrimination.

“If someone finds love, whether here or abroad, that’s perfectly fine. Love can happen anywhere. Discriminating against marrying from outside means we also discourage others from marrying our own. We should promote the cross-fertilisation of ideas. The world has become a global village,” Okey added.

Reflecting on the film’s cultural shock theme, Saheed Mohammed, popularly known as Funky Mallam, a cast member, noted that relocating a partner abroad for marriage is not a guaranteed solution to marital problems, as women are likely to change, particularly due to Western laws that tend to favour women.

The actor said, “For someone who comes back to Nigeria to marry a wife because she is well-mannered and cultured, unfortunately, how do you sustain this character or value when you take her there? She will have new friends and locations, and peer group is what can transform her to what you don’t want when she acclimatises to the new situation, so you might end up being disappointed because that value you brought her with to foreign land might be change at the end of the day, so how will you grab that woman and put her in the level till the end of the day.”

Speaking further of the movie’s big lessons and essence, he stated, “The film narrated how Africans in the Diaspora always want to come back home to grab their wives, and how women over there live their own lives due to the country’s laws. Women are given more power, and men are afraid to work hard.

”All of a sudden, the woman will take everything because the law favours the woman, especially during a crisis. So, because of that, they come back home to get women in the name of well-mannered and cultured women.”