In I Do Not Come to You by Chance (directed by Ishaya Bako and based on the novel of the same name by Adaobi Tricia Obinne Nwaubani), Kingsley, the oldest son of a Nigerian Igbo family is tasked with taking care of his mother and siblings as his father suffers from a medical condition. He remembers his childhood and how his rich Uncle Boniface made money by lying to women that he claimed to love and decides to ask him for help. As Kingsley can’t find a job, working with his uncle- who everyone now refers to as Cash Daddy- seems like the best course of action for him, even though he knows that there is nothing legal about what his uncle does.
There’s a general understanding of Nigerians as hustlers, and I think this is true. As a Nigerian myself, I believe that we often find a way to get ourselves by, no matter what. I Do Not Come to You by Chance shows us what could drive people to a point of fraud, when kids are barred from writing exams when their fees aren’t paid, and patients in dire situations won’t even be looked at if they don’t have enough money to cover a bill. It exposes the complexities of choosing to live a less than upright life. But then, in true Nigerian ‘moral lesson’ fashion, it asks us if getting by through fraudulent means is worth our peace, integrity, and life.
It’s a movie that ends with hope that taking the upright path will always get you where you want to be, a hope that I wholeheartedly hold on to with faith, but one I understand is not easy to come by for a lot of people. My desire is that our systems are able to give that hope to people again.
I Do Not Come to You By Chance is now playing at TIFF ’23. For more information, click here.
