The movie starts with a fervent, tongue-speaking young man named John Oguntuase, who acted as Raphael, the main character in the movie. He was from a Christian home, born into the Ogini family. On several occasions, he was found praying alone for hours until he had to be called to join the morning devotion. He also fasted for several days while studying the Word of God.
He worked as a primary school teacher until an opportunity presented itself for him to work in Lagos. So he had to leave Saki for Lagos, and that was when the whole drama began.
The movie shows how the “craziest” place to be is Lagos, especially for first-timers. Nothing prepared Raphael for what he was about to encounter there, and his experience in just three days was enough to write a book.
He arrived Lagos safely, only to realise that not all Lagosians are normal. To begin with, his phone was stolen, and he couldn’t even remember the address of where he was headed. It was like Lagos giving him a proper welcome and leaving him to survive with whatever he had. For a long while, he struggled to find someone sane enough to help him call his friend. Eventually, help came from the most unexpected place - someone sitting by the roadside who couldn’t even speak English. That was how he found his way home.
Ironically, those he thought would help didn’t even give him attention, including the Evangelist (Mrs. Moromooluwatiketike). He begged her for money but got a tract instead, because she too assumed he was lying.
Not long after, he decided to attend a church service. However, instead of settling in, he spent a ridiculous amount of time assessing people who were walking into the church - judging them by their dressing and hairstyles. To him, nothing seemed normal, not even a Sunday service.
Then came the day of his interview. He stayed home to pray and left a few hours before the scheduled time. Although his friend warned him about Lagos traffic, he believed he had enough time — until reality met him on the road. First, the bus he boarded got into a fight with another driver. After that, while trying to find his way, he fell into the hands of people who misled him. By the time he realised what was happening, he had lost his way and missed hours of the interview, eventually arriving at the office by 7:30 p.m.
Thankfully, he met Mrs. Omolara Ayoola, who acted as Mrs. Ladoja, the owner of the company. Moved by his embarrassing plea, she attended to him and offered to help him get another job since the one he initially came for had already been filled. However, before anything could be secured, he got into an altercation with a man who acted as a beggar, only to later realise it was part of the man’s usual strategy whenever their paths crossed. It was during this entire drama that Mrs. Ladoja encountered Raphael, and with these two scenarios, she almost gave up on him completely.
Meanwhile, as he sat in the room, perplexed by everything happening around him, his friend Seyi Obembe, who acted as Innocent, offered to speak to someone who could get him a role. Though it was a small position, it was better than nothing.
This time, determined not to repeat past mistakes, he left home around 2:30 AM on the day he was to resume. In fact, the same person who had arrived in Lagos only weeks earlier was now advising his friend on the importance of leaving home early. That day was a really good day.
But just when it seemed like he was finally getting a grip on Lagos, he woke up late the next day, forgot his wallet at home, and wore mismatched shoes to work. By the time he arrived, he looked more like a lost soul than a receptionist.
Surprisingly, after a performance review by the company’s GM, Mr. Kayode Babalola, he was promoted to executive manager with twice the pay of his previous role — but at a cost: long working hours and weekends, including Sundays.
At this stage, he was gradually losing himself. Yet, his meeting with Pastor Tunde, acted by Pastor Tunde, was divinely orchestrated to help him find his bearing amid the chaos of Lagos.
When he was on the verge of giving up and returning to the village, he encountered the Evangelist again. This time, she asked, “Why are you running away?” Referring to the story of Jonah, she pointed out that it was not Lagos he was running from — it was himself. What began as a simple exchange turned into a moment of deep revelation.
Later, he met Pastor Tunde again and opened up about his struggles, particularly how his prayer life had begun to dwindle since moving to Lagos. His biggest concern was that he could no longer pray for two to three hours as he once did.
And that brings us to the lessons: in the midst of the hustling and bustling of Lagos, how does one find time to fellowship with God?
Pastor Tunde shared a few practical steps, emphasising that the solution lies in depending on the Holy Spirit.
1. Make the Lord your priority. Even in the middle of busyness, you must intentionally create time — however short — to seek His face. Depend on the Holy Spirit, because you cannot sustain it with the energy of the flesh.
2. Be intentional with your time. Spend the first thirty minutes loving on God. Turn your phone into a spiritual tool by loading it with sermons, worship songs, and the audio Bible. Two hours in traffic can become a prayer room if used wisely - including praying in tongues. Even if all you have is a quiet corner, break it into 15 or 10-minute segments.
3. Make confessions and declarations based on the Word of God. When you do this, you will realise you have given Him the tithe of your day. Out of 24 hours, ten percent is 2 hours and 24 minutes. For a profitable and robust relationship with God, creativity is necessary.
4. Finally, find an accountability partner. Raphael found Pastor Theophilus, recommended by Pastor Tunde, who guided him and helped him regain stability.
In one of their conversations, it was said that serving God is not proven when it is convenient; it is proven when it is costly. Anyone can follow God when things are easy and smooth. Serving God is not about convenience but conviction.
Obedience in hard seasons is what God uses to honour and shape men. Serve God not because it is easy, but because He is worthy.When it is hardest, that is when heaven is watching.
So even in the bustle of Lagos, let your faith meet your hustle, and let your fire keep burning regardless.
- The chaos and challenges of Lagos life with how Raphael navigated his interview, transportation issues, and the general hustle of the city
- Faith and temptation by questioning how faith holds up amidst the trials and temptations of a chaotic environment
- Humor and relatability with a strong yet balanced mix of comedic moments and relatable situations that Nigerian audiences, particularly Christians, would appreciate.
- Spiritual reflection because despite the comedy, there's an underlying message about staying true to one's faith and identity
This was meant to be a review, but I ended up narrating a large portion of the movie. There is still more, and it becomes even more interesting when you watch it yourself. So if you are looking for a movie to see this weekend, here is one showing exclusively on Evangelist John Oguntuase’s YouTube Channel.
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