| Director | Niyi Akinmolayan |
|---|---|
| Genre | historical drama |
| Runtime | 107 min |
| Country | Nigeria |
In late-Oyo Empire, Nigeria, Olodan ruler of the Olodan kingdom, refuses to pay the massive tributes demanded of him by the Alaafin ruler of the Oyo Empire. He is ruthlessly attacked and brought to the palace. The tributes in money and agricultural products are extracted by force from the people's own business. The Alaafin of Oyo, infuriated by Olodan's defiance, executes him as a warning to anyone who dared to defy.
Despite the Egba people's compliance with tribute demands, Sangodeyi, the ruthless head of the tribute collectors, and his brutal subordinates terrorize them. They take more than what is owed, rape young women, and kill those who resist, making life unbearable for the farmers and villagers of Egba land as their oppression intensifies.
Oshokenu, Lisabi's friend, sees something horrific when the collectors, having taken all the cash from a female merchant, carry off her daughter as well. Oshokenu's resistance of the unfairness is exposed as he rages at their brutality, yelling, "Why do you take only women? Men accompany them as well. As a punishment for disobedience, the tribute collectors mercilessly punished him by distorting his face in full public view as an exhibition of authority. Oshokenu wants to marry Abebi, a handsome, fair Egba woman, as much as he is known to be a lazy farmer. He successfully courted her with Lisabi's assistance, and Abebi consented to the marriage. But on Oshokenu's wedding day, Sangodeyi and his men target him in an effort to break his spirit. Abebi is severely raped by Sangodeyi as she is intercepted on her way to her new house. Tragically, Abebi ends her own life because she was devastated by the stress and disgrace.
After becoming enraged about Abebi's passing, Oshokenu sets out to demand revenge. He fights against the collectors and kills ten of them before he is shot and murdered. He is near death when Lisabi finds him. On his deathbed, Oshokenu begs beside his companion. Following an empathetic conversation with his dying friend, Lisabi decides to take on the responsibility of the Egba people's struggle for justice. He comes up with a plan where the farmers will appear to work together and in sync as part of a communal agricultural effort to allay suspicions by the Oyo army. However, Lisabi is secretly preparing more: to organize the Egba people for a mass uprising against their rulers.
Lisabi strategically formed the Aaro society, a communal work group that secretly fuelled the Egba uprising. As tensions escalated with their Oyo overlords, Lisabi planned a covert rebellion, leading to fierce battles where the Egba triumphed, finally achieving independence.