How To Get Away With Nigerian Murder – Josh Journal
I spent last Saturday with a friend. We were busy running some errands and in one of our many discussions, the subject of how to get away with murder came up.
Neither of us had watched the series, but we had a fair knowledge of it.
Who doesn’t know Shonda Rhimes and Viola Davis?
I watched Scandal twice, and have watched almost everything Viola Davis has been involved in.
Then why haven’t I seen a single episode of how to get away with murder?
Honestly, I’m kinda scared of it. Everything about the series frightens me. Beginning right from the poster, to every video clip of Viola Davis I have seen from the show.
You have no idea how much I love Viola Davis and Shonda Rhimes though. Each time either of them does a press run, I watch every single one of their interviews. (Like EVERY SINGLE ONE.)
I only stop after watching the tenth one that I have watched thrice already from five years ago.
As I discussed with my friend on Saturday, we got talking about what it would take to recreate a Nigerian version of how to get away with murder.
Try as much as we could, without spending excessive time on motive and “whodunnit”, it would take a lot of wringing to create 45 minutes of TV material.
A Nigerian how to get away with murder will not be a TV series. It wouldn’t even be a mini-series. It would hardly be a full-length movie.
Honestly, if we try to be as realistic as possible, it would only be a short play.
As soon as the deed is done, the culprit only needs to dump the body almost anywhere else and drive off.
With our knowledge of the police force, it would take self-implication, or the involvement of “village people” to get the culprit exposed.
And if the murderer was caught, evading justice could be easier than facing the law.
I want to believe that the Nigerian Police Force and judicial system will get better over the coming years.
But for the sake of argument, bribing your way out of a murder case currently seems too feasible. And easy. And your surest bet.
Scandal, how to get away with murder, suits, and other legal dramas seem too much of a stretch to the Nigerian reality.
That doesn’t in any way imply that Nigeria doesn’t have stories that need to be told.
The Nigerian entertainment and literary industry are filled with world-class talents.
When they eventually get a bit of spotlight on them, they will win and retain the attention of the world.
I pray that time comes sooner rather than later. And I also pray that those with a heart for the arts enjoy the proceeds of their years of labor.
Wilson Joshua is a Video Editor, Content Creator, and Creative Writer.
Follow him on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. @IJOSWIL
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