From lyrics to movie: An adaptation of Davolee’s ‘Festival Bar’ to a screenplay

MONTAGE:

A drone shot shows an overview of Lagos. The aerial shot of the drone reveals the busy streets of Ikotun, a suburb in Lagos. The clips show Okada riders plying the busy streets and bus conductors shouting out their destinations.

On a Close up shot, students could be seen running around and market women are attending to customers. The camera pans right and show a high voltage wire, and then it zooms in on a sign post with the inscription: GOVERNOR’S ROAD.

EXT. GOVERNOR’S ROAD — DAY

At the entrance of the Governor’s Road stands DEVOLEE, early twenties, tall, black and handsome. He dresses in all black with a black bandanna tied around his head. Behind him are some YOUNG BOYS and GIRLS. They all dress in white T shirts and blue jeans. Davolee takes a few steps forward and looks straight at the camera.

DAVOLEE: Bo se lo le le ‘i. Bo se lo le le ‘i. All my work and walk at Festival Bar, this is how it goes. Suddenly I find myself at Festival Bar, where I worked as a bar man. I’m angry with God, how can He give me this kind of dirty job? You lighten my life with a dim-lighted bulb. Please, Baba, lighten my life with a brighter bulb.

He turns left, collects a bottle of CIROC from one of the boys standing behind him. Pours some drink in a red Styrofoam cup.

DAVOLEE (cont’d): Sorry, I have to drink something to quench my thirst and to tell this story clearly. Where I worked isn't far from here (points leftward). But that’s past, I have left it behind me. I have moved on to another level, a better level. Well, here is the full story.

As Davolee is speaking, we —

EXT. FESTIVAL BAR — MORNING

… FLASH BACK: THREE YEARS AGO

In front of the FESTIVAL BAR, a fat, light-skinned woman sits on a blue plastic chair. Her name is MAMA G, 30s. Her OYINBO HUSBAND(44), sits beside her. He is pressing a phone while Mama G is taking stock of the drinks she bought. The husband glances at his wrist watch and stands up.

HUSBAND: Honey, I need to go to the banks now before the banks close. You know what happened last Friday?

MAMA G stares at her husband.

MAMA G: Please, go quickly before the queue gets too heavy, and the bank closes in an hour, you know. I don’t want any of those bad boys to come knocking on my door with guns again o.

HUSBAND: Let me go now.

The husband takes his car keys from the table and goes to his car.

INT. FESTIVAL BAR — MOMENT LATER

The bar is small but trendy. Inside the bar, a young, black boy is cleaning the counter. He is DAVOLEE, formerly known as SEGUN. On a wall opposite Segun, a television is playing Olamide’s ‘Eleda Mi’. Segun stops cleaning the table and starts singing along with the TV. Mama G walks in and Segun stops dancing and continue cleaning the table, but unfortunately Mama G has seen him dancing and singing.

MAMA G: Ehen, na wetin you dey do be this whenever i nor dey, abi?

SEGUN: No Ma.

MAMA G: Shooo, you mean sey i blind and i nor dey see well well?

SEGUN: No ma.

Mama G turns off the TV.

MAMA G: I go sack you if i see you dancing to dat yeye music again. Idiot.

INT. FESTIVAL BAR — DAY

Mama G walks into the bar. Salewa, early twenties is walking behind Mama. She carries a bagco bag. Mama G looks around the bar. Nothing.

MAMA G(to herself): Na where this boy waka go?

She peeks behind the counter. Nothing.

MAMA G (cont’d): Segun.

SEGUN (o.s): Maaaa

Segun comes in from the backyard. She looks at Mama G then at Salewa.

MAMA G: This is our new sales girl. She go dey help you with some of the work.

Segun looks at Salewa. Smiles.

INT. FESTIVAL BAR — EVENING

Salewa is attending to a male CUSTOMER#1.

CUSTOMER#1: Na how many bottle of beer we buy?

SALEWA: 15.

Customer #1 flinches.

CUSTOMER#1: No be 10?

SALEWA: No o, na 15.

CUSTOMER#1: I think sey na 10 bottles we buy o.

Customer #1 takes his wallet from his jeans pocket. Brings out #4000. Gives it to Salewa. Segun is looking at Salewa. He shakes his head. Customer #1 leaves. Segun walks up to Salewa.

SEGUN: Why you dey increase price for customers?

Salewa eyes Segun. Hisses.

SALEWA: Na wetin concern you dia?

SEGUN: Well, no be my business. But if Mama G catch you sey you dey increase price for customers, or you dey steal her money, na that day you go chop better slap before she go come pursue you comot hia.

SALEWA: Look this one o, se mi oni jeun ni? Ti owo mi oba se suku, se mi oni gerun ni? Abeg leave me o jare make you go face your business.

Segun stares at Salewa. Shakes his head. Walks away.

INT. FESTIVAL BAR — NIGHT

The bar is full of customers. Two large speakers are blasting Olamide’s songs. A customer taps Salewa’s nyansh.

SALEWA: Ewo ni osi gan na? Ema gba idi mi mo o.

Salewa hisses and walks away from the customer and goes to the counter.

CUSTOMER #2 , tall, huge and light-skinned, walks into the bar.

CUSTOMER#2: Hey, na where Segun dey?

Salewa looks up from the counter.

SALEWA: I no know o.

CUSTOMER#2: Oya give me big Don Simon.

Salewa brings the drink.

SALEWA: Na #1500 o.

CUSTOMER #2: For wetin? I buy one yesterday and the price na #1200.

Segun walks into the bar, carrying two crates of beer. Customer #2 looks back, sees Segun and —

CUSTOMER #2: Ehen, Segun, sey na true sey big Don Simon don be #1500?

Segun looks at Salewa. Salewa winks at him to “agree with her”.

Segun stares at Salewa. And goes out of the bar.

SALEWA: Bros, na the price be that. I no dey lie.

CUSTOMER #2: Oga o.

Customer #2 gives Salewa #1500. Salewa gives him the Don Simon. Customer #2 leaves. Beat. Segun comes in. Looks around the bar. He moves closer to Salewa.

SEGUN: That bros na Mama G friend, im fit go ask Mama G for outside o.

Silence. Customer #3 enters the bar. Segun looks back. Turns to Salewa.

SEGUN (cont’d): And ma tell you one true, the money for here na drink money, e no fit change your life talkless sey you go use am build house.

Salewa claps her hands and hisses.

SALEWA: Alaye, gbogbo nkan to nso ko kan aiye. Se oti gbo pe nkan ti won nse lorun ko kan aiye?

SEGUN: I don talk my own o.

SALEWA: Ogbeni, that one na for your pocket o. Me sha know sey I go buy G wagon from Mama G money before i comot for hia.

TIME CUT

INT. FESTIVAL BAR COUNTER — LATER

There are few people in the bar. Segun is pouring some drink into a glass. Gives the drink to Customer #3 who is standing in front of him.

Salewa is attending to customers at the other end of the counter.

Customer #2 walks into the bar.

CUSTOMER #2 (points at Salewa): Who be that girl and na when she start to dey work here?

SEGUN: Na Salewa be her name. And she don tey small for here.

CUSTOMER #1: The girl don dey pass her boundary and she needs to mind herself. How she go sell Don Simon for 1K for me and she go gain #400? I no be monkey na.

SEGUN: Bros, please no vex. She no go do am again.

CUSTOMER #2: I know sey na wetin una go thief una dey find. Una wan turn Mama G bar to free ATM wey una go dey withdraw money from abi? Na wetin she take me for sef? Sey she think sey I be Baba alaye, or do I look like an alhaji?

Customer #1 is about to walk out and forgive the girl, but he changes his mind.

CUSTOMER #2 (cont’d) I go tell Mama G.

As Customer #2 turns to leave, Mama G comes in.

MAMA G (to Salewa): What’s happening here?

Salewa kneels

SALEWA: Mama, please, na poverty do me like this.

MAMA G: Wetin poverty do you? You wan turn my bar to something else, bloody fool you. So na my bar go end your poverty, ehn? Na because you be lady, na im make me trust you. But Segun is better than you in a countless way.

Mama G turns to Customer #2

MAMA G (cont’d): Bros abeg no vex.

Mama G stares hard at Salewa. Shakes her head.

MAMA G (cont’d): Come first, this girl just starts work, how come this bad sense? I know sey na Segun go teach am all this nonsense. (Beat) Hey Segun, to come here.

Segun goes to Mama G. Mama G beckons at him to come closer, but Segun stays back.

MAMA G(cont’d): I say come here.

SEGUN: Mama G, no even try am. Boy dey vex o. Wetin dey dey ground na exam, I swear no be test o. I go slap you back if you slap me. Try am and see maybe I no go nod you.

MAMA G: I sey make you come here.

Segun walks out on Mama G. Kicks an empty bottle as he is walking out from the bar. Mama G walks after him.

MAMA G (cont’d): Don’t ever come back here o.

EXT. FESTIVAL BAR — NIGHT

Segun leaps over a gutter. He walks slowly in the quiet and deserted street. Looks at the moonless but starry sky. Points at the brightest star.

EXT. GOVERNOR’S ROAD — CONTINUOUS

DAVOLEE: Una don see am? Na so I take work and waka comot for Festival Bar, but I thank God now level don change.

Davolee turns to the boys and girls behind him.

DAVOLEE (cont’d): Oya DJ, play ‘Cirocing’ for me.

‘Cirocing’ is blaring out from two big speakers beside the Boys and Girls.

INT. QUILOX— NIGHT

Loud music. People dancing. Drinks are flowing. Davolee is celebrating his signing to Olamide’s YBNL.

FADE OUT