In the early days of the internet, it was something of a right of passage to say that you’d received one of those “Nigerian prince” scam emails. Of course, in the early days of the internet, they did actually work and some poor victims found themselves out of thousands of pounds.
Ishaya Bako’s I Do Not Come To You By Chance, based on Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani’s novel of the same name, starts off with an even less sophisticated scam. Young Kingsley is seen writing love letters to a number of unsuspecting women on behalf of his gregarious, smooth-talking Uncle Boniface. All of these letters promise a dashing romance, if only he had the money for his bus fare. Could they maybe spare him some?
Years later, Kingsley (Paul Nnadiekwe) finds himself a jobless, prospect-less graduate. “Being unemployed does not save you from the responsibilities of being a first son,” a weary voiceover sighs. With mounting hospital bills to pay for his father’s poor health and school fees for his younger siblings, Kingsley finds himself, once again, turning to Boniface (Blossom Chukwujekwu) for support.
When we meet Boniface for the second time, he emerges from a limo in glittering gold loafers with a gold-tipped cane to match. Indeed, his wardrobe throughout the film is a dazzling display of traditional Nigerian menswear in an array of bright colours to reflect his bombastic personality. But there’s a darker side to “Cash Daddy”, as he is known to those in his debt. Blossom Chukwujekwu plays both elements of the character perfectly. He is charming; silver tongued and big belly laughs. But his booming voice can turn on a dime, laced with something much more menacing and violent. He is alluring yet quite obviously dangerous and power hungry.
Paul Nnadiekwe, too, gives an excellent lead performance. Kingsley’s desperation at the start of the film is palpable. His relationship has broken down due to a lack of funds to pull together a dowry; his job application forms are met with silence or rejection; he wants his siblings to be able to continue in school; his father’s pension hasn’t been paid reliably in over six months. As he gets to grips with working for Boniface – ie sending scam emails from various African dignitaries – we can see his conflict. The money is ridiculously good – a montage of new apartments, clothes and nights out are testament to this – but at what price?
Chika Anadu and Ishaya Bako do a good job of balancing the family drama elements of the script with those of the glamorous criminal aspects. Kingsley responds to one of his potential marks by simply explaining how hard it is to be a graduate in Nigeria, with all the pressures of keeping his family afloat. And although he is scamming for a living, the script and characterisation allows us to feel empathy for him. He seems like a naive young man who is just desperate for income. Anadu and Bako blur both Kingsley’s and our sense of “right and wrong” in evoking this empathy. There’s also a brilliant scene, which is reminiscent of the classic BBC series Hustle, which shows Boniface explaining how a sting on an English businessman will unfold whilst we see the meeting actually play out. There’s a couple of moments of real tension, with the wrong things being said, that make it good fun to watch.
Whilst the ending makes it clear what lies ahead for Boniface’s office, Bako is more coy as to what Kingsley might be up to. As he gives his proud mother a tour of the legitimate internet cafe he has established for himself, there’s a phone call and a cheeky little look to the camera that will leave your jaw on the floor.
Crime might not pay, but it’s certainly enjoyable to watch.
I Do Not Come to You By Chance is now screening at the Glasgow Film Festival 2025. Get your tickets here.
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