The Set Up is a Nigerian thriller that follows the story of Chike, a drug smuggler played by Adesua Etomi-Wellington, and Grace (Kehinde Bankole) who found themselves in the middle of a dangerous chess match.
Chike’s sidekick Grace, who is a beauty to behold, was a near-victim of human trafficking. Her mother, by handing her over to Chike, literally rescues her from the greedy paws of her father who is hell-bent on sending her to Italy for ₦1 million.
To pay the man off, Chike and Grace become drug mules, and they are quite successful at it until the baron they work for, Saliu, is arrested by the police. The girls are implicated, but just before the long arm of the law catches up with them, they receive a mysterious invitation from The Academy, which helps them escape.
They quickly find, however, that the Academy, specializing in corporate espionage, is a far more intricate criminal enterprise than they had ever seen. But the two ladies, who are no strangers to the rough underworld, quickly become the best operatives there. The Madam is intrigued by their methods, effectiveness, and success, and promptly asks them to teach her girls.
Trouble begins when Edem, a suave businessman played by Jim Iyke, approaches the organization for help in setting up a marriage with socialite heiress, Motunrayo Elesho. Edem, it turns out, is a longtime friend of Motunrayo’s father and mum who is played by Joke Silva.
It all goes awry from there. The Set Up unravels into a series of setups, which will leave you marveling and wondering till the end.
The key actors in this flick include Adesua Etomi-Wellington, Joke Silva, Jim Iyke, Dakore Egbuson-Akande, Tina Mba, Kehinde Bankole, and Ayoola Ayolola. It was written by Chinaza Onuzo and is directed by the indefatigable Niyi Akimolayan.
Didi Dan-Asisah is an art enthusiast and critic. She lives in Lagos.
Ayodelé is a Lagos-based journalist and the Content and Editorial Coordinator at Meiza. All around the megacity, I am steering diverse lifestyle magazine audiences with ingenious hacks and insights that spur fast, informed decisions in their busy lives.
