A Marxist Analysis of Class and Wealth in “Chief Daddy”(2018)

    The movie, Chief Daddy, shows different social classes and how wealth is handled in a rich Nigerian family. For example, the movie started with the big burial preparations for Chief Beecroft, showing his rich family in a huge mansion with servants. The family includes Lady Kay, the legal wife, and several mistresses all fighting for their share of inheritance. The clear difference between the wealthy family members and their workers shows the social gap in Nigerian society. The movie portrays the struggle of class and money in the society.

    To begin with, the film presents the family as the rich class, while the workers represent the poor class. In one of the scenes, the workers, like the housekeeper and maids, were serving food and cleaning but are not included in the family conversations. When the family argues over the will, the workers were asked to leave the room. This shows that while the workers keep the household running, they are treated as less important.

The movie also shows how rich people hold power, and poor workers reman in lower positions.

   In addition, the movie shows that wealth mostly comes from inheritance, not from working hard. After Chief Beecroft’s death, a lawyer read his will, and everyone learnt that to inherit, they must work together to plan the burial. The family’s greed comes out as they compete for the money instead of mourning. This scene shows that the family expects to get rich by inheritance and not by earning it. Therefore, the film shows that in rich families, money is passed down through inheritance, keeping the same people wealthy for generations.

   Moreover, the movie also shows how people’s relationships are based on money and what they can benefit. For example, one of the mistresses, played by Nse Ikpe-Etim, only stayed close to Chief Beecroft because she wanted her children to benefit from his wealth. Her attitude changed when the money is threatened, showing her true motive. This shows how emotions are often replaced by financial interests. This shows how capitalism can make people treat each other like objects, focusing only on money.

    Furthermore, the film shows that it is hard for poor people to move up to the rich class. One of the characters in the movie, Nike Williams, who was Chief Beecroft’s apprentice, married one of his sons, which upgraded her social status. However, in another scene, she struggled to fit in with the wealthy family and worried about losing her position. This shows that even when people move up, they remain dependent on wealth. The movie shows that rich and poor people often stay in their own class.

    Similarly, the movie shows that the labour of the workers is very important but mostly ignored. In one of the scenes, a maid, who worked to clean and serve them was caught in a moment of frustration but quickly hid her emotions. She was never given credit for her hard work but playe an important role in running the operations of the house smoothly. This reflects the lack of rewarding labour in capitalist societies. The film shows the unfair treatment of workers which aligns with the main idea of the Marxist theory. 

    On the other hand, the film focuses on inequality in the economy but does not fully criticize the rich family’s behavior. During a family fight over money, everyone is selfish and greedy, but the film uses funny arguments, which makes the problem seem less serious. The characters’ problems appear personal instead of linked to bigger social issues. This makes the film appear more as a comedy about family drama. This means the film doesn’t challenge the rich class strongly but focuses on family drama.

   Ultimately, the movie shows how capitalism can lead to problems like greed and family fights over money. When the family discovers the money is at risk, they stop caring about their relationships and only want to protect their shares of the money. This scene highlights how money controls their lives and breaks family bonds. It shows the negative effects of focusing too much on wealth. This is a way the movie points out problems in society caused by capitalism.

    However,the movie, Chief Daddy, does not offer solutions or a strong message against inequality. At the end, the family is still fighting and divided, and the workers’ situation remains the same. There is no clear change or hope for the poor workers to improve their lives. The film ends without addressing how to fix the social problems it displayed. This means the movie accepts the system of class instead of questioning it.

   In conclusion, “Chief Daddy” shows class differences and wealth in Nigerian society using a Marxist lens. It highlights how wealth is passed down through families and how workers do important jobs but are ignored. The film shows problems caused by greed and capitalism but does not strongly challenge the rich or offer change. The movie reflects the difference in class amongst members of the society but mostly entertains the viewers rather than to educate them. Using Marxist theory helps us understand these issues better and see how movies can show social problems in different ways.