It is Beyond the Humor: A Marxist Look at CHIEF DADDY part one

 

Using Marxist theory to critically assess the class structures portrayed in Chief Daddy. Chief daddy is a comedy drama that was shot in the year 2018. It is an entertainment and a Nigerian movie which so much fun and memories it holds in watching it alone.  The Marxist theory developed by Karl Marx, is believed that text, music, video, are part of a superstructure to demarcate the haves and haves not [the rich and those who are not]. Karl Marx’s belief is that there is an economic intention behind a structure. With all this being said and understood, a critic would be done on the movie CHIEF DADDY part one. Chief Daddy is a comedy movie that shows how Chief Daddy passes away and is left with a whole family to be able to distribute his wealth and inheritance. But is it just an entertainment movie? No, looking at it in a Marxist lens we see it reflects economic and social struggles in our real life. We would analyze how the movie constructs or display the theme of wealth, labor and inheritance.

Firstly, in Marxist theory there is something called class relations, every society is divided into classes, the bourgeoises [ the higher class], and the proletariats [ the working class]. In the movie, chief daddy is portrayed as one with the high class or the ruling class, whose wealth and influence and connections made up his luxurious lifestyle and extended family. His wealth signifies power and respect. We see that in the movie, when characters are fighting for the will. Instead of mourning his death, all eyes were on the will, because of the amount value it holds. The movie constructs wealth as a way that it could be gotten through birthright or social ties not by merit or hard labor.

Also, how does it construct inheritance and labor, The inheritance thing being fought for somehow is commodity fetishism. First off, commodity fetishism is social relations becoming things relations. How commodity fetishism was glorified in the movie; there is neglection to how such inheritance [that is meant to be given to the family] was gotten and how much hard work was put in it for it to be where it is today. It became a thing relation among family members, a thing of magic and it becomes a necessity for it to be gotten, instead of appreciating the work put in it. The labor aspect in this movie, the labor of the workers was shown but not necessarily placed to see how much work they put to make the house the way it is. The house wasn’t cleaned up on its own, someone cleaned the house. In the movie, chief Daddy, the labor of workers was neglected. So, it shows that the labor force is seen but not heard in the movie, it is giving the working-class invisibility, where there is a class working but it is not known, we know someone did, but it is not that important.

Additionally, elite privilege was glorified in the movie. Elite privilege is defined as the preferential treatment that a select group of people, often possessing high social status, wealth, or power, enjoy compared to the general population. How do I mean? So, in Chief Daddy part one, there is an elite privilege which was glorified in the movie. It showed that if you belong to the Beecroft family, you own up to something. Leaving with a note of there is no way anything poverty could penetrate. This is where Marx saying is believed that in capitalism cycle, the poor remain poor and the rich remain rich. Therefore, elite privilege was been glorified in the movie, Chief Daddy.

Also, chief Daddy part one, there is more to know like, was commodification, class mobility and economic inequality addressed or ignored. By a few points we would realize that answer. Remember, Chief Daddy might be a comedy movie released in 2018, but there is more to it than the entertainment it brings. First off, commodification is what many see as thing relation between things instead of social relation between people, in simple terms. How is it related to the movie? We see that period of Chief Daddy Beecroft’s death; it was less mourning than that of happiness in the house. The family members were more interested in his luxury house and money. This is to say that people act on what more they gain. This is to explain that wealth is more important than the genuine feeling of the one who just passed away in the movie. The commodification aspect was addressed when he made his last will speech to bring his family back together and know the benefit of relationship than just money. Then there was a realization of their mistake. So therefore, commodification was addressed and also ignored.

In class mobility, which means a change of position from higher to lower, very easily in terms of power or wealth. In relation to Chief Daddy, all family members were living a high lifestyle due to the weight of Chief Beecroft’s wealth, most of them even if they face economic challenges they get braced up because they have Chief Beecroft as relative to them. Even if he or she is adopted or biologically related or just some help in time of need or non-relatives, as long as you know him, you benefit from His wealth. This is to explain that Success is on who you know and what they possess, than whatever skill you possess or maybe even what you know. Also, economic inequality, in a world where there is inequality between the poor and the rich. It is also the same in the movie; Chief Daddy and we see it between the workers [the invisible ones] the chefs and others. There were really rated in this movie only the rich has the right to talk and face each other. For example, Madam Pat and driver Odinatus were never looked at most times, because they were not in the rich class. The focus is on rich people fighting over a bigger slice of already large wealth. There is little or no attention to the poor or workers in society who live hand-to-mouth. When sitting on the dining table they were at the side of the table. It shows economic inequality. Talk more of the invisible workers in the building. This shows that the movie does not truly talk about or challenge the gap between the rich and poor in Nigeria.

In summary we could say that commodification, class mobility and economic inequality was addressed and at the same time ignored. In the aspect where humor or glitches was used to cover errors, that is where we see ignorance.  Leaving it with to how we see Nigerian society in our present world. Using humor to cover important parts that is supposed to be looked deeply on and make sure it is handled properly, but rather it was ignored and covered with humor. Also, through a Marxist lens, Chief Daddy absolutely glorifies elite privilege while ignoring the realities of labor and inequality. It explores wealth, reinforces capitalist norms, and explores inheritance and labor. Though humorous and entertaining, the film misses an opportunity to meaningfully engage with the very real tensions between Nigeria’s upper and working classes.