One of the most famous Agojie referred to as “Woman King” is the focus of this tale. This group was a collection of individuals who exhibited daring, strength, and independence. These women are only to be seen by the King and those in the palace; neither the villagers nor anyone else is to marry them or look upon them. The Agojie served as the King’s guardians and, in a sense, as eunuchs, serving as a link between their people and the Oyo empire’s ruling class. To join the Agojie, many Agojie women had abandoned their families.

The story, set in the Benin Republic, opens with a battle against the Mahi people leading to the death of the Mahi warriors and the freedom of the Mahi women and children, thus upsetting the Oyo empire. 

The Story

Climbing up several lists as one of the most revered movies in 2022, Woman King is a tale of survival, evident in its creativity. With a total revenue of $94,219,105 and holding the 44th spot at the box office, it would surely make ExpressVPN’s most-watched movies if it was available to stream on Netflix, as most of the films and shows selected such as Stranger Things, Bridgerton and the Watcher were available on the Entertainment giant, making up for most of the viewership. However, Woman King was narrowed down to streaming rights on Vudu, Prime, Apple TV, and Amazon. 

In Woman King, the brutal reality of the slave trade, the need to pay tributes to appease its enemy, the Oyo empire, and the colonial trafficking of its prisoners for weaponry were realities that they had to face to ensure the people would live in peace, independence, and prosperity.

To end the cycle of the slave trade, Nanisca, leader of the Agojie, chooses to sell gold and palm oil instead of captives. Knowing the danger that lies ahead, Nanisca recruits more female soldiers. In the movie, The Agogie employed survival techniques such as filing their nails till they became razor sharp and rubbing oil on their bodies to make them slippery and difficult to grab. These techniques turned them into fast, elusive soldiers.

Orphaned from birth, Nawi picks being an Agojie over marriage, preferring to be the hunter and not the prey.

Tragedy strikes when some of the Agojie are captured after a war with the Oyo empire. Nanisca is made a Kpojito amidst the capture of Nawi and Izogie, but leaves to find her daughter and release other captives from the Oyo empire, thus leading to the defeat of the Oyo empire and an end to the slave trade. Her sense of responsibility threatens her love as a mother.

Themes

Revenge, determination, pain, and sadness are evident themes in the movie. 

Revenge

Being troubled by the encounter she had with the Oyo empire as a young girl and having a fixed mindset to forget it, as procreation did not make it easier, she tells her closest friend to take the baby far from her and makes her swear never to tell her what she did with the baby. Until Nawi reveals that she’s an orphan just before she sees the mark she inscribed on her shoulder, causing her to ask her friend about the baby. Nanisca finally tells Nawi she is her mother after extracting the shark tooth she hid under her skin.

The capture of Nawi prompts Nanisca to go to the Oyo empire, where she faces off against the story’s villain, Oba Ade.

The movie gives insight into Africa’s oppression and commodification at the hands of colonial Masters. LDHI library highlights the role Africans played in colonialism, as African leaders were used as instruments of oppression on their people. The colonial masters fed on the greed of the African leaders to create a vicious cycle of the slave trade.

Loyalty/Bravery

The movie shows the importance of Bravery. 

Nawi’s bravery, evident from the beginning, made her different from the other girls in the King’s guard. Constantly questioning the status quo, Nawi went against the rules to get whatever she wanted. Her loyalty was first to the Agojie before anyone else.

Produced by Viola Davis, Cathy Schulman, Julius Tennon, and Maria Bello, The Woman King is a fair mixture of action, adventure, and horror as it takes you through the experience of the African people in the colonial age.