Not Just Another Woman’s Story​

In her film, With Difficulty Comes Ease, Korede Azeez captures, with illuminating patience, the story of Nigerian women. She tells the story of women living under constant scrutiny, where their every action or inaction is subject to critical and often unjust judgment. 

When Korede Azeez’s film With Difficulty Comes Ease begins, Zainab (played with measured depth by Uzoamaka Aniunoh) has just suffered a loss. Surrounding Zainab are sympathizers offering advice about her Iddah—an Islamic rite a woman must observe after the death of her husband or following a divorce, during which she is forbidden to marry another man. Hajiya (Ummi Baba–Ahmed), Zainab’s obstinate mother-in-law; Umar (Ibrahim Daddy), her husband’s brother; and Maimuna (Habiba Tanko Zock-Sock), Umar’s wife, are all grieving in their own ways. Qasim, Zainab’s late husband, left behind debts and unanswered questions. The creditors—their shop’s landlord (Sydney Diala) and Alhaji Danjuma (Magaji Minjinyawa), a fabric trader—are clamouring for repayment. When Zainab visits the bank to make withdrawals for repayment, she is met with obstacles. The bank refuses to release the money to Zainab unless she provides certain documents. While dealing with this obstacle, Rayyan (Caleb Richards), a Christian-turned-Muslim and banker, offers to help Zainab find alternative ways to claim her husband’s money. Gradually, an undefined relationship blooms between them. As this relationship blooms, Zainab also attempts to mend her strained relationship with her sister, Nene (Michelle Dede). 

Azeez’s film, with its contemplative tone and unhurried pace, draws us deeply into Zainab’s world. As the film unfolds, revealing more about her life, it becomes clear that the film is destined to find its place in the Nollywood canon. What reassures me is the film’s careful layering: the textured sound design, the deliberate pacing of both the story and dialogue, the gloomy colour, the strict adherence to Islamic customs, and the non-hysterical portrayal of grief. The performances of the main cast—from Zainab to Rayyan—never falter, and even the supporting cast and extras deliver compelling performances...