Black November 2015

The film embarks on a haunting journey that starts in a grim Warri prison, where Ebiere (Mbong Amata) faces the harrowing threat of execution as a noose is carefully fashioned for her. The narrative swiftly transitions to sunny Los Angeles, California, where Tom Hudson (Mickey Rourke), the unsuspecting CEO of Western Oil, is yanked away from his mundane life by a meticulously planned kidnapping, orchestrated by the mysterious group known as the “United People’s Front for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta People of Nigeria.” The charismatic leader Tamuno (Enyinna Nwigwe), alongside his associates, including Timi (Wyclef Jean), Opuwei (Akon), and Pere (Robert Peters), concoct a clever scheme to snatch Tom while he’s en route to the airport. In a twist of fate, Kristy (Kim Basinger), a savvy reporter covering a nearby accident, becomes entangled in the chaos along with her cameraman.

As the situation escalates, Tom Hudson, his wife (Kristin Peterson), and Kristy, along with several innocent bystanders, find themselves trapped in a now-sealed tunnel. The atmosphere grows heavy with tension as a seven-hour standoff unfolds, leaving the police, anti-terrorism units, and a tense public in the dark about the identity and motivations of their captors.

Within the gloom of the tunnel, Tamuno shares with Tom the true purpose of their actions: to save Ebiere, whose life is precariously at risk. He resolutely declares that if Ebiere is executed in Nigeria, those responsible for the injustices should also face their due consequences. In an unpredictable turn, Tamuno permits the women and children to leave the hostage situation, tasking Kristy with documenting the unfolding crisis.

As we delve deeper into the tale, Tamuno unfolds a poignant history of resilience and courage to Kristy’s camera. The narrative takes us back 21 years to a time marked by harsh military governance in Warri, where Ebiere was born. This bright and ambitious scholar, recently graduated from secondary school, received an esteemed scholarship from Western Oil for higher education abroad, but fate had other designs for her.

Fast-forward to the catastrophic oil pipeline rupture in the Niger Delta, which releases a toxic flood that devastates the coastal territory and endangers the community’s survival. Dede (Hakeem Kae-Kazim), a humble fisherman, is one of the first to experience the detrimental fallout of this environmental catastrophe. As villagers rush to salvage what they can from the spill, authorities arrive to enforce an evacuation. Yet the villagers’ courage and resolve clash with the forces of intimidation, escalating tensions to a boiling point.

Upon returning home, Ebiere is crushed to discover the catastrophic fate that has befallen her family, claiming that her mother and siblings perished in an explosion that turned out to be ignited by a carelessly discarded cigarette from a police officer. As Ebiere finds her voice against the systemic injustices plaguing her community, she meets Kate Summers (Sarah Wayne Callies), a journalist touched by Ebiere’s impassioned crusade for justice. This unlikely duo forms a powerful alliance, with Kate swiftly becoming one of Ebiere’s most fervent advocates.

The duo’s campaign for peaceful protests and rallies resonates throughout the community, as Ebiere boldly insists on their right to be heard amidst the storm of oppression. However, the tragic reality of coordinated military brutality looms large, wherein she and many others experience harrowing violence, including beatings and arrests, targeting those who dare to resist. Temptations of bribes from Western Oil’s agents are thrown in her direction time and again, yet Ebiere shines through in her refusal to succumb to corruption, standing strong against exploitation.

With tragedy still fresh on their minds, Dede—a man profoundly impacted by the loss of his wife and child—reinforces his belief that change can only be achieved through forceful action against a government he views as indifferent to the plight of its people. The tipping point arrives when the military perpetrates an unthinkable invasion, marked by atrocities such as the assault of innocent women, witnessed by traumatized citizens, including Tamuno. Diverging from Ebiere’s nonviolent principles, he joins Dede in their militant march towards a cause they deem just.

Yet, as desperation reigns and violence escalates, Western Oil intervenes under the guise of initiating dialogue between Dede’s faction and the government, a scheme culminating in violence, leading to Dede and his followers facing bloody arrests. Ebiere’s commitment to justice faces even further trials as Chief Gadibia (Isaac Yongo), a corrupt leader, undergoes an unexpected change of heart. However, the elders, fearing the loss of their corrupted throne, conspire against him, resulting in his untimely demise.

Peter (OC Ukeje), Gadibia’s son, horrified by the events, expresses that his father was murdered by that very cabal. When the ill-gained wealth is uncovered, the furious community, led by Ebiere, chooses to administer their own justice rather than surrender to the authorities, burning the elders alive. In a twist of fate, Ebiere bravely takes ownership of the unrest, resulting in her own conviction and death sentence.

In a bid to save her, Tom Hudson frantically contacts Nigeria’s Head of State from within a Los Angeles tunnel, imploring him to intervene on Ebiere’s behalf—a plea that is sadly ignored. Angela (Vivica Fox), a U.S. anti-terrorism unit member, suggests diplomatic action, but her superiors dismiss any engagement with what they label as “terrorists.” The film’s trajectory leads to a disingenuous press release, claiming Ebiere’s release, a façade that brings about the release of hostages, including Tom Hudson. Yet, despite this mere illusion of safety, Ebiere holds on to her principles, ultimately facing her fate on the gallows in Nigeria, while chaos continues to unfold in a world that seems blind to the plight of its people.