Creating time for leisure may not be as luxurious as allowing it to happen willingly and benefitting from the utmost gratification and the quality of life it offers. Storytelling is not a make-believe craft but a reality that slightly distinguishes itself due to the presence of cameras to capture the moments, a striking light to showcase the hidden truths, and microphones to project voices beyond the borders of its setting. The Nigerian television series Baby Farm premiered on Netflix on March 21, 2025. It was produced by Mo Abudu, the Chief Executive Officer of EbonyLife Studios. It was directed by Kayode Kasum and Walter Taylaur and was scripted by Darrel Bristow-Bovey. Individual powerhouses creating dynamic, striking impact in telling African stories, a collaborative effort, and a collective piece from the remarkable filmmakers could not be considered anything short of a masterpiece.
Maggie Osuome as Eniye at the residence of the Evans Foundation, a loud silence speak volumes. A scene from the movie Baby Farm.
Eniye, a character played by the Nigerian actor, Maggie Osuome makes her first appearance in Episode 1 – Lost and Found in the Maker’s residence at the Evans Foundation Clinic. Eniye is a name known among different tribes in Nigeria but significant among the Ijaw community and the Edo people means ‘my child’ in the former and ‘my current situation’ in the latter. As names are believed to have an impact on us especially in the African traditional setting so does the name Eniye. Like a child, she sits on her bunk bed, folds in with cheek resting on her knee as she looks at the character Adanna. Her eyes are vacant yet knows she can possibly sight many things in the situation of Adanna. Adanna in that setting asked if she also desired in an unkind way like Aisha to claim her rightful ownership of the bed. The character Comfort, her bed mate responds
‘She no dey follow anybody talk, she no sabi talk’ which means she does not talk to anyone and reaffirms her communicative and behavioral state as a non- verbal. Thus, not being able to communicate entirely in words which may stem from social, behavioral, clinical or rarely a personal decision out of anxiety.
We build Alter egos, decorate masks, cement the scars and feed dual personalities because it is a way to lie to reality. It is a way to disconnect from the undeniable truth; to isolate from the world and its happenings. Pinel et al. argue that existential isolation can be understood as a single social construct which measures how individual differences in isolation are measured with regards to one’s experience with reality (54). Eniye is shocked as she discovers the motivation behind the foundation. It was not to cater for girls who faced hostile family environments or social situations to give themselves and their unborn babies a better chance at life. It was a baby producing factory where these girls signed up their entire life unknowingly to be sexually, physically, intellectually and psychologically assaulted, perhaps, beyond what they had faced earlier on outside those wailing walls. What was her reality check – No way out and how did she decide to survive?
Not only did Eniye’s silence prolong her life there but she always used this form of isolation to gather her weapons to exit the residence even though it was short term. Isolation is not loneliness or depression or an absurd form of anxiety. Isolation can be powerful, to fully get into your mind, have a moment to have difficult conversations with yourself and if you can find your answers. Eniye often walked with slow, hesitant steps, her feet barely lifting off the ground, as if each movement required meticulous thought. Her hands were clasped tightly in front of her, fingers intertwining and releasing as though trying to hold onto an unspoken thought. Her eyes mostly darted downward, avoiding direct contact, while her lips pressed into a thin line, betraying a quiet tension. Occasionally, she reached up to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear—a nervous habit, a silent attempt to regain composure. Though she remained still, her weight shifted subtly from one foot to the other, a restless motion hinting at unease beneath her composed exterior. I would subtly relate these movements as minimal. They didn’t occur a lot but they spoke volumes. When I tilt my thought to the idea of a minimalist approach, I think of the simple and pure representation of art yet with deep interwoven meaning.
Snacking in between watching movies is a habit, however, the attention span on this was not conventional. Every scene left multiple questions than answers and just like receiving a well wrapped Christmas box, there had to be an unpacking of characters, setting, themes, and their development of the story. Baby Farm’s theme centered heavily on reproduction slavery, the inevitable pressure that comes with childbirth in marriages, the home environment, the effect it has on young females in Nigeria, and other underlying subject matters. However, this writing narrows its contribution, discussion, or analysis on the representation of differently abled communities and the power of silence through a viewer response, existential and minimalist theories.
VanEenoo discusses the concept and implications of minimalism in art and design, a way of expressing an idea and is an inescapable theme in modern day social concerns as well as art. As its name suggests, Minimalism means using limited material to create a desired effect (7).
Eniye’s silence and the mask she wears as a non-verbal person buys her into the circle of confidential information, structures, strategies and the fate of every individual in and beyond the residence. Often blurred in the background, yet, unveiling of the plot centers on her. She overhears the conversation of Adanna and Ebun and the plan to escape using the laundry basket.
At a distance shot, she has a clear hearing of what Adanna requests from the character’s sister Barbara in the courtyard. I think she is the character who wrote a note to Adaana to warn her about Ebun as their spy.
In Episode 5 Falling Apart, Eniye appears as an independent character in full view glare for the first time. Those feet that were barely were about to take off from the ground. From the neck tilt to carefully disclose her other capabilities to Adaana, I knew the culture was about to be diverse and they may shutter because there was no guarantee of that secret being kept from the others, especially Ebun by Adanna.
‘Na me give you the key’ which means, I gave you the master key.
I didn’t know if I could trust you.
They let me move more freely, that’s how I stole the key. I have been pretending from the beginning. They want to kill you and you made a terrible mistake of trusting and speaking to Chinedu. He is one of them’.
These words tried to find wings to fly out of Eyes mouth with wet feathers yet they managed to heightened the shock that clouded over Adanna’s being. A voice can be audible yet not heard and inaudible yet powerful and significant. She had to break the culture of silence to save another. A culture of isolation, mutism and being minimal to associate, speak and maximize her style of defense. She gained access to change costumes, get an identification card to escape the residence. She had to move with Adanna. Leaving her behind meant either she spills her secret or leaves Ada to die as per the plans of the residence as she had posed the biggest threat to the foundation. They hear her, see her and feel her through direct and indirect actions.
The bridge between the ninth to the twelfth minutes and significant seconds of the Fifth episode was the longest and the loudest silence. They changed their costumes and headed out for the almost perfect plan. They were close to success when Eniye had to pause because Adanna wanted to see her babies. She was assured to get out first, seek help and work on getting her kids back but she did not agree. Instincts of a mother?
Hesitantly, she turned to go, maybe out of fear but it was late. I assumed she walked out as a non-verbal, in her pink maternity wear, clasping hands from left to right and finding a way to walk through the door.
She laid there, fully covered, in a quiet pool of blood from the gunshot close to the door. I look closely and see she died wearing a mask. This time not hers but an impersonated one. She broke her culture and died.
Eniye, my child, I wish you didn’t let the waters below and hollow in your situation. Eniye, my child, I wish you carried your silence that was not heavy but loud.
Eniye, my child, I wish you kept to your identity, your culture and your power.
To the actor Maggie Osuome, who played the role as Eniye, without words, I see, hear and feel you. A piece of appreciation to a work as creative and enlightening as yours.
Author: Maame Abena Obenewaa Yeboah
REFERENCES
“Eniye – Submitted Names.” Behind the Name, submitted by user, www.behindthename.com/name/eniye/submitted. 28th March,2025
Baby Farm. Directed by Walter Taylaur and Kayode Kasum, performances by Onyinye Odokoro, Genoveva Umeh, and Rita Dominic, EbonyLife Studios, 2025.
Hodges, Holly et al. “autism spectrum disorder: definition, epidemiology, causes, and clinical evaluation.” Translational pediatrics vol. 9, Suppl 1 (2020): S55-S65. doi:10.21037/tp.2019.09.09
Pinel, Elizabeth C., et al. “A prisoner of one’s own mind: Identifying and understanding existential isolation.” Personality and Individual Differences 105 (2017): 54-63.
VanEenoo, Cedric. “Minimalism in Art and Design: Concept, influences, implications and perspectives.” Journal of Fine and Studio Art 2.1 (2011): 7-12.
NB: I owe no copyright to the image used in this article.
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