Critique on chief daddy using the maxist lens

Chief Daddy is a Nigerian ensemble comedy-drama that narrates the aftermath of a wealthy patriarch’s death and the ensuing scramble by his extended family, mistresses, and illegitimate children for a piece of his vast fortune. Beneath its comedic and dramatic facade lies a deeper commentary on Nigeria’s socio-economic structure. Using the Marxist theory we'll analyze how the film portrays class, wealth, labor, and inheritance, and to evaluate whether it challenges or glorifies elite privilege. Through a critical examination of commodification, class mobility, and economic inequality, this paper argues that Chief Daddy ultimately reinforces existing capitalist structures rather than interrogating them. From a Marxist perspective, the movie Chief Daddy portrays a strict class system in Nigeria. The wealthy Chief Beecroft represents the elite who own and control the means of production. His family, dependents, and workers are shown to be dependent on him and his wealth. When Chief Beecroft dies, the movie focuses on who will inherit his wealth. This highlights how wealth is passed down through inheritance rather than earned through hard work. The characters are divided into clear social classes: the family members who are considered the rightful heirs, the mistresses and illegitimate children who are seen as outsiders, and the working-class staff who are largely invisible. The movie doesn't question the fairness of this system. Instead, it explores who deserves to inherit the wealth based on family ties or loyalty. This suggests that wealth is a privilege reserved for those with the right connections, rather than something earned through labor or deserved by those in need. By not critiquing the system, the movie seems to accept the idea that wealth stays with the elite, and the working class is left out. This reinforces the existing social and economic hierarchy, where the rich get richer and the poor remain poor. The film's portrayal of the characters and their relationships with wealth and power highlights the class divisions in Nigerian society. It shows how the wealthy elite maintain their power and privilege through inheritance and social connections, rather than through hard work or merit. The movie Chief Daddy shows Chief Beecroft as extremely wealthy, but it doesn't explain how he got his wealth. This makes it seem like wealth just magically appears, and the audience is supposed to admire him for it without questioning how he got it. In Marxist terms, this is a problem because it hides the fact that labor is what actually creates wealth. The domestic workers in the movie, like the cook and driver, are shown as loyal and obedient, but they're not important to the main story about wealth. Their hard work is taken for granted, and they're not shown as having any claim to the wealth they help create. This portrayal reflects the exploitation of workers in a capitalist system, where they create value but don't get to share in the profits. The workers in the movie are grateful for their jobs, but they don't challenge the system. This suggests that they should be content with their lower status, rather than fighting for fairness. By showing it this way, the movie reinforces the idea that the wealthy should stay wealthy, and the working class should stay in their place.. The movie Chief Daddy makes the wealthy lifestyle of the Beecroft family look glamorous and desirable. Their luxurious homes, designer clothes, and fancy cars are shown as symbols of success. Instead of questioning the fairness of their wealth and privilege, the movie seems to accept it as normal. The characters' selfish behavior is often excused because of their family status or emotional stories. The film doesn't critique the system that allows the elite to hold power and wealth. Instead, it focuses on who among the wealthy characters deserves to inherit the wealth. This suggests that the problem isn't the system itself, but rather who should benefit from it. By portraying wealth and privilege in this way, the movie reinforces the idea that the wealthy are entitled to their status. This can lead people to accept the status quo without questioning whether it's fair or just. In the movie Chief Daddy, relationships are often about money and material gain. Love, loyalty, and family ties are valued based on how much wealth is involved. Characters only show affection or support when there's money at stake. For example, some characters are more upset about being left out of the will than about not having emotional connections. Others pretend to be sad just to get money. The movie shows how everything, even grief and family relationships, can be turned into commodities. However, instead of criticizing this, the film presents it in a way that's entertaining and engaging, rather than challenging the system. This portrayal highlights how capitalist societies can turn human relationships into economic transactions, but the movie doesn't use this to make a strong point about the issue. Instead, it focuses on the drama and humor, making the commodification of relationships seem more acceptable. The movie Chief Daddy shows wealth and privilege in a way that supports the existing capitalist system in Nigeria. It portrays wealth as something that's passed down through family lines, and labor as something that's not valued. The film makes the wealthy look glamorous and entitled, and it doesn't question how they got their wealth. It also leaves out the working class from inheriting wealth, and shows economic inequality as a normal part of life. By portraying things this way, the movie supports the interests of the wealthy class. It doesn't show any way to challenge the system or make things more equal. Instead, it presents a view of Nigerian society where wealth is what determines a person's value, and the hard work of laborers is ignored. Overall, the movie reinforces the existing power dynamics in society, rather than challenging them.