Karima Ashadu brings us a film that is part of her post-colonial research work. We’re in Lagos, where the government has banned the use of motorcycle taxis, but these “machine boys” continue their work, facing the consequences of this ban, in search of financial independence.
Machine Boys, by Karimah Ashadu, explores the informal economy of motorcycle taxis (Okada) in Lagos, Nigeria. Despite the government ban, many riders persist in their work, striving for financial independence. The film captures their daily struggles while examining the masculinity they project and their inherent vulnerability as part of a precarious working class. With an innovative visual style, Machine Boys reflects on informal economic structures and the influence of patriarchal norms in Nigerian society. (Liedson Carvalho)
