Can People Really Control the Weather? Niyi Akinmolayan Explores in 'Rainmakers'
The documentary film testing the rainmaking myth follows the Anthill Studios' team as they travel to three major cities in Nigeria, drawing conclusions from the empirical evidence they observe.
Her eyes go white as she gracefully levitates, and the skies get angry. In comes the lightning sparks, sound of thunder, rain, hurricane, or whichever element of nature best fancies her mood as she prepares to attack. Weβve seen Ororo Monroe aka Storm do this effortlessly over decades in the pages of the X-Men comic books, animated series, and movies. While always spectacular, you might wonder if such a display of power could be replicated in real life and, if so, if it would look as cool as Storm makes it seem. This isnβt far from the question the buzzing mind of Niyi Akinmolayan and the Anthill Studios team seek to answer with the documentary, Rainmakers.
Rainmakers explores the intriguing dynamics between science and traditional rainmaking practices, employing, among other things, a methodology that involves comparing weather app predictions with the powers of traditional rainmakers. For their experiment, Niyi Akinmolayan and his entourage traveled to three major cities across Nigeria to draw conclusions from the empirical evidence they witnessed. These three cities βIjebu Imosan in Ogun State, Oyo Town in Oyo State, and Benin City in Edo Stateβ all have strong ties to rainmaking beliefs familiar to most Nigerians.
Narrated by Ade Obatoyinbo and produced and directed by Niyi Akinmolayan, Rainmakers features Obatoyinbo as the central figure throughout the film, voicing the thoughts of the Anthill team and millions of viewers. Weβre all invested in this journey and watch with keen interest as he travels from city to city meeting with these rainmakers. Whenever he asks the questions we have in our heads, we nod in agreement, and in the moments when he wears the puzzles of our hearts on his face when faced with something skeptical, weβre right there with him.
Akinmolayanβs direction does a good job of taking us the viewers by the hand in the search for empirical answers to the age-long question of the efficacy of rainmakers. The viewer transcends the plane of mere spectator to feeling more like an active participant. When faced with success in the heart of Oyo, we experience the catharsis with Obatoyinbo and his teammates, and when the self-proclaimed Dr. Lucky Edo and his crew from Benin City royally disappoint, our hearts go out to them. Niyi Akinmolayan, at this point, isnβt a stranger to experimental films and ideas. From the sci-fi thriller Kajola (his first film) to Nollywood's first live-action animated movie Mikolo, to the noir thriller The House of Secrets, Akinmolayan is easily one of the most ambitious filmmakers in the industry. If anyone had an idea about verifying the claims about altering the weather at will and was willing to do something about it, it would be him.
So, How Successful Was The Experiment?
[Spoiler Warning!]
The results were mixed. In Ijebu Imosan, the rainmaker failed to produce rain despite his assurances. In Oyo Town, associated with Sango, the rainmakers succeeded in preventing rain just as they had promised. Benin City, however, offered the most intriguing results. Affiliated with Osun, Ogun, and other deities, the rainmakers initially stopped the rain, only for it to return heavier the next day despite their promise of 72 hours of dryness. This unexpected outcome added an extra layer of complexity to the experiment. Not only could the Benin City rainmakers not deliver on what they promised but theyβre the only ones from the trio cities who had a ruckus on set due to disputes over the experiment site and money.
Experiment Summary:
The documentary aims to explore the intersection of traditional mystical practices and modern meteorological studies in understanding rain.
Ijebu Imosan - Associated with Ogun | The rainmaker attempted to induce rain, but his efforts were unsuccessful.
Oyo Town - Associated with Sango | The rainmakers successfully prevented rain as requested.
Benin City - Associated with Osun, Ogun, and other deities | The rain began as expected but abruptly stopped after 20 minutes. Despite assurances that it wouldn't rain for 72 hours, it returned heavier the following day.
Interestingly, of the three rainmaker clans, only the rainmakers of Oyo Town openly acknowledged that the power to command the rain did not originate from them. They humbly admitted that their success was due to beseeching their deity, Sango, and that the ultimate result was subject to his will. This admission gave their narrative depth and a disclaimer that may have contributed to their success when viewed through the lens of piety. By attributing their ability to a higher power, they not only maintained a sense of humility but also seemed to align themselves more closely with the unpredictable nature of the divine, possibly enhancing their credibility and efficacy in the eyes of the viewers. The Anthill Studios team initially wanted it to rain in Oyo Town, but when they saw that the weather forecast predicted heavy rain on the morning they'd chosen, they decided to go for the alternative. Since it actually didn't rain, this also added to the impressiveness of the feat.
The mixed outcomes of the experiment suggest that while there may be some truth to the traditional practices, they are far from infallible. The documentary leaves the viewer with a sense of wonder and curiosity, inviting us to ponder the delicate balance between science and tradition in a modern world. Rainmakers is a reminder of Akinmolayan's dedication to exploring uncharted territories and his unwavering commitment to bringing unique stories to life here in Nigeria. Through this documentary, he not only sheds light on an intriguing cultural practice but also sparks a broader conversation about the intersection of faith, science, and the mysteries of nature.
Rainmakers is streaming on Prime Video.