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Big Cabal Media’s new anthology series, Zikoko Life, makes a bold entrance with its first short film, What’s Left of Us. The emotionally charged piece is far from a gentle introduction—it’s a layered exploration of marriage, autonomy, and the societal expectations placed on women.
Directed by Victor Daniel and Olamide Adio, the film stars Tolu Asanu and Caleb Richards, and centers on Mariam, an educated woman whose life has been compressed to fit the vision her husband holds. His ideal is clear-cut: a wife who bears children and nothing more.
Trouble begins when Mariam’s husband stumbles upon a pack of contraceptives—a quiet but powerful symbol of her silent resistance. The discovery leads to conflict, and ultimately, Mariam is cast out of the house for daring to control her own body.
With her role as wife and mother stripped away, Mariam is left to examine what remains of her identity. The question at the core of the story—what is left of a woman when she is denied agency—drives the narrative into emotionally complex territory.
No longer protected by the familiar routines of her former home, Mariam is suddenly without income, status, or a clear sense of self. The film powerfully critiques the patriarchal structures that render women financially and emotionally dependent, showing how such systems are often used to keep them compliant.
One of the film’s most haunting moments comes not from a domestic confrontation, but from a visit to a religious leader. Dragged to a counseling session by her husband, Mariam faces not comfort or support, but a rebuke cloaked in piety. Her wish for autonomy is painted as rebellion against divine order, while her husband’s infidelity is dismissed almost casually.
This scene lays bare how religious institutions can sometimes reinforce harmful gender norms, casting women as the problem even when they are the ones wronged. The spiritual advice she receives is a thinly veiled instruction to obey, accept, and return—regardless of the cost to her well-being.
What’s Left of Us is unflinching in its portrayal of the toll that reproductive control takes on women. It doesn’t only raise questions about marital expectations—it highlights the physical and emotional burden of contraception, a weight that women are often left to carry alone.
With this inaugural short film, Zikoko Life announces itself as a series unafraid to probe sensitive, socially relevant topics. What’s Left of Us is a powerful start—one that challenges viewers to confront the everyday realities faced by many women navigating marriage, identity, and autonomy in a deeply patriarchal society.
Watch below…
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