Checkmate (Nigerian TV series)
| Checkmate | |
|---|---|
| Created by | Amaka Igwe |
| Country of origin | Nigeria |
| Original language(s) | English |
| Production company(s) | Moving Movies |
| Release | |
| Original network | NTA |
Checkmate is a Nigerian television series that ran from 1991 to 1995, created by Amaka Isaac-Ene and sponsored by Lever Brothers Nigeria. It starred Ego Nnamani, Francis Agu, and Richard Mofe Damijo Set in Lagos, the story focuses on the Haatrope family who own the company Haatrope Investment, the enemies determined to destroy their business and legacy, and friends and associates connected to them. The term "Checkmate" refers to a chess move where a player's king is directly attacked by an opponent's pawn, thus making escape from the board impossible, as seen in the show's opening credits, and the charactered Ann Haatrope is loosely based on Queen Amina of Zaria.
Ann Haatrope (Ego Nnamani, and briefly Yomi Davies) returns to Lagos from America with her brother Richie (Bob-Manuel Udokwu) to discover the family's engineering and infrastructure business, Haatrope Investment, is on the brink of collaspsing due to older brother Benny's (Francis Agu) incompotence caused by alcoholism. Benny is also violent towards his wife, the equally nefarious Tonye (Edith Jayne Azu) who does not approve of her husband's siblings living under their roof, and is particularly horrid towards Nana Kofo (Ruth Osu), the elderly Ghanian housekeeper who has served the family for years. With their father Richard Snr. critically ill back in America and Richie lacking experience, Ann is determined to restore the company's reputation and fight off competition from rivals, most notably the unscrupulous Segun Kadiri (Richard Mofe-Damijo) who bears a long-time grudge against the Haatropes as he blames them for his demise into poverty as a child following the death of his mother, and has sworn vengeance.
Ann's best friend, banker Ada Okereke (Mildred Iweka) is married to school teacher Nduka (Bimbo Manuel), but the couple face several problems including their class differences (Ada is the daughter of wealthy parents while Nduka is from a more humble background), Nduka's jealousy, and Ada's inability to conceive. Ada is later revealed to be an Osu which infuriates Nduka's mother (Obiageli Molube) who refuses to accept an 'untouchable' as her daughter-in-law, and is on a mission to break up the couple. Nkemji, a rustic illiterate (Uche Mobuogwu) is brought into her son's home to be his new spouse but Nduka, who would later work for Haatrope Investment, has no interest in her as he loves his wife dearly. Nduka is also jealous of the friendship between his wife and her old boyfriend Kunle Ajayi (Paul Adams), a Haatrope Investment employee who has unrequited love for Ann.
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