A Trip to Jamaica (2017) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

The film is set across multiple locations, beginning in Lagos, Nigeria during the One Lagos Fiesta, then moving to a luxurious mansion in the United States, and finally to Jamaica where much of the story unfolds. These three distinct settings create a journey from African city life to American wealth to a tropical island environment.

• setting
• locations
• jamaica
• lagos
• united states

The story is set in contemporary modern times, with the opening scene featuring a live television broadcast at Lagos's One Lagos Fiesta event. The use of a private jet for travel and current relationship dynamics give the film a present-day setting.

• time period
• contemporary
• modern era

The movie explores three primary themes: Love & Marriage, which follows the engaged couple's journey and romantic tensions; Culture Clash, highlighting the humorous misunderstandings between Nigerian and Jamaican customs; and Crime & Deception, revealed through Michael's identity as a drug baron and the subsequent kidnapping by Casper's criminal faction.

• themes
• love
• marriage
• culture clash
• crime

The culture clash emerges when Akpos and Bola travel to Jamaica, where Akpos's bravado and attempts to fit in lead to humorous miscommunications. His exaggerated pride and misinterpretation of Jamaican patois create comedic moments that highlight the differences between Nigerian and Jamaican language, humor, and social norms.

• culture clash
• nigerian
• jamaican
• cultural differences

Michael Rice, who appears to be a wealthy host and husband to Bola's sister Abigail, is revealed to be a drug baron on the run. This criminal revelation introduces danger into the family dynamic and leads to the subsequent kidnapping of the main characters by Casper's criminal faction, adding thriller elements to the comedy-drama.

Foreshadowing: Abigail's unhappy mood and hesitations about living with Michael hint at the secrets lurking beneath the luxurious surface.

• crime
• drug baron
• michael
• cartoon
• kidnapping

Akpos is the groom-to-be played by Ayo Makun, whose culture-shock humor and bravado drive much of the film's comedy. He is known for latching onto locals with exaggerated pride, misinterpreting Jamaican patois, and engaging in romantic misadventures throughout the Jamaica scenes.

• akpos
• ayo makun
• main character
• groom

Bola is the engaged fiancée played by Funke Akindele who accepts Akpos's marriage proposal on live television. She participates in the couple's journey from engagement to marriage, navigating romantic tensions and family expectations while observing the dynamics between their hosts and relatives in Jamaica.

• bola
• funke akindele
• fiancee
• bride

Michael Rice appears as Bola's sister Abigail's husband and the host of a luxurious home in the United States. He presents a wealthy exterior but is later revealed to be a drug baron on the run, which forces the family to relocate to Jamaica and introduces criminal stakes into the narrative.

• michael rice
• drug baron
• villain
• abigail husband

Abigail is Bola's sister who lives with Michael Rice, appearing visibly unhappy in the marriage. Her mood and hesitations add domestic tension to the story and hint at deeper secrets, with her storyline intersecting with the Jamaica trip when the family must confront Michael's criminal identity.

• abigail rise
• nse ikpe-etim
• sister
• balla sister

Jamaica serves as the primary tropical backdrop where the culture clash between Nigerian and Jamaican traditions plays out humorously. It is also where the crime subplot escalates with the kidnapping by Casper's men, transforming the romantic comedy into a thriller-flavored narrative and ultimately threatening the couple's engagement.

• jamaica
• trip
• island
• kidnapping
• culture