This is one of those reviews that I will consider a rant as well. I am inviting you into my head as I watched this because the way I stumbled on this series, only for it to be everywhere days later, caught me completely off guard.

I had not heard a word about it. Missed the announcements, missed the rollout, only to randomly run into it, and next thing I know, it is all over my timeline. And after watching it, I see why.

It was written, directed, and produced by Kemi Adetiba (King of Boys). On paper, this had everything going for it. But as I sat through it, one thought kept returning:

Something is missing.

Let us talk about it.

The Cast

Before we dive deeper, let me introduce you to the key characters:

| Character    | Played By          |
|--------------|--------------------|
| Oboz         | Bucci Franklin     |
| Efe          | William Benson     |
| Nosa         | Stella Damasus     |
| Idia         | Lilian Afegbai     |
| Inspector Mo | Bimbo Akintola     |
| Teacher      | Chidi Mokeme       |
| Amanda       | Sunshine Rosman    |

I will be breaking this review into the Story and then the Execution.

The Story

Efe is a broke and desperate man trying to provide for his family. In a twist of “luck”, he reconnects with Oboz, an old friend whose life he had saved in the past. They team up to build a criminal empire, and soon enough, wealth follows, and then they start crumbling.

Let me first say this. It was refreshing to see Bendel representation on screen. That alone made me smile. It felt good to see our people and our voices pushed to the front of the screen for once.

Now, to the heart of the story. I have seen many conversations about betrayal. Here are my thoughts:

Oboz was a strategic man. His entire empire is built on two principles, Loyalty and Usefulness. If you are both, he will not have a problem with you. When Ozzy tried to paint Efe as a snake and Efe proved otherwise, Oboz forgave him quickly because he needed him. Efe was the brains of the operation and it was in Oboz’s best interest to keep Efe alive.

Oboz was not a good person, he was warned, many times, about how it would all end and he simply refused to listen.

Now to Efe. I will not call him good either. But I will say he had a clearer motive. He wanted to take care of his family and when Teacher appeared, he wanted to do the right thing. I do not believe Efe betrayed Oboz or anyone for that matter.

Nosa was a complete hypocrite. The kind of person who bends depending on who or what benefits them.

The Execution

This is where everything started to fall apart for me. It took me eight days to get through the series, and I had to rewatch some parts just to be sure I was not being unfair in my judgment.

Let me start with what worked.

The actors were the highlight. Bucci Franklin and William Benson delivered solid performances, Bucci as the calculated rascal, and William as the logical partner. Bimbo Akintola also stood out, playing an inspector grappling with grief and mental health struggles.

Unfortunately, the directing and storytelling were underwhelming, and I would even say disappointing.

Weak Character Development

I struggled to connect with any of the characters. The writers did not give us enough reason to root for anyone. I remember watching Anini as a child and hoping he would not get caught. Here, I did not care what happened to any of them.

Disjointed Narrative

That opening scene keeps haunting me. What was the purpose of it? It felt like it belonged in another show. Almost like they changed direction midway through production and forgot to cut that part. It simply did not fit.

The time skip was abrupt. There was no emotional buildup or chance to get invested in the characters. One minute we are watching the beginnings of a crime operation, and the next, we are expected to believe they now run a powerful empire. No clear explanation of what crime they were even committing or how each person fit in. We were left to fill in too many blanks.

Plot Holes

Here are just a few of the many gaps:

• Inspector Mo: Her backstory was unnecessary. The story was not hers, so we did not need her nightmares or trauma if it was not going to be tied in meaningfully. They wanted to show she was sharp, but never really did.

• Teacher: Presented as powerful, yet his family was taken out so easily. The car bomb scene was absurd. And beyond that, we never really understood his position in the criminal hierarchy or how exactly he came between Efe and Oboz.

• Amanda Sparkles: Completely irrelevant to the story. Her presence changed nothing and could have been removed without consequence.

• Efe and Ivie: Efe was barely present in his daughter’s life, so when Oboz used her in the betrayal, his emotional spiral felt unearned. It lacked consistency.

• The school bag scene: The head in the boy’s backpack — what was that? What did it mean? It felt like a shocking moment for shock’s sake, with no real purpose.

• The hangar text message: The message he sent the first time was inconsistent the second time we were shown, had to take a screenshot.

  

  • The messages are not the same, neither is the phone or the expected conditions in which the text messages were sent

  • The time is 1:57AM, and they are to meet at 8:30PM (or before 9PM) but they met immediately after that text was sent.

  • And there is a difference in spelling O vs O’

Technical Shortcomings

Let us talk about the camera work, I thought it was chaotic and not properly representative of the scenes. Oboz and Efe’s fight scenes looked like they were shot on a phone, with angles that failed to capture the gravity of the moment. There was no cinematic feel to it.

And then, there was too much telling and not enough showing. Dialogue did all the heavy lifting, trying to convince us that characters were intelligent or dangerous, without ever showing us through actions or decisions.

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What Worked

If there is one thing I will give credit for, it is production design. The visuals of wealth, the costumes, the overall look and feel were above moderate, better than many films in the same genre.

Final Thoughts

To Kill a Monkey had a good performances and more than average production design, but the storytelling fell apart. The plot was weak, the directing was uneven, and the characters were easily forgettable.

There is a version of this show that could have been unforgettable but this was not it.

For me, it was a 5/10

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The elephant in the room (and my long lost self)

First of all, I would like to apologize for my hiatus. I have been so busy that I have not had the time to watch movies, let alone review them. Sometimes I even wonder if I should include life updates in this newsletter too, so you all know I am not running away from a review!

Anyway, let us get into Ms Kanyin.

Anyway, let us get into Madam Kanyin

If you are like me, you probably waited for the release of this movie for one (or both) of the two reasons:

1. A new spin on the legendary Madam Koi Koi folktale

2. Temi Otedola’s second film appearance following Citation

On the first point, I was genuinely looking forward to it. Growing up, we all heard different versions of the Madam Koi Koi story. I was curious to see what twist they would bring to it this time around.

Cast: Michelle Dede (Ms Kanyin), Temi Otedola (Amara), Toluwani George (Chisom), Natse (Uti)

Director: Jerry Ossai

TL;DR

Ms Kanyin had potential. But it falls short with a weak storyline, underdeveloped characters, sloppy direction, and no actual horror. Temi Otedola’s performance felt flat, however kudos to Toluwani George as she stoodout and the only real win was the costume and set design. Overall, it started strong but lost its way fast.

Verdict: I have refused to rate this!

The Storyline

Ms Kanyin was directed by Jerry Ossai. The story follows Amara played by Temi Otedola, a supposedly high-achieving student determined to get into Harvard. She is struggling with French and, in desperation, convinces her friends to help her steal exam questions from their French teacher, Ms Kanyin. Ms Kanyin played by Michelle Dede is portrayed as a kind, soft-spoken teacher who is regularly disrespected by her students and bullied by her colleagues. In an ugly turn of events, they awaken the vengeful spirit of Madam Koi Koi and from there, everything goes downhill fast, both for the characters and, unfortunately, the movie.

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So… How did it go?

The opening scene had me sat, I was ready for a great experience but unfortunately, it did not deliver.

1. Weak Premise

The core motivation of the film just did not land. Amara’s struggle with French was understandable, but to then place the weight of the film’s conflict on a mysterious tree that supposedly triggers horror was far-fetched and underdeveloped. How does a random tree with no real context become the source of a supernatural curse?

2. Poor World-Building

The budding question for me was, if the tree was central to the story, then the film should have taken time even just five to seven minutes to set up the storyline. Instead, it felt like the tree was just there “for decoration.” It made no sense why a village would knowingly leave behind something so deadly without any explanation. I was disappointed to hear the elder say “we just left it there for our enemies” so why was it killing school students?

3. Underdeveloped Characters

The characters lacked depth, especially Ms Kanyin. There was no room to grow emotionally attached to anyone. We were given no insight into her backstory or why she mattered in the larger arc of the story. Instead, we got half-baked scenes — like the moment a parent aggressively confronts her with no context. Why was she singled out? What was that scene meant to show?

Continuity and Directional Issues

There were noticeable holes in continuity and several directional flaws.

• One moment it is dark outside, the next it is broad daylight. The timeline of events was not carefully tracked.

• The film is set in the 1990s, yet one character is seen holding a journal dated 2024.

Horror? Where?

The film was marketed as a horror, so I watched it in the morning to be safe but tbh, there was nothing scary about it. If old Nollywood promised to be scary, you best believe you would be scared to sleep with the lights off. This was not that.

Performances That Fell Short

Temi Otedola’s delivery felt overly rehearsed. Her expressions and body language did not align with the emotions her character was supposed to be feeling. I could not connect with her at all.

Natse Jemide’s character, Uti, was introduced as some kind of record-breaking swimmer but his swimming form was off and the scenes were hard to watch. If you are going to sell that narrative, at least put some effort into coaching or shoot it in a way that helps us believe it.

The one standout for me was Toluwani George (who played Chisom). She brought genuine emotion to her role. I could feel her distress and emotions as she delivered her lines. It is just unfortunate that the writing and direction were not strong enough to elevate her performance further. I would really like to see her in more roles.

The rest of the cast were mostly forgettable. No one stood out.

Costume and Setting: The One Saving Grace

This was the one area where the film got it right.

• The white socks, the school uniforms, the sandals took me back to the early 2000s and for a moment, I felt that deep nostalgia.

• The staff room also looked like what we grew up with wooden desks, teachers saying one thing or the other and that familiar mix of order and chaos.

If anything, the film succeeded in recreating the visual memory of the Nigerian secondary school experience (and probably more nostalgic for those who went to boarding school). But sadly that was where the “amazingness” ended.

Final Thoughts

Ms Kanyin had the potential to be something memorable because we always want a thrilling twist on a classic tale, paired with a nostalgic nod to our school days. But it ended up being an uneven experience with more missed opportunities than highlights.

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Photo Credit: iverenantiev

Hello again!

How’s your week going? I’m honestly so overjoyed by the overwhelming support! Thank you for signing up to read my reviews in-depth. Please share with your friends so they don’t miss out on the conversations we are having here!

Lets get into it

I watched this limited on an all day flight two weeks ago, it is currently showing on Netflix.

Cast: Onyinye Odokoro, Rita Dominic, Joseph Benjamin, Genoveva Umeh, Langley Kirkwood, Folu Storms, Kiki Omeili, Uzoamaka Onuoha, and Jenny Stead

Directors: Walter “Waltbanger” Taylaur and Kayode Kasum

TL;DR

Baby Farm had a strong premise and a few standout performances, but the story tried to do too much and lost focus in the process. Still, it’s worth watching for the conversation it aims to start because the issue is real.

Rating: 6/10

What is it about?

Baby Farm is a 5-episode limited series that dives into the dark world of baby harvesting syndicates rumored to operate in parts of Nigeria. I was particularly interested in this story because I had watched a real-life documentary on the subject just a few months ago.

The series follows Adanna (played by Onyinye Odokoro), a young woman who becomes pregnant and travels to Lagos in hopes of reuniting with her boyfriend. Things take a dark turn, and she finds herself trapped in a baby farm disguised as a place of solace for women.

Then there’s Ify (Kiki Omeili), who is searching for her missing younger sister, a trail that also leads to the baby farm. In a parallel storyline, Cherise (Rita Dominic), a successful actress who has had multiple miscarriages, becomes desperate to have a child. She’s being stalked by a journalist (Folu Storms) who seems to have a personal vendetta against her.

Eventually, Ify and journalist Joy realize they’re both searching for the same thing: truth. And so, they join forces to investigate.

Storyline

The foundation of the writing is solid and the subject matter alone carries weight. But the series felt like it was trying to tell two stories at once without giving either the proper balance. The parallel plots competed for attention, and unfortunately, many of the characters felt underdeveloped.

There’s definitely a bigger story to be told here about how society traps women on both sides of this issue: those who are exploited and those who are desperate. But this show tried to do too much at once. It introduced shame that follows these women, socioeconomic struggle, domestic violence, gossip… These are all valid themes, but too many elements left the core story stretched thin. A few things to call out:

• Ebun (Genoveva Umeh), another victim in the baby farm, got a lot of screen time, but her character felt overdramatized and lacked the necessary backstory to really connect with her.

• I also couldn’t fully understand why Joy was so obsessed with Cherise. Maybe the writers had a reason, but it didn’t come through clearly. Ironically, Cherise ended up seeming like a “good” person.

• The doctors’ stories were one of the stronger points—they captured how poverty and desperation become opportunities for exploitation. Still, I felt something was missing in how deeply that narrative could have played out

That said, Onyinye Odokoro (Adanna) carried the show with her performance. She owned every scene she was in and made the character feel real. Uzoamaka Onuoha also left a strong impression, there was a believability to her role, even though I had a feeling her from the start.

Direction

The direction had the right intentions. There were moments it worked, like in the hospital; the lighting and tone captured a kind of eerie, cloudy discomfort. But the camera work didn’t always land. There were scenes where the emotion was there, the performance was there, but the camera just didn’t catch it in the way it should have. I told myself multiple times, “This should be a powerful scene,” but it just didn’t fully hit.

Costume

Ahhh, my biggest Nollywood pet peeve! The costume choices were off, especially in the more intimate scenes. Rita Dominic and Joseph Benjamin, for example, were so overdressed in a bedroom scene that was meant to feel raw and emotionally vulnerable. Instead of connecting to their pain, it looked like they were about to head to an event. We missed the moment.

Signing out

Let me know if you’ve seen it or if you plan to. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Til next time 🤎

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⚠️ Spoiler Alert Ahead!

Source: Netflix

Rating: 2/10

Movie Plot

Promise (played by Jemima Osunde) is a young woman trying to save her parents’ home after the government issues a notice for unpaid taxes; 20 million Naira worth. An opportunity comes her way when she lands a role with a top management company run by Fadekemi (Linda Ejiofor) and Achike (IK Osakioduwa).

In a twist of fate, Promise is tasked with keeping Kator (Mike Afolarin), a temperamental music star, on his best behavior ahead of his upcoming concert. That’s when the “drama” really begins.

Cast

Cast: Mike Afolarin, Jemima Osunde, Uti Nwachukwu, Susan Pwajok, Chimezie Imo, Uche Montana, Linda Ejiofor, Kalu Ikeagwu, IK Osakioduwa

Overall, the cast was… okay. No performance really stood out or left a lasting impression. Promise and Kator had decent chemistry, but nothing unforgettable.

I will give props to Favor (Susan Pwajok), who played Promise’s younger sister. She brought something refreshing and real to the screen. Also, Mayowa (Uti Nwachukwu) did good, he was the one who truly carried the film. He gave it heart and depth, even when the script didn’t.

Storyline & Plot Execution

This is where the film struggled the most.

First off, the title “A Lagos Love Story” felt misleading. The film wasn’t really about Lagos, and it wasn’t truly a love story. It was more about two sisters navigating loss, responsibility, and memory trying to save their family home and preserve the legacy it held. A stronger title would have honored that central theme.

Some major gaps I noticed:

• Promise’s storyline was poorly developed and, ironically, overshadowed by Favor’s subplot, which felt more complete and slightly compelling.

• The relationship between Fadekemi and Achike hinted something deeper, but we never got to see anything about them. Their dynamic felt rushed and undercooked.

• There was little to no buildup in the supposed romance. One minute Promise and Kator dislike each other, next thing they’re kissing, next they are not on speaking terms and then boom, 20 million naira is handed over to her family like it’s spare change.

• The transitions between scenes and storytelling was weak. We went from a yacht to an event we knew nothing about. Scenes lacked flow and connection, and the storytelling felt scattered.

• They also introduced elements that felt like they were meant to carry some significance but were never followed through. For example, Fadekemi’s PA handed Promise a hair-clip, an action that seemed important in the moment, but we never got any explanation or payoff for it.

Also… can we talk about how Promise was kind of the weapon fashioned against Kator? She was chaotic, and while that could’ve been interesting, they failed to explore or embrace it. Instead, we were fed this idea that she was his peace. It didn’t track.

Direction & Production Quality

Direction was just as inconsistent as the story. It felt like the director, writer, and casts didn’t have aligned expectations. Some scenes felt like everyone was interpreting the script differently. The camera work also didn’t help, angles and cuts failed to capture key emotional beats or heighten any tension. A lot of scenes lacked the visual clarity to tell the story they were aiming for.

Other thoughts

I saw someone on Twitter say we shouldn’t take the movie too seriously because it’s meant to be “feel good.” I get that. But feel good doesn’t mean you don’t try.

You can absolutely create a lighthearted film with solid storytelling, thoughtful direction, and characters we care about. This just felt like a missed opportunity to do both.

Also side note: was Kator supposed to be Asake? 👀 Because I couldn’t shake the feeling. It’s like Asake with more budget wiggle room 😂

Final Thoughts

“A Lagos Love Story” ended up feeling like a shallow attempt at drama and romance. It didn’t give enough depth to its characters, didn’t respect its own storyline, and ultimately failed to deliver on both the “Lagos” and the “love story”.

If you’re watching purely for the vibes or a weekend afternoon background movie, it might work. But if you’re looking for a well-constructed story? You might want to skip this one.

Thank you for being here!

This is the first official movie review I am doing and I feel good writing this. Welcome to Oniroyin and thank you for nudging me to do this!

TL;DR

Nine had potential, but it crumbled under weak storytelling, underdeveloped characters, and confusing direction. The horror and tension was not felt, the main plotlines were underwhelming, and the action sequences lacked the intended impact. The film focused too much on an unconvincing villain, sidelining what should have been its strongest elements. A promising idea that, unfortunately, missed the mark.

Rating: 3/10

Let’s talk about Nine…

Cast: Chris Attoh, Rosemary Zimu, Juliet Ibrahim, Damien Smith, Chasity Saunders, Fred Amugi, Adjetey Anang, Sika Osei, Kate Henshaw, and Gideon Boakye

Let us get into the first order of business. Nine is not exactly Nollywood/Nigerian, it is adjacent. It is a Ghanaian supernatural thriller that explores a dark horror much like modernizing “juju” movies from our childhood.

The movie synopsis on Amazon Prime reads:

“The brutal murders of young women in Ghana set a forensic scientist and an American detective on a trail that reveals a sinister serial plot. To thwart a dark supernatural force seeking immortality, they must enlist the help of nine female assassins.”

And I will tell you why it is important I quote this directly from Amazon’s blurb.

Storyline

The story started off promising and I acknowledge the attempt at making these traditional horror movies modernized and action-filled. I even shouted “Blood of Jesus” at the beginning of the movie (I was home alone and watching African “Juju” movies is no joke please). But I soon became comfortable, for something that was supposed to be filled with tension, jump scares, and sitting on the edge of my seat. That was my first sign that disaster was calling. The were plots in the story had holes:

• Why and how was it allowed for a student to walk into class and seduce their teacher? Is this an actual a thing?

• The supposed fighter ladies led by Vivian played by (Rosemary Zimu) who should have been central to the plot were overshadowed by overly focusing on the villain (Professor Russell played by Chris Attoh), and even that storyline fell flat.

  • They failed to explain the motivation behind his story and the impact of this said power was unexplored

• The main scenes were underwhelming and there was no standout moment

  • I was unclear as to what the fighter ladies were training for, and what they stood for

  • The forensic scientist that came was muted in the movie, he did not solve a single case and he had zero on-screen presence.

• I was a little confused that the killings had been happening in Ghana for 3 years yet the scale of the crimes felt oddly vague and scattered as they mentioned that the crimes happened across Africa and he had recently moved to Ghana

So, after all this, how does the Amazon Prime synopsis hold up? Let’s just say it does a better job selling the story than the film does delivering it.

Direction

The direction was subpar. The camera angles did not do justice to the storytelling. Chris Attoh directed the film, and I suspect that balancing both directing and acting contributed to the flawed execution. His performance felt strained, and the film itself reflected that struggle. The lighting was poor, and the picture quality lacked sharpness.

Costume

The costumes were decent, there was nothing particularly special or perfectly suited to key moments, but I did appreciate the minimalistic approach.

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