Oba (King) Movie Review: How Power Corrupts the Intellectual Soul in this Nollywood Masterpiece
By Adeola Adebayo, NollywoodTimes.com Senior Critic
January 30, 2026 - Yoruba Movies 2026, OBA KING Review, Fausat Balogun Movies, Jaiye Kuti Latest, Okiki Tv+ Yoruba Drama
Power is a double-edged sword in Yoruba cinema, and OBA (KING) (2026) wields it with brutal precision. Released just days ago on January 26 by Okiki Tv+ on YouTube, this 1-hour-54-minute drama thrusts a reluctant lecturer into kingship, only for arrogance to unravel his world. Starring Fausat Balogun, Jaiye Kuti, and Damola Olatunji, it asks: Can forgiveness survive betrayal in the palace shadows? If you're hooked on royal intrigue like 2025's palace epics, stream this now—but brace for melodrama that hits like a throne's fall.
In the landscape of contemporary Yoruba cinema, few themes are as enduring—or as treacherous—as the intersection of ancient tradition and modern intellectualism. The 2024 film Oba (King), featuring a powerhouse ensemble including Akin Lewis, Jaiye Kuti, and Fausat Balogun, is a searing exploration of this very crossroads. It is a film that asks a haunting question: Can a man of science and logic survive the mystical, absolute weight of a crown?
The Narrative Architecture: From the Lecture Hall to the Palace
The film opens by establishing its protagonist not as a man of destiny, but as a man of the book. As a "bloody lecturer" and professor of science, the character portrayed by Akin Lewis represents the pinnacle of modern Nigerian enlightenment. He is a man who values research, logic, and the quiet life of an educator.
The brilliance of the narrative architecture lies in the slow-burn transition. Unlike many Nollywood films where a character becomes a king and immediately adopts a caricature of royalty, Oba takes its time. We see a man who initially wants to "simply impart knowledge" forced into a role that demands he become a symbol rather than a citizen. However, the pacing shifts gears once the crown touches his head. The "earned" nature of his arc is found in the subtle ways his academic arrogance—the "I know better than you" attitude of a professor—metamorphoses into the "I am more powerful than you" decree of a monarch.
Performative Analysis: Akin Lewis and the Duality of Man
Akin Lewis delivers what can only be described as a career-defining performance. As a lecturer, his movements are restricted, his voice measured, and his authority derived from his intellect. But as the Oba, his physical presence expands. He occupies more space in the frame; his voice carries a resonance that demands silence.
The contrast is most striking during his interactions with his former life. Lewis masterfully portrays a man who hasn't forgotten his science, but has decided that the "laws of nature" now apply to him differently. He uses his intellectual background to provide a sophisticated veneer to his traditional excesses, making his descent into authoritarianism even more chilling.
The Domestic Battlefield: Jaiye Kuti and the Displacement of the Queen
If Akin Lewis is the film’s sun, Jaiye Kuti is its emotional gravity. Playing the "old queen," Kuti provides a masterclass in controlled despair. Her performance captures the heartbreaking reality of a woman who supported a "simple professor" only to be discarded by a "first-class king."
The tension reaches a boiling point when the King decides to take a second wife. He justifies this not through traditional necessity alone, but through his status as the "father of the kingdom." The scenes between Kuti and Lewis are some of the most electric in the film, representing a clash between the partnership of marriage and the hierarchy of the throne. Her displacement is not just physical—as she is moved within the palace—but psychological, as she realizes the man she loved has been consumed by the King he became.
Thematic Depth: Modernity vs. Tradition and the "Professor-King"
Oba excels in its exploration of the "Power Corrupts" trope. The King’s transformation is signaled by a key line: "Change is the most constant thing in life". He uses this philosophical truth to justify his moral decay.
The film critiques the idea that education is a shield against tyranny. Instead, it suggests that an educated man with absolute power is perhaps more dangerous than an uneducated one, because he has the vocabulary to justify his cruelty. His transition from a man of "modernity" to a man of "absolute tradition" is portrayed not as a return to roots, but as a convenient escape into a system where he cannot be questioned.
The "Returnee" as a Moral Compass: The American Son
The arrival of the King’s son from America serves as the film’s narrative "reality check." Through his eyes, we see the absurdity of the King's transformation. He represents the audience’s conscience, questioning why a man of science has abandoned his principles for the sake of prestige and polygamy.
The son’s horror at the state of his family underscores the film’s central tragedy: the King has gained a kingdom but lost his home. This "Returnee" trope is used effectively here to bridge the gap between the audience and the increasingly alien world of the palace.
Technical Execution and Cultural Gravitas
Visually, the film is a feast. The use of traditional costuming is not merely decorative; it is symbolic. The heavy, ornate robes the King wears act as a physical manifestation of the burden—and the ego—he has taken on. The dialogue, particularly in the palace scenes, is rich with Yoruba proverbs and high-flown rhetoric, creating an atmosphere of "gravitas" that makes the King’s eventual fall feel truly Shakespearean.
The production value is high, with a clear focus on the contrast between the sterile, bright world of the university and the warm, golden, yet shadow-filled halls of the palace.
The Verdict: A Cinematic Mirror for Leadership
Oba (King) is more than just a drama; it is a socio-political commentary on the nature of leadership in Nigeria. It reflects the struggle of a nation trying to balance its intellectual aspirations with the heavy pull of its traditional power structures.
Critical Score: 8.5/10
Who should watch this? If you are a fan of high-stakes family dramas, political allegories, or simply want to see some of the best acting Nollywood has to offer, this is a must-watch. It is a film for those who appreciate character studies that aren't afraid to go into dark, uncomfortable places.
Conclusion: A Call-to-Watch Oba (King) is a rare gem that manages to be both culturally grounded and universally relevant. It is a cautionary tale about the price of the crown and the fragility of the human ego. Whether you are drawn in by the star-studded cast or the promise of a deep, philosophical story, you will not be disappointed.
Experience the transformation for yourself. Watch OBA (KING) on YouTube.
Did the King go too far? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below! Don't forget to share this review with your fellow movie lovers.
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