Osamede unfolds in 1897 Benin Kingdom at the edge of colonial collapse. Directed by James Omokwe, it adapts Lilian Olubi’s stage play into a daring mythic lens on the Benin Punitive Expedition. Ivie Okujaye embodies the stone-born saviour, William Benson the treacherous Iyase, Tosin Adeyemi the sacrificial priestess Adaze.
Told entirely in Bini and Edo languages, the premise weaves political betrayal, colonial violence, indigenous spirituality, and supernatural creation. From the sacred Igue festival’s tension, it interrogates history: did resistance or complicity truly destroy the kingdom? Conceptually rich, culturally rooted, it reaffirms Nollywood’s imagination and scale.
Osamede
Directed by: James Omokwe
Written by: Lolo Eremie
Genre: Epic, Fantasy
Released on: October 17, 2025 (Cinema)
Language: Bini, English
A Kingdom’s Fall
Long ago in Idu town, there is a bad drought. A man named Okhuaihe gives his life. Fire comes from the sky. The Arousa stone (Eyes of Osanobua) is born with special power.
Years later, during the sacred annual Igue festival, a British expedition arrives. Iyase, one of the Oba’s generals, sees the intrusion as an affront. Wary of the Oba’s welcoming stance, he demands the stone from Adaze and her temple kin. She argues it belongs to the people, not his coup. With her husband Edugie, she flees.
Adaze uses forbidden magic to exhume the stone’s power and give it life as a child, fulfilling prophecy. She somehow births Osamede and after her death the baby is entrusted to blacksmith Agbokhai, who keeps the secret. The raid claims Adaze and her family. The powerless stone falls to Iyase. The invasion occurs. Iyase is arrested for sedition.
Two decades pass. British rule forces citizens into mining fields. Osamede grows restless under Agbokhai’s care. She jumps into domestic violence cases, defends friends being flogged senseless, rallies against slavery. Her rebellious nature puts her at odds with slavedriver employers and local lackeys.
Discontent grows in the mines. Osamede rallies workers. This triggers an attack against her. Unaware of her gift, her reaction sets the officer ablaze. Her fiery power awakens.
Iyase’s loyalists free him. He raises an army to reclaim the stone’s power and complete his plan. Osamede becomes hunted by British Major Roger Wild and the freed Iyase.
She flees with Nosa, a British-trained translator she initially dismisses as collaborator. He proves his worth by taking her side. They head to Iyamu to learn what it means to be the chosen one, pursued by both armies.
The opening plot of the film is unclear at first. Subtitles that don’t follow the Edo narration aggravate the issue. They retell the raid in flashback, ending with a scene already shown. This repetition feels necessary for clarity but theatrical and unnecessary. Mythology arrives quickly with little background, assuming familiarity with gods and folklore. Those not familiar with the story are left scrambling.
Hearts Bound by Blood and Prophecy
The heart of the story is family duty and standing up for others. Adaze puts the stone’s power into her baby to save it. That is a mother’s love at its strongest. When she dies in the raid, the pain stays with Osamede.
Iyase wants the stone to take the throne. He uses the British problem to hide his own plan. This makes the outside fight start a fight inside the kingdom.
Osamede’s core tension is destiny against choice. She insists to Adaze’s spirit, “I’m not special. I only fight for others.” The answer rings clear: “It is a special thing to fight for others.” Her bravery exists long before any gift surfaces. The mining fields shift focus from palace to people, rebellion echoing identity struggle. Spectacle and emotion balance well in early acts, fiction staying emotionally true.
Voices That Hold and Waver
Ivie Okujaye is perfect as Osamede. She shows anger, fear, strength, and fate all at once. She is small but her eyes and body say everything. When she is quiet with pain or suddenly uses power, you believe her. This is her big comeback and she owns the screen.
William Benson makes Iyase scary and real. His helper Edokpolor feels creepy. Iyase is the opposite of Osamede, he wants power for himself. He caused Adaze’s death, so the fight feels personal.
Lexan Aisosa Peters is okay as Nosa but not exciting. The suggested romance stays tame, just hand contact, no words of heart. You don’t feel the connection. The link never lands.
White actors speak badly and sound funny by mistake. Extras look nervous, shift awkwardly, and they look like extras.
A Lens That Lifts Language, Trips on Picture
James Omokwe keeps a steady speed. Scenes have time to feel real. He cares about culture and story type. Speaking only Bini is the best choice. It shows how far apart the British and Bini are. Hearing Bini in a big film is new and strong.
The costume, hair, and places look careful but don’t feel grandeur. Very purposeful and effective. The sound choices make rites and fights feel magical. CGI is not perfect but effective. Everything looks small when it should feel big. The kingdom does not feel alive.
The AI generated videos when Aigbangbe talks look cheap and wrong. Although it captures the grandeur the film aimed for, they tried to match the colour grading which was intelligent, but still stand out bad.
Final Thoughts
Osamede takes a sad real event and adds myth. It is one of the deepest Nollywood history films. The stone means taking back what was stolen. Can a kingdom live when its own people sell it? Bini words say our stories are enough. But the film needed better movie tools. Osamede’s change feels fast. Talks explain too much instead of showing feelings. First parts are good, later parts hurry. More time on the British side and the Oba could make it great. Still, it shows Nollywood can dream big with our own voice.
Verdict
Watch Osamede if you love culture and don’t mind rough parts.Best for people who speak Bini or like slow myths. It may have it’s flaws but it makes you proud and hopeful for more films like this.
Rating: 3.1/5
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