The Serpent’s Gift: First Look at Kayode Kasum’s New Drama

Award-winning filmmaker Kayode Kasum is back with a promising new feature titled The Serpent’s Gift. It tells a gripping family drama rooted in blood ties, betrayal, and legacy. Following a string of bold storytelling ventures, including Reel Love, Afamefuna, Ajosepo, and Obara’m, Kasum. He steps into the emotionally intense terrain, this time confronting the fallout of widowhood within a fiercely traditional household.

This raises the familiar Igbo culture plot to which Kasum dabbled for the first time in Afamefuna. This secured four nominations at the 2024 African Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCA), where the director won the Trailblazer Award.

Produced by Winifred Nkiru Mena-Ajakpovi, and penned by screenwriters Stephen Okonkwo and Mr Mett, The Serpent’s Gift tells the story of a woman who loses her husband under mysterious circumstances. But instead of finding solace in grief, she finds herself cornered by accusations and conspiracies. Her late husband’s family suspects foul play and, blinded by entitlement and suspicion, launch an aggressive battle to strip her of everything—including his properties, dignity, and peace.

Set against the backdrop of Nigerian familial customs, the film explores the tension between grief and greed, tradition and truth. At its heart is a woman fighting not just for justice, but for her very survival in a world where widowhood is often treated as a curse rather than a passage.

The star-studded cast includes Stan Nze, Tina Mba, Ihuoma Linda Ejiofor, Beverly Osu, Etim Effiong, Inem King, Uche Chika, Chico Aligwekwe, Tracey George, Florence Sunday, Ric Hassani, David Destiny, Nonso Odogwu, Moyinoluwa Olutayo, Marcela Aipoh, Alexander Ayalogu, and Thelma Chukwunwem. Each bringing a dynamic presence to a story steeped in emotional and cultural depth.

The Nile Entertainment will distribute The Serpent’s Gift, which opens in Nigerian cinemas nationwide on August 29, 2025. With a plot laced with secrets, accusations, and a woman’s fierce determination to defend what’s rightfully hers, the film promises to spark conversations and stir emotions long after the credits roll.