The Shadow of Greed is a story that attempts to hold a mirror to how corruption, spiritual belief, and systemic betrayal intertwine in Nigerian communities. But while it has ambition, a strong thematic foundation, and even a touch of international flavour, it ends up faltering in the execution. With its 2-hour, 8-minute runtime, it overreaches on several fronts.

Greed in Ragged Clothing

Set in the town of Ajaka, the story introduces us to Oba Adebukola Adele (Toke Makinwa), a ruler who pretends to live in struggle. In public, she wraps herself in poverty to elicit sympathy; in private, she hoards wealth, siphoning funds from a Chinese construction project meant to uplift her people. It’s performative leadership at its most corrupt, and the film doesn’t hold back in presenting this duplicity.

Opposite her is Jerry Chen (Kent S. Leung), a Chinese expatriate brought in to oversee the project. Chen is positioned as the moral centre of the film—principled, disciplined, and increasingly disturbed by the injustice around him. His presence threatens the Oba’s dominance, leading her to deploy every tool in her arsenal: seduction, slander, violence, and spiritual warfare. The plot, while clear in its intent, suffers from sluggish pacing and a structure that overstays its welcome. Several scenes feel dragged out, and too much time is spent in melodrama and overdrawn dialogue/action.

Spiritual War & Sociopolitical Themes

The most fascinating segment of The Shadow of Greed lies in how it blends cultural spirituality. There’s a supernatural war happening beneath the political one, where Nigerian and Chinese spiritual traditions are brought into visual conflict. While this occasionally comes off as melodramatic, it adds texture. The CGI of the Chinese dragon, for instance, was ambitious and mostly effective, even if the shootout scenes felt flat in comparison. Someone even muttered in the cinema, “Naija meets China juju.” That reaction sums up how novel but chaotic these moments felt.

On a sociological level, the film tackles the ripple effect of corruption, particularly when leadership fails the very people it claims to protect. Oba Adebukola is more than a caricature of greed; she embodies how easily power can be weaponised, especially when shielded by tradition and deception. There’s a clear critique of how international collaborations are often hijacked by local power brokers, leaving communities behind.

Yet, the film makes a critical factual misstep: it falsely portrays the repealed Nigerian policy that hospitals require a police report before treating gunshot victims as still active. This isn’t just a technical error; it perpetuates misinformation in a country where healthcare delays cost lives.

Technical & Performance Observations

The Shadow of Greed shows promise but suffers from inconsistency. The handheld cinematography effectively communicates tension and unease, but the sound design is unconvincing and disconcerting. The visual rhythm is disjointed, especially in scenes that needed urgency but were slowed down by overdrawn actions on screen.

As Oba Adebukola, Toke Makinwa commits to her role, but the character she plays is underwritten—a Disney villain in agbada. Her dialogue leans on the cartoonish, and the performance, while confident, lacks nuance. Kent Leung’s Jerry Chen is steady, but it is Gabriel Afolayan as Castro who truly injects raw intensity into the film. Olumide Oworu also holds his ground, adding quiet strength to a tragic arc.

Final Thoughts

The Shadow of Greed has the bones of an important film. Its themes are bold, and its cross-cultural lens is refreshing. But it stretches itself too thin, squandering momentum and delivering a payoff that feels undeserved. Its attempt at grandeur falters not from lack of ambition, but from an inability to streamline its message.

Verdict

A commendable effort held back by melodrama and pacing issues, The Shadow of Greed succeeds more in its premise than execution. It is timely, thoughtful in flashes, and visually interesting, but its flaws are hard to ignore.

Rating: 2.5/5