With his ambitious cinematic endeavour ‘The Origin: Madam Koi-Koi’ sent straight to global streaming platform Netflix, Nigerian filmmaker Jay Jituboh is set to introduce the vengeful figure that roams dormitories into the global spotlight. This film brings her into the world of Halloween thrills. Released on Halloween Day, Tuesday, October 31, the riveting origin story chronicles the tale of a rape gone wrong on the outskirts of a model boarding school. Two decades later, the vengeful spirit roams, meting out punishment to persons it deems wanting. The two-part film immerses viewers in a microcosm that mirrors the broader world. According to Jituboh, it tackles numerous pressing societal issues, both locally and globally, including sexual harassment, rape, the influence of money in society, abuse of power, and various other societal ills.
Conceptualised in 2020, principal photography commenced in 2022 in Abeokuta and ran for three weeks. Jituboh disclosed that the idea of bringing Madam Koi-Koi to the big screen was a no-brainer: he wanted to establish her legend to rank alongside Western counterparts like Dracula and BigFoot.
“I have always been an advocate of telling Nigerian stories in the Nollywood format, which is what Bollywood and Korea are doing. When it was time to do this film, it was a no-brainer for me: what was that one legend we have in Nigeria that everybody is familiar with and that we can tell the origin story in a way that can birth many more episodes or sequels? Madam Koi Koi was the only one that came to mind.”
With a lineup of upcoming actors like Martha Ehinome, Chuks Joseph, and Ejiro Onojaife, the audience generally gave a positive reaction at its private screening held a day before its official premiere. Other established acts in the lineup include Jude Chukwuka, Ireti Doyle, Chioma Chukwuka, and Omowunmi Dada.
