Synopsis:
The King of Boys is a Nigerian political crime film written and directed by Kemi Adetiba. The duration presents the struggling and bravery of Alhaja Eniola Salami (played by Sola Sobowale), a savvy businesswoman who is well connected politically and crime wise. Targeting both criminals and politcians, Eniola has managed to build herself up in both the legal space and the underworld.
As the movie progresses, however, Eniola is not contented with her status- she plans to graduate from crime to respectable politics. But danger lurks as she faces treachery, competition and even the shadows of her old life threatening to catch up with her. As a dictatorial leader, Eniola’s story is full of shame, fall and hope. It portrays the challenges of a woman who fights her way to the top in a male-dominated society only to realise that her empire is gradually being battered by both outer and internal elements.
The narrative toggles between contemporary Eniola’s struggle to control the political scene and certain episodes from her early life that explain how she grew into the frightening “King of Boys.” As the time comes for the enemies to surround Eniola, she will have to make a choice between defending her legacy and trying to save herself out of all the things that she has ever achieved.
Awards & Wins:
King of Boys became a major hit in Nollywood and earned multiple accolades, including:
- Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (2020):
- Best Actress in a Drama – Sola Sobowale (for her role as Eniola Salami)
- Best Director – Kemi Adetiba (Nomination)
- Best Overall Movie (Nomination)
- Best Supporting Actor – Reminisce (for his role as Makanaki)
The film was praised for its storytelling, performances, and technical achievements, marking it as a turning point in Nollywood for producing high-quality, big-budget political dramas.
Cast & Crew:
- Director: Kemi Adetiba
- Main Cast:
- Sola Sobowale as Eniola Salami – The central character, a feared and powerful businesswoman/crime lord.
- Reminisce as Makanaki – A ruthless gangster and one of Eniola’s primary rivals in the criminal underworld.
- Adesua Etomi-Wellington as Kemi Salami – Eniola’s daughter, who finds herself torn between loyalty to her mother and a different path.
- Toni Tones as Young Eniola – The younger version of Eniola Salami, showing her rise to power through flashbacks.
- Akin Lewis as Aare Akinwade – A powerful political figure who becomes a key player in Eniola’s political ambitions.
- Illbliss as Odogwu Malay – Another criminal figure vying for control of the underworld.
- Screenplay: Kemi Adetiba
- Cinematography: Patrick Elis
- Music: Kulanen Ikyo
IMDb Ratings:
- IMDb Score: 6.0/10
- The film received widespread acclaim, particularly for Sola Sobowale’s intense and multifaceted performance as Eniola Salami. Critics and fans alike appreciated the film’s exploration of power, gender, and morality, though some noted the film’s length (over three hours) as a drawback.
Personal Insights:
King of Boys reigns as a sophisticated piece of Nollywood film in terms of its aspirations, scale and realisation. The production of the movie is such that Kemi Adetiba’s direction is a rare attribute in the Nigerian movie industry and even the world over. Her political drama crime thriller concept is gripping as it digs deep into the complexities of Nigeria’s political and social challenges. The power dynamics of the film, particularly from a woman’s perspective, is rather fresh and inspiring in a patriarchy dominated genre.
Sola Sobowale is unto any other in the depiction of Eniola Salami. Eniola is multi-faceted: she is a tyrant, a sweet-tempered mother, and a tortured woman. Every detail of her character is unfavorable and Sobowale has every reason to be an all star. The flashbacks which also featured Toni Tones as Eniola’s young self were equally interesting since they also informed how the fascinating KOB was born out of Trauma, Desire and Struggle.
The film also impresses when it comes to the depiction of power and organized crime in Nigeria, being critically aware of political corruption, conflict and legal and illegal business boundaries. Further, a rapper known as Reminisce has played Makanaki and has been so vicious in the drama, being part of the younger and violent criminal elements who take on Eniola. This character builds the basic plot of the film, creating pressure on Eniola as an empress and making her realize the weakness of her reign.
King of Boys, despite its long length, works well with the audience by continuously increasing the stakes in every act. As a result, the film does not simply entertain, it challenges its viewable audience about how power sometimes corrupts and the sacrifices one has to make to survive in a harsh environment. Greatest vice to Eniola’s battle is not just external, but internal in the sense that she is conflicted by her moral choices as well as by the implications of her decisions that she has taken all her life.
The film also impresses in terms of visual style thanks to the production design that is effective in showcasing Lagos’s grandeur and the political elite’s lavish lifestyle and lifestyle of the streets. The music plays a queer blend of both the modern Nigerian music whilst incorporating suspense thriller music which cleverly intensifies focusing in on some sequences and also makes the fight sequences even better.
In summary, King of Boys is not a film, it is a feeling. Kemi Adetiba redefines Nollywood cinema in the respect of how films tell stories, performance and production. It is a well-known fact that there are a lot of great character-based stories set in political and crime environments and King of Boys is one of them, making exciting developments of events and marking Kemi Adetiba as a new leader of ideas in Nigerian relations.
Sequel:
Following the massive success of the first film, a sequel series titled King of Boys: The Return of the King was released on Netflix in 2021. The series continues the story of Eniola Salami, focusing on her return to power and her quest for political dominance, adding further layers to the complex character and her fight for control.
