Ms Kanyin Review: The Madam Koi Koi Movie That Almost Got It Right

There are certain Nigerian legends so deeply rooted in our collective childhoods that any attempt to bring them to screen carries weight. Madam Koi Koi is one of them. She’s not just a ghost in red heels; she’s a cultural fixture-the whispered fear in dorm rooms, the reason we ran through dark hallways. So naturally, the question with every new adaptation becomes: Who will get it so right that no one else needs to try again? Nemsia Studios has taken their shot with Ms Kanyin, a supernatural horror set in a high-brow boarding school. But does it silence all future attempts?

Not quite.

To be fair, the ambition is undeniable. Ms Kanyin doesn’t half-step. From the script to the setting, this is a polished production with real intention. It reimagines Madam Koi Koi through the character of Ms Kanyin (played with quiet presence by Michelle Dede), a well-meaning teacher drawn into a curse tied to a mysterious Tree of Life. The plot kicks off when a group of students – led by the ambitious Amara (Temi Otedola) – scheme to steal exam answers. In doing so, they awaken something dark, and one by one, they pay for their actions.

The script reveals the guilt of each student gradually, showing how peer pressure, fear of failure, and teenage entitlement can become a deadly mix. Temi Otedola turns in a solid performance as the flawed golden girl. Her character Amara is more layered than she first appears, and her downfall feels earned. There’s also a nice blend of personalities among the students, from the passive follower to the vengeful victim, and the story keeps their arcs moving at a steady pace.

The cinematography is where the film truly excels. Every frame is deliberate. There’s a refined use of light and color, particularly in scenes surrounding the cursed tree and the haunting moments that follow. And the atmosphere-thick with dread, but never overdone-feels like the perfect balance of school drama and spiritual horror.

But then comes the VFX.

In trying to visualize horror, Ms Kanyin trips over its own ambition. The deaths feel too dramatic, too literal, and sometimes unintentionally funny. A key example: the spirit of Ms Kanyin rising from the swimming pool like a low-budget Final Destination moment. It breaks the spell. The same story could have thrived more by leaning into suggestion-heels echoing in a dark corridor, shadows behind bodies, whispered voices in the the dorms. That would have fed the legend. Instead, we get too much ghost, too fast.

There are also too many threads that go nowhere. Why is the principal unaware of a giant cursed tree on school grounds? Why introduce a shady father character and give him one scene with zero follow-up? Why do WAEC questions end up in his house without explanation? These gaps pull away from the horror and into confusion.

Still, there are moments of clarity. One strong theme is the danger of desperation. Amara’s fear of failure, combined with her obsession with perfection, is what sets the tragedy in motion. And through her arc, we see how peer pressure and groupthink turn innocent kids into accomplices. Ms Kanyin also touches on the idea of institutions hiding harmful truths, and the price of silence in the face of tradition.

And yet, for all its ideas and visual beauty, the film never fully settles into itself. It juggles horror, mystery, school drama, and folklore, but can’t quite weave them into a seamless whole. The final act feels rushed, and many of the emotional beats don’t land the way they should.

So back to the original question: Should this be the definitive Madam Koi Koi film?

No. But it gets close enough to spark real excitement.

What Nemsia Studios offers here is a well-packaged attempt, elevated by stunning visuals and a sincere effort to bring folklore to the forefront. It doesn’t hit every mark, but it hits enough to matter. And maybe that’s what we need-not a final version, but a challenge to filmmakers to go deeper, darker, and more intimate with the myth next time.

Because the story of Madam Koi Koi is far from finished. She still has more halls to haunt.

Watch now on Prime Video