Kemi Adetiba’s To Kill a Monkey Is a Gritty, Unforgettable Ride Through the Streets of Lagos

Now Streaming on Netflix Across Africa

Imagine this: A humid Lagos night. The buzz of okadas in the distance. Neon lights flicker across weather-worn concrete. A man sits alone in a cramped apartment, staring at the ceiling, drowning in debt, disappointment; and silence. His phone vibrates. It’s an old friend. The kind of friend who shows up with fast solutions and even faster consequences.

This is where To Kill a Monkey begins. And from that moment on, Kemi Adetiba refuses to let you look away.

A New Kind of Nigerian Storytelling

Released on July 18, 2025, To Kill a Monkey is more than a series; it’s a cinematic punch to the gut. With eight tightly woven episodes, Adetiba takes us into the underbelly of survival, where lines blur between right and wrong, friend and foe, victim and villain.

At the heart of it all is Efemini (played with raw precision by William Benson), a man whose life is unraveling by the thread. When he crosses paths with Oboz (Bucci Franklin), a swaggering figure from his past, he's pulled into the seductive, and dangerous, world of cybercrime. But nothing comes free. Not even reinvention.

Every decision Efemini makes digs him deeper into a world where morality is negotiable and trust is deadly.

Grit Meets Grace in Adetiba’s Direction

Unlike the political grandeur of King of Boys, To Kill a Monkey is deeply personal. Filmed on location in Lagos and developed by Kemi Adetiba Visuals alongside Remi Adetiba, the series trades palatial settings for alleys, backrooms, internet cafés, and whispered conversations at night. It’s a story that feels close to the skin; sweaty, real, urgent.

Adetiba directs with restraint and control. There’s no wasted motion. Just tension that creeps up your spine and refuses to let go.

Highlights include:

• “In the Beginning” – a slow, searing introduction to Efemini’s fractured life.

• “Hand of Friendship” – where deals are made and loyalty is tested.

• “Pour Petrol on Fire” – a masterclass in tension and consequences.

• “Who Wins at the End” – an emotionally devastating finale that lingers long after the credits roll.

A review from X (the people) topcharts

Audiences are already buzzing, with one viewer admitting they started watching To Kill a Monkey at 8am and were so gripped, they didn’t stop until 5:30pm. Another praised the series' emotional depth, noting that characters like Ivie are complex reflections of broken homes and generational neglect—hard to judge, impossible to ignore. Even the wardrobe didn’t go unnoticed, with fans applauding the stylist’s choices for capturing each character’s essence with precision. To Kill a Monkey isn’t just compelling—it's immersive, deeply human, and impossible to look away from.

A Cast That Hits Every Note

From Stella Damasus and Bimbo Akintola to Chidi Mokeme and Lilian Afegbai, the ensemble cast brings depth to every corner of this story. These aren’t just characters—they’re people you might pass on the street, each carrying hidden stories, secrets, and scars.

Bucci Franklin as Oboz is magnetic. He’s the chaos wrapped in charisma—the devil that smiles before he strikes. Benson’s Efemini, meanwhile, is the heart of the series: battered, complicated, and heartbreakingly human.

The Bigger Picture

To Kill a Monkey isn't just a show. It’s part of a movement. A reminder that African stories don’t have to fit one mold. They can be raw, uncomfortable, poetic—and still beautifully produced.

With this series, Netflix continues to make good on its promise to spotlight African voices, African struggles, and African triumphs in their full complexity.

Final Thoughts

If you're looking for easy answers, this isn't the show for you. But if you want a story that grabs you by the collar, drags you through the shadows, and leaves you sitting in silence once it’s over—To Kill a Monkey is waiting.

It’s a gripping portrait of what happens when the system fails you, when your past hunts you, and when survival becomes your only moral compass.

And at the heart of it all is the exemplary vision of Kemi Adetiba. With her unflinching storytelling, layered characters, and cinematic precision, Adetiba once again proves why she is one of the most formidable creative forces of our time. She doesn’t just direct scenesshe crafts emotional battlegrounds, where silence speaks as loudly as screams, and every frame is loaded with meaning. To Kill a Monkey isn't just a series; it’s a masterclass in storytelling, courtesy of a visionary who continues to raise the bar.