“My Mother is a Witch” – A Heartfelt Nollywood Drama on Forgiveness and Family Wounds

Directed by Niyi Akinmolayan, My Mother is a Witch is a layered Nollywood drama that touches on themes of family trauma, reconciliation, and the enduring sting of unforgiveness. The film follows Imuetiyan (played by Efe Irele), a successful fashion designer living in London, who is lured back to Nigeria with the false news of her mother’s death. Upon her return, she finds her mother, Adesua (Mercy Aigbe), very much alive, but in a pitiful condition that demands a reckoning with the past.

A Woven Tale of Pain and Healing

The movie begins with a lie, and that lie is the gateway to a deeply personal, emotional journey. As Imuetiyan confronts her mother, viewers are gradually shown the painful reasons she fled her home years ago. But this isn’t a straightforward reconciliation tale.

Initially, the film paints Adesua as the victim, evoking sympathy and casting her estranged daughter as cold and heartless. But as more of the backstory is revealed, the narrative balance shifts and so does your allegiance. Adesua transforms into a mother whose past actions, harsh, toxic, and deeply scarring, forced her daughter to escape and build a new life far away. By the end, the viewer is left yearning for a resolution, not because either party is fully right or wrong, but because healing becomes the only logical next step.

Narrative Choices That Could’ve Been Better

While the story’s core is powerful, the storytelling technique leaves something to be desired. Much of the exposition comes from characters narrating their experiences a style that works in moderation but feels overused here. Instead of showing viewers the emotional highs and lows through natural unfolding events, the film often tells rather than shows, which somewhat dilutes the emotional impact.

The story could have been more effective had it followed a linear progression: from Imuetiyan’s childhood trauma to her escape, and then her reluctant return. That structure would have allowed the audience to live through the moments, rather than be told about them in hindsight.

Performances: Mixed but Memorable

Mercy Aigbe as Adesua delivers an emotionally raw performance, particularly in her portrayal of the younger version of the character. However, her portrayal of the older, frail version trying to reconnect with her daughter wasn’t entirely convincing. The aging makeup felt unconvincing and visually distracting. Casting an older actress for the role of the aged Adesua might have made the transformation more believable and powerful.

Still, Aigbe’s best moments shine when she plays the younger, stern mother, the kind that haunts memories and shapes identities.

Efe Irele, on the other hand, nails her role as the emotionally distant but wounded daughter. Her performance captures the bitterness, pain, and hidden vulnerability of someone grappling with love and resentment in equal measure. Her facial expressions, especially during the funeral scenes, communicate volumes without needing many words.

Supporting actors Neo Akpofure and Timini Egbuson bring charm and depth to their roles, though Egbuson’s casting as the doctor felt off. His youthful charm and romantic energy inadvertently tease a romantic subplot with Imuetiyan that never materializes. If the filmmakers didn’t intend for a romantic angle, someone more mature or neutral in screen presence would have made more sense.

Cinematography and Technical Elements

Technically, My Mother is a Witch is a mixed bag.

• The airport scene in London was visually clean and believable, possibly shot with a different crew or under better conditions.
• The lighting and picture quality in the rest of the film fall short, hinting at a modest budget.
• A rain scene between the doctor and Imuetiyan had potential but lost realism due to poor effects—the rain fell only on the characters, with nothing behind them getting wet, and the intensity kept shifting.

That said, certain scenes (like flashbacks and emotional confrontations) still managed to carry emotional weight due to strong acting and thoughtful framing.

Language & Culture

The movie incorporates a mix of English, Pidgin English, and Edo language, grounding it in Nigerian culture and lending authenticity to the characters’ dialogue and emotional states. This multilingual touch helps draw in audiences familiar with these dialects while keeping the film rooted in its cultural setting.

Final Verdict: 6.8/10

My Mother is a Witch is far from perfect, but it’s a thought-provoking, emotionally engaging story. Its core message of forgiveness, and the way it examines the complex relationship between mothers and daughters, makes it worth the watch.

Though the execution isn’t flawless, especially in makeup, casting, and cinematography, the heart of the film beats strong. For anyone who’s had to deal with past trauma, difficult family members, or the struggle to let go, My Mother is a Witch will resonate on a deeply human level.

Rating: 6.8/10
Recommended for viewers who value emotional storytelling and character-driven narratives.
Skip if you’re looking for high-budget visuals or tight plot pacing.