Netflix’s “The Party” Delivers a Solid Nollywood Murder Mystery

Avoiding spoilers in a murder mystery review is no easy task—especially with a series as layered as Netflix’s three-part Nollywood mini-series, “The Party.” With a large ensemble and several narrative plots at play, the challenge is keeping the discussion broad without giving too much away.

Still, one thing is clear: “The Party” is a compelling addition to Nollywood’s growing catalogue of thrillers. For years, Kunle Afolayan’s “October 1” stood as the benchmark for the genre. But with its focused storytelling and confident execution, “The Party” makes a strong case for its own place in that conversation.

Directed by Yemi “Filmboy” Morafa and written by the duo of Stephen Okonkwo and Ajayi Ope, “The Party” centers around the investigation into the murder of Akinbobola “Bobo” Balogun—a young man from a wealthy family—who is killed during his birthday celebration in his parents’ high-rise home. The series beautifully checks all the boxes of a gripping whodunit: a high-stakes crime (murder), a mix of seasoned and amateur sleuths (Eva Ibiam’s Detective Hassan Bolous, Kelechi Udegbe’s Etim Caleb and Yomi Fash-Lanso’s Moshood), clues, redherrings (false leads) and satisfying conclusion (sort of).

Tucked and exposed in “The Party” are layers of deceit, betrayal, lust, and fractured relationships. Nearly every character is hiding something and has a reason to distort the truth… including the lead detective. Bobo may be the only one who lost his life, but relationships also collapsed following his demise.

Brilliantly casting also aids “The Party.” Want a classy, rich, sober mother who just lost her son and is hit with a bombshell of family secrets later? Shaffy Bello is your woman. Want a stern, authoritative father with more than a few skeletons in his closet.? Bimbo Manuel’s got you. Want a detective who’s good at prying into people’s minds? That’s what Kelechi Udegbe is made for. We’re not about to forgot Kehinde Bankole as well, who delivers the most nuanced performances and expressed volumes with a glance. Victim Bobo himself (Kunle Remi) doesn’t do bad when called upon, but its Bello, Bankole and Yomi Fash-Lanso that are likely to be screen favorites.

“The Party” also avoids a sin that has long been associated with Nollywood films: Dialogue. Most of what is obtainable are either overly dramatic, too Western, or just mundane. You’ll soon find that “The Party” is none of that, with lines like “your bones are not admissible in court” inserted neatly amidst the usual Nigerian pidgin or Yoruba slander. Speaking of language, the film is part-English, part Yoruba-language, so you’ll be needing more of the subtitles than you think.

Credit is also due to Tolu Obanro, who elevates the series with a richly textured sound design. Known for his work on “Mo fe Were (I Married a Crazy Person),” “Seven Doors,” and “Everybody Loves Jenifa,” Obanro enhances emotional beats with a musical score that’s equal parts subtle and stirring. A standout moment comes in Episode 3 when Bobo’s mother learns the truth, underscored by a haunting swell of cello and violin.

Unlike Tosin Igho’s “Suspicion” that gets tangles in its own web of plot-twists, Morafa’s “The Party” remembers to tie everything nicely together once the resolution comes, that if Episode 3 is truly where things end (mini-series like usually debut all episodes at once, or weekly). If it is, it would be a slightly less-worthy conclusion than what could have been. There are some reactions from eventually-vindicated characters that don’t make sense if they weren’t guilty of the ultimate crime. Hopefully, these would be fully explained in a potential Episode 4. From what has been shown, it won’t be surprising to find that out there are more actual hands involved in Bobo’s death than revealed.

Release Date: May 30, 2025

Runtime/Episodes: 3 episodes of 40 minutes each

Streaming Service: Netflix

Directed by: Yemi Morafa

Cast: Kunle Remi, Kehinde Bankole, Uzor Arukwe, Femi Branch, Bimbo Manuel, Shaffy Bello, Kelechi Udegbe, Yomi Fash-Lanso, Eva Ibiam, Ayoola, Ayolola, James Gardiner, Mide Funmi Martins, Segun Arinze, Ray Adeka, and Tope Olowoniyan.