“‘Abanisete: The Ancestor” Is Bold but Burdened by Its Own Chaos

Abanisete: The Ancestor is the kind of film that announces its intentions from the very first scene. 

Directed by and starring Ibrahim Yekini, popularly known as Itele D Icon, it seeks to merge the grandeur of epic storytelling with the depth of Yoruba mythology. 

The story is about legacy, community, and the dangers of losing cultural treasures to foreign greed, a theme that resonates in a country still struggling with the aftermath of colonial exploitation. The intention is clear and powerful, but the film’s execution, though commendable in parts, is held back by cluttered storytelling and an uneven balance between sincerity and spectacle.

The story revolves around Abanisete, a sacred masquerade handed down through generations of a chosen family. It is not only a figure of worship but the lifeblood of the village, a guardian that heals, protects, and reveals hidden truths. Every generation, the masquerade chooses a child to bless and guide, marked from birth by four mysterious stumps on the head. In this generation, that child is Ologbojo, played by Itele himself, who inherits the ability to summon Abanisete and, with it, the heavy burden of protecting his people. 

The balance of the village is disrupted when a group of white visitors witnesses the masquerade’s power during a ceremonial performance. What begins as fascination quickly turns to covetousness, and the masquerade is reduced to something that can be bought, sold, and displayed as a curiosity.

At first, the village elders are tempted to oblige. The attractiveness of foreign wealth and influence blinds them to the dangers of selling off their protector, until the family patriarch, played with gravitas by Yinka Quadri, reminds them of the masquerade’s importance to their survival. It’s a brief reprieve before chaos erupts. The sacred entity is stolen, violence is unleashed, and Ologbojo finds himself the sole survivor of a bloody raid that leaves his family in ruins. His journey from grief-stricken survivor to reluctant hero drives the rest of the narrative, as he wanders from village to village seeking refuge and allies to help reclaim Abanisete. Along the way, he meets Ibiwunmi, a mystically gifted Osun devotee brought to life by Omowunmi Dada. Their slow-burning connection provides some of the film’s more tender moments, even as the stakes rise and the dead body count grows.

Beneath the surface of its supernatural elements, Abanisete is a film that wants to say something profound about heritage and the ways it has been plundered. The masquerade acts not only as a magical plot device; it stands as a metaphor for culture itself—sacred, communal, and too often misunderstood or commodified by outsiders. The narrative draws strength from that symbolism, especially in its moments, when the villagers reflect on what has been lost and what must be preserved. There are glimpses of brilliance in those sequences,and the film feels grounded in something bigger than the characters’ immediate struggles.

But for all its thematic depth, the film struggles with discipline. Characters appear and disappear without context or resolution, as if introduced solely for convenience. At times, entire subplots feel underdeveloped or abandoned, leaving the story feeling overcrowded and unfocused. The romantic subplot between Ologbojo and Ibiwunmi, for instance, blossoms without the emotional groundwork needed to make it fully convincing. Similarly, the addition of comic-relief characters, including Kamo state  and Erekekere, leans too heavily on familiar stereotypes of the Yoruba jester, offering humor that feels forced rather than organic.

The performances, however, do much of the heavy lifting. Yinka Quadri is compelling as the family patriarch, grounding the early parts of the film with a sense of authority and strength. Itele delivers a surprisingly layered turn as Ologbojo, Omowunmi Dada shines as Ibiwunmi. Femi Adebayo, as the opportunistic translator with broken English, adds some levity but edges toward caricature in a role that could have benefited from more nuance. 

Late in the film, Lateef Adedimeji and Broda Shaggi appear in larger-than-life roles, swooping in with exaggerated heroics that feel jarring and disconnected from the more grounded emotional journey at the center of the story.

Technically, Abanisete is uneven. There are moments when the film is visually stunning, particularly in its depiction of the masquerade and the rituals surrounding it. The costumes, especially for Abanisete itself, are thoughtfully designed Some location shots, too, are beautifully composed, offering a glimpse of the vibrancy of rural Yoruba life. But these highs are offset by missteps that are difficult to ignore. Some costumes look way too awkward, and the climactic battle—an extended showdown heavily reliant on CGI—feels visually out of place. The sequence, with its attempt at mystical elemental combat, plays like a low-budget imitation of Avatar: The Last Airbender, distracting from the story’s emotional stakes and pulling the viewer out of the moment.

Compared to Itele’s previous cinema release, Abanisete is a step forward in ambition and scope. There is a clearer sense of vision here, and a desire to tell a story rooted in tradition while appealing to modern audiences. But the same issues that have dogged his earlier work remain. The narrative tries to juggle too much, the pacing falters, and the tone shifts—from solemn to comedic to bombastic—make the film feel less cohesive than it could have been. A tighter script, with fewer distractions and a sharper focus on the central journey, would have allowed the film’s strongest elements to shine.

Still, it would be unfair to dismiss Abanisete outrightly, Abanisete: The Ancestor is, in many ways, a paradox. It is a film that has good intention but stumbles in execution. For all its flaws; cluttered storytelling, inconsistent tone, and reliance on spectacle it remains a significant entry in Nollywood’s growing repertoire of epics.

There is enough here to suggest that Itele and his team are on the right path. With sharper writing and a willingness to let cultural authenticity take precedence over spectacle, future projects could transform the brilliance in “Abanisete” into something truly extraordinary. For now, what we have is an ambitious, heartfelt epic that celebrates the Yoruba heritage while reminding us that stories need room to breathe.

Release Date: August 15, 2025

Runtime: Approximately 2 hours

Streaming Service: None, Cinema Release 

Directed by: Ibrahim Yekini( Itele D Icon), Tope Adebayo Salami, and Adebayo Tijani.

Cast: Ibrahim Yekini, Femi Adebayo, Broda Shaggi, Lateef Adedimeji, Adebayo Salami, Fausat Balogun, Omowunmi Dada, Yemi Blaq, Yinka Quadri, Fathia Balogun Williams, Itele D Icon, Kamo State, Mo Bimpe Adedimeji, Modola Osifuwa, Olarotimi Fakunle, and Jude Chukwuka.