“Singleness Is Bliss” Struggles to Balance Its Message of Female Independence

Nothing is quite as empowering as being a woman in the 21st century with the ability to choose who to marry, when to marry, and whether or not to marry at all. Even with the stifling cultural beliefs of Nigerian society, women now have far more freedom to simply be—a far cry from what our ancestors had to endure.

Singleness Is Bliss peddles this narrative of female freedom through the eyes of a modern-day woman who has been handed an unfair deal in life despite coming from an influential family.

However, through its distracting subplots, the film misses its mark and delivers a somewhat confusing narrative, making it difficult to understand what it was truly trying to say.

Aduke (Fisayo Ajisola-Borokinni) cancels her own traditional wedding after her husband-to-be’s family tries to trap her in a custom she had no prior knowledge of, all in the name of “tradition.” She moves on with her life and becomes a successful lecturer and author, but her parents continue pressuring her to try marriage again, much to her dismay. They introduce her to a colleague, Tokunbo (Babaseun Faseru), who turns out to be a philanderer. She then takes matters into her own hands and, after a drunken night of passion with a student (whom she doesn’t teach) named Cole (Rotimi Salami), finds herself pregnant. She marries Cole, only to later discover that he is a notorious weed dealer in school, has a girlfriend, and was plotting—with her—to kill Aduke and seize her properties.

Singleness Is Bliss is unpredictable from its first scene down to the last, and while unpredictability can often be refreshing, here it works against the film. The first ten-plus minutes are dedicated to a wedding that never happens. Next, Aduke seems to have chemistry with Tokunbo, but that too fizzles out. Then she’s presumed dead—only to show up at her own funeral, twins in tow, declaring that she went underground to stop Cole from killing her.

Then there’s the cultism subplot that had no business being in the film. Not only did it derail the story, but it also distracted from the central point: Aduke finding herself while recovering from being newly single. The film would have been far better off focusing on Aduke navigating life after her canceled wedding: her experiences as a lecturer, her outings with friends, her reflections, her philosophies, and her goals. The cultism thread, with its half-baked characters thrown in seemingly for filler, was absolutely unnecessary. Aduke is meant to be the main character, yet somehow she feels like a side character in her own film due to the overloaded subplots.

Also, for a film that champions feminist ideals, it was surprisingly male-centered. It begins with Aduke almost marrying a man and ends with another man nearly destroying her. Her parents pressure her to settle down with a man, she ends up with one anyway, and it leads to disaster. Perhaps that’s the ironic twist of Singleness Is Bliss: it never stays true to its own message until the very last minutes when Aduke realizes she is better off alone. If the film were truly a feminist statement and Aduke a feminist figure, it could’ve leaned more toward a narrative of liberation rather than falling back into the tired trope of “When will you marry?” followed by “Marriage gone wrong.” The story could’ve been stronger had it focused on how Aduke rose above disappointment rather than repeating the same old cycle.

If anything, Singleness Is Bliss is saved by the stellar performances of its cast. Fisayo Ajisola-Borokinni shines as Aduke, while Rotimi Salami delivers a compelling turn as the cool yet manipulative Cole, whose charm masks his deceit. The cameo appearances of Sola Sobowale and Tunji Sotimirin as Aduke’s overbearing yet typical Nigerian parents are a huge plus as their delivery was spot-on without being overdone. Even Mr. Macaroni, who appears briefly as Aduke’s almost-husband, Wale, makes a stronger impression than some of the main cast.

In all its glory, Singleness Is Bliss carries a vital message to Nigerian parents: Do not force your children to marry!

Release Date: September 7, 2025

Runtime: 1 hour, 25 minutes, 40 seconds

Streaming Service: Showmax

Director: Tunde Olaoye

Cast: Fisayo Ajisola-Borokinni, Sola Sobowale, Tunji Sotimirin, Jide Kosoko, Bimbo Akintola, Debo Adedayo, Rotimi Salami, Chy Nwakanma, and Kunle Coker