Award-winning filmmaker Kemi Adetiba has described her new Netflix original series, To Kill a Monkey, as a bold and risky departure from her previous work.
In a heartfelt Instagram post, Adetiba opened up about the emotional and creative challenges of making the eight-part limited series, which premiered on Netflix on July 18, 2025.
“It was a crazy risk to take,” she wrote. “But it was a story I strongly felt I needed to tell – no gloss, no theatrics, no grandiose characters to hide behind… Just a raw, human story about real people, with real struggles, trying to navigate impossible choices.”
Known for directing blockbuster hits like King of Boys and The Wedding Party, Adetiba revealed that the idea behind To Kill a Monkey was to examine the psychological toll of hardship and desperation.
“I wanted to explore what could make a good, principled man snap. How much pressure it would take for him to break. And how would the ripple effect be for everyone around him,” she explained.
The series follows the story of Efemini, a morally upright man who is driven into cybercrime by desperation and an old friend. The cast features a mix of Nollywood veterans and rising stars, including William Benson, Bucci Franklin, Chidi Mokeme, Stella Damasus, Bimbo Akintola, Lilian Afegbai, Michael Ejoor, and Sunshine Rosman.
Directed and produced by Kemi Adetiba and her brother Remi Adetiba under Kemi Adetiba Visuals, the show has topped streaming charts across Nigeria and other English-speaking African countries since its release. It has also sparked widespread conversation on social media.
Adetiba expressed gratitude for the overwhelming fan response:
“Your word‑of‑mouth, your shares, your conversations – they crashed in like a tsunami… You validated every actor, every character, every crew member, every long night and hard decision that went into building this project. You validated me!”
A teaser for To Kill a Monkey was first shared in 2023, with Adetiba calling it “the bravest thing I’ve ever done in my career.”
The director continues to solidify her place as a leading voice in African cinema, building on the critical acclaim of King of Boys, The Wedding Party, and King of Boys: The Return of the King.
