There’s a diversity angle to the film that might work if it were much less superficial and stereotypical. But that about defines Owambe Thieves, superficial and stereotypical.
By Vivian Nneka Nwajiaku
Anthill Studios’ 2025 Easter theatrical release, in collaboration with Lighthouse Pictures and FilmOne Studios, is a crime comedy influenced by Nigerian “owambe” culture starring Zubby Michael. I say “Nigerian” because it’s not only Yoruba parties that feature in Owambe Thieves. There’s a diversity angle to the film that might work if it were much less superficial and stereotypical. But that about defines Owambe Thieves, superficial and stereotypical.
The film begins with pandemonium. Chaos breaks out at a wedding ceremony at the sound of an explosion of sorts, and party guests take off. Then, we go back in time to the present, where it all starts with a struggling inter-ethnic couple.
Michael stars as Cheta, a working man who works as a factory manager to fend for his family. Eniola Ajao plays Lola, his wife. They are still a young couple and have just had a baby when Cheta loses his job and the accommodation that comes with it. At first, they get help from a friend (Odunlade Adekola), but when his bad intentions come to light, they are forced to move in with Lola’s mother, played by Sola Sobowale.
To be straight to the point, Lola’s mother despises Cheta. She despises him primarily because he is poor, but also because he is Igbo. She despises Lola, too, for marrying a broke Igbo man. And she is so embarrassed by them that she doesn’t invite them to the introduction ceremony of her beloved daughter, Tade (Wumi Toriola), who is getting married as the fourth wife to a much older man, a senator (Akin Lewis).
If this reads like there is a solid background to work with or an opportunity for character depth, that’s because there is. But when Cheta and Lola, apparently desperate—even if the film does not quite establish this desperation—hatch a plan to steal some of the dollars sprayed at Tade’s wedding, all that background ceases to matter. We then sit through a series of supposed-to-be-funny party heists by two leads who do not know when to stop.
Or maybe the background does matter but gets lost in the film’s obsession with the idea of owambe heists, with the film focused more on its parties and heists as opposed to properly establishing the characters and developing the narrative.
Owambe Thieves seems to be going for round lead characters who start off with good intentions and are compelled by their circumstances to operate in the grey. But can that be an accurate description if characters have unclear to non-existent motivations and do not so much as hesitate before robbing their own family or innocent neighbours who show them nothing but graciousness?
Even the most mediocre heist movies recognise the concept of honour among thieves, but not Owambe Thieves which is riddled with inconsistent characters who try to fool everyone, including viewers, but end up leaving us confused about who they are and what it is that informs literally any action choice they take.
Is Cheta a hero, as is suggested by that offhand flashback scene of his never-before-heard-of and never-to-be-heard-of-again time as a firefighter who risked his life to save a child from a burning building? Or is he a villain, as established by practically every decision from his first heist? Is he a hard worker or is he nonchalant? Is he diplomatic or aggressive? Is he egotistic or humble? Is he modest or greedy? Is Lola modest or greedy? Is she sceptical or naive? Is she afraid of guns or is she eager to use them?
One would think that the film’s hyperfocus on actions would translate into a high-stakes caper, at least. But Owambe Thieves fails here as well. The heists are grossly unexciting and lacking in ingenuity, falling flat at every turn. And there are no real stakes. Cheta and Lola are not people with worries about getting caught, neither does the film create any sense of worry, anticipation, or suspense.
Not even the obligatory unfolding plan montage as the film crosses into its third act, or the unnecessary car chase sequence in its final minutes, can make Owambe Thieves feel remotely thrilling. Neither can that unexpected betrayal in the climax, a machinated plot twist that plays out like a screenplay afterthought. By the end of the film, there is nothing to be invested in, which is quite atypical for a caper but also very typical of Nollywood.
Between the flimsy writing, the scatterbrained tone and pacing, the frequent bursts of noise, unknowable and unlikable characters, pointless subplots, and a contrived defining-moment confrontation with a mid-scene flashback that is so overextended that even the continuity department must have slept off—how else do we explain that daytime speech magically turning into a night-time speech?—Owambe Thieves fails to answer that all-important question: Why should we care?
Frankly, the only reason to care, if it counts as one, is Zubby Michael. In a sea of exaggerated performances and forced comedy, Michael is effortlessly funny, making a frustrating character pleasant enough to watch. It’s not a particularly stellar performance, but he really is a ray of sunshine when one has to deal with overacting from some quarters, including his co-star, and caricature acting from the others.
The most unsavoury of them is Femi Branch in the role of “Oga Bling Bling”, Cheta’s former boss and final target. Suffice to say, I would really like to never see him play an Igbo man with an accent ever again. It was an offensive portrayal in Summer Rain (2025); it is offensive here, too.
Owambe Thieves is directed by Adeoluwa Owu, known for his impressive work on the well-received 2021 drama, The Griot, as well as A Tribe Called Judah, the 2023 heist film which he directed with Funke Akindele, their best work. So, it is tempting to describe Owambe Thieves as disappointing. But, honestly, it’s not. From the trailer, it was easy to tell that this would be a stereotypical Nollywood film. The joke’s on anyone who expected something different.
Rating: 1.5/5
(Owambe Thieves is showing in Nigerian cinemas and select UK cinemas.)
Vivian Nneka Nwajiaku is a writer, film critic, TV lover, and occasional storyteller writing from Lagos. She has a master’s degree in law but spends most of her time reading about and discussing films and TV shows. She’s particularly concerned about what art has to say about society’s relationship with women. Connect with her on Twitter @Nneka_Viv