By Amadi Chimaobi Kingsley
THIS Nollywood’s latest romantic comedy, was released on YouTube on December 24, just in time for the holidays. Produced by and starring Bimbo Ademoye, the film is still streaming on Bimbo Ademoye YouTube channel and has garnered massive attention, crossing one million views within hours of its release.
Running for about two hours and 26 minutes, the film proves that strong storytelling, humor, and relatable themes can shine without a blockbuster budget and the big screens. It is a warm, funny, and sometimes emotional story about love, marriage, class, and the everyday pressures Nigerian couples face. Starring Bimbo Ademoye, Uzor Arukwe, Osas Ighodaro, Chioma Nwosu, Emem Udoquak, Great Val-Edochie, Bryan Okoye, and others
Demilade Okechukwu (Bimbo Ademoye) is hauntingly beautiful, cheerful, and streetwise—a fashion-forward wife married to the doting but local-minded Ekene Okechukwu (Uzor Arukwe) who is wife’s strength. His role in this movie reminds everyone of his portrayal in another celebrated film, ‘Love in Every Word,’ where he played the infamous character of Odogwu. While fans might worry about him being typecast into similar roles often, the actor may have carved a niche for himself in the ever-dynamic Nollywood industry. His character as the owner and CEO of Ekenex Solutions. Ekene loves his wife with “body and soul.” He believes, with disarming sincerity, in the often-abused marital vow of “for better or for worse,” a principle many couples conveniently forget. At first glance, the lives and manners of Ekene and Demilade project two contrasting images in almost every respect except one unusual constant: their unbridled love and mutual admiration. To Ekene, Demilade is the best thing that has ever happened to him—his most prized “treasure.” He fondly calls her “my investment” and “my money.” Though he lacks the polished vocabulary of modern romance, his actions embody absolute devotion to the woman he calls his investment. True to the stereotypical Igbo attitude toward valued possessions, he defends her fiercely—even when his family warns him against marrying a young Yoruba woman. Their warning is reinforced by a prophetic message: “This Demilade will ruin you. She will kill you and run away with a small boy.” Ekene refuses to listen and clings steadfastly to his young, beautiful wife.
Events soon reveal that Demilade is human and vulnerable—and capable of hurting the man who loves her so deeply. She becomes attracted to Gregory, a stupendously handsome, smooth-talking gigolo notorious in their estate for preying on women. With his sculpted six-pack and disarming smile, Gregory presents himself as a harmless admirer. Numbers are exchanged, and in a moment of loneliness, Demilade reaches out to him. A former victim of Gregory’s schemes catches them in an intimate embrace and sends the photograph to Ekene. This seemingly minor incident sets off the most devastating and heart-wrenching chain of events in Where Love Lives.
It is here that the strength of Ekene’s character truly emerges. Haunted by his family’s warning that Demilade would ruin him and elope with a younger man, he nevertheless resists the temptation to jump to conclusions. Instead, he chooses to investigate quietly. The emotional turmoil that follows is rendered with sensitive direction and compelling performances. The suspense is gripping. The scene in which Ekene believes Demilade has moved out—captured through his stunned reactions and silent grief—is so raw and realistic that it brought tears to my eyes. For me, this moment is the emotional core of the film, demonstrating beyond doubt the depth of love binding this unconventional couple.
— Where Love Lives resists the simplistic narrative of demonizing men while idealizing women. Instead, it insists on the humanity of beautiful women, showing how they, too, can become victims of circumstance. Men like Gregory thrive by exploiting vulnerability, waiting patiently to pounce. Beyond this, the film exposes how fear of societal judgment compounds the suffering of Nigerian women. Society—often dominated by men—creates, enables, and even nurtures these exploitative dynamics, allowing such men to escape accountability. Ademoye demystifies the supposed cleverness of these predators and shows that when women bond, empower one another, and speak up, they can fight back successfully.
This paradox makes Where Love Lives particularly interesting. While Ademoye taps into Nigerians’ appetite for family-centered narratives, she refuses to follow the predictable path. Instead, she infuses familiar familial intrigue with subversive elements that disrupt expected outcomes. The film challenges inherited structural and thematic conventions, carving out new cinematic spaces where women’s voices, desires, and acts of resistance emerge beyond patriarchal confines. Through societal pressures that test the fidelity of an endearing young woman, the audience is led to discover not only her true worth, but also the deeper meaning of love. Ekene’s search for personal truth ultimately uncovers uncomfortable realities and contributes to the liberation of women trapped in invisible bonds.
The dynamic between the central female character and her so-called “ATM husband” presents a fascinating scenario. Bimbo Ademoye takes a common problem and presents it in an uncommon way—a signature increasingly associated with her films. Stories of intertribal (and even intratribal) marriages and their attendant conflicts are ubiquitous in Nigerian cinema. Too ubiquitous. Yet Where Love Lives is not another tired tale of “Femi marries Ogechi, the family objects, and the marriage collapses.” Instead, Bimbo Ademoye uses the seemingly mismatched union of two people from different cultures as a pretext to address serious relationship issues in a refreshingly engaging manner. What begins as a relationship mocked by Ekene’s siblings, blossoms into layered conflicts and intrigues that are resolved in ways refreshingly untypical of mainstream Nigerian films.
Furthermore, the “beauty and the beast” trope is a familiar one in Nollywood, Bimbo Ademoye’s film transcends it. Where Love Lives is an intentional work by a brilliant, quietly revolutionary filmmaker. Bimbo Ademoye has been quoted as saying, “I have seen many women suffer in silence, smiling outside while breaking apart inside,” lamenting how women are forced into duplicitous lives—using flawless makeup to mask unhappiness while pretending that everything is fine just to preserve marriages that drain them emotionally. These painful truths clearly animate the film. Each major female character confronts a distinct marital struggle while maintaining an outward façade of happiness. Bimbo Ademoye addresses these silent sufferings gently but firmly. Notably, she introduces the issue of surrogacy with sensitivity, adding balance and preventing the narrative from devolving into a mere catalogue of male cruelty. This choice deepens the film’s realism.
By placing these women in difficult circumstances, the film generates tensions that reveal their complexity. Credit must be given to the script and production for allowing viewers to see beyond glamour into flesh-and-blood humanity. Though the attempt to pack numerous issues into the narrative occasionally results in uneven pacing—particularly in scenes highlighting Queen’s (Chioma Nwosu) success—the strong performances, nuanced storytelling, and assured direction ultimately prevail.
Through witty dialogue and sharp satire, the film explores issues of class mobility, feminism, marriage dynamics, and family interference. The humor feels distinctly Nigerian, touching on estate politics, women’s circles, and the unspoken competition that often comes with wealth and status.
Visually, the film punches above its weight. The estate settings, interior décor, fashion, and costumes enhance the story, while the soundtrack complements the romantic comedy mood. The pacing is steady, with no unnecessary filler, and the dialogue delivers several meme-worthy moments
Comedy, as literary critics remind us, is not merely about laughter. As The Bedford Glossary of Critical and Literary Terms notes, while comedies evoke laughter, they often pursue serious ends. Like many comic traditions, Bimbo Ademoye uses humor and glamour to expose abnormalities in elite Nigerian family life. Where Love Lives highlights crises normalized within contemporary households and underscores the necessity of self-love for healthy living. Even as it entertains, the film urges viewers to look beyond glittering masks and confront uncomfortable truths. It reminds us that the line between comedy and tragedy is thin—and that how we choose to live, and love, ultimately defines where love truly lives.
At its core, Where Love Lives is about growth, sisterhood, and standing for what is right. One of its strongest messages is simple but powerful: the person you see as a threat today may be the same person who pushes you to grow tomorrow. As Demilade enters the women’s circle, everything changes; women find their voices, drop pretense, and begin to evolve.
The film also subtly reminds viewers that if your circle only gossips without growth, you’re in the wrong place.
Despite minor flaws, such as mild adult humor and a few underdeveloped subplots, Where Love Lives remains a heartfelt and enjoyable movie. It may not carry a glossy “Netflix-level” finish, but it succeeds where it matters most: authenticity, intention, and respect for the audience.
Leave a Reply