“OLUKOYA” REVIEW

To start with, I find some of the PR done for “Olukoya” impressive. Most people would likely think it was the biopic of Dr D.K Olukoya, the General Overseer of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries. The publicity team therefore remarkably clarified this with the hashtag #NotABiopic. Similarly, the first frame of the movie carried a disclaimer to this effect. These actions are commendable, as they were very helpful in shaping audience expectations.

The film gets off to a promising start with an opening sequence that sets up the rest of the story. The power of collaboration was also on display, and one collaborator makes it clear that “Olukoya” is not merely about entertainment, but about a message — one that seeks to harness the power of media in service of the gospel. That intent comes through, and it is encouraging to see.

The motion picture features a stellar cast with Omooba Oluwasegun as the lead. He embodies the conviction and strength his titular character must have. Experienced graces like Lara Ayoola, Victor Olukoju, Adeola Salako, Pius Obi Chioma, and Adedeji Adekusibe put in valuable shifts to support the younger actors. Most fascinating was the casting of veteran Kayode Owojori of “Abattoir” fame in the unfamiliar role of a chief priest, one he delivered with aplomb.

In a sense, “Olukoya” is a slow burner. It takes its time to establish Tunde Olukoya — his friendship with Elijah, his spiritual endowments, his relationship with his parents, and how God establishes His will in his life — with some attention given to Chioma’s subplot. Generally, such pacing is used to build characters, establish the stakes, and prepare the ground for payoffs and callbacks that land with greater impact. In this case though, events merely happen, and don’t necessarily achieve these. Thus, the film drags, with stretches of extraneous dialogue that stall momentum rather than enrich it.

To the movie’s credit, the plot is remarkably layered, and there is quite a bit of ground to cover — hence the chapterisation of “Olukoya”. The subplot of Gbenga Ayoola’s Kabiyesi is an interesting one in the way it ties to the main plot. These plots oscillate between the present and the past, though I could not quite place two that had to do with Tunde — whether they were dreams, memories, revelations, or spiritual reflections. On another note, “Olukoya” impressively has two language subtitles; colour distinctions should however be used to make them easier to follow.

With a whopping combined runtime of 205 minutes, it came as quite a shock when “Olukoya” leaned into the familiar “To be continued” trope. And I was like, “After all that?!” Therefore, the current “chapters” or parts feel more like a foundation-laying effort, with little real movement in terms of plot progression. My hope is that the second part defines first, what it wants to be — a feature movie, a limited series, or something unorthodox. Whichever the case, it needs to carry more weight, with stronger events, deeper character arcs, and most importantly, a tighter sense of story. The “Less is more” guiding principle of screenwriting needs to be applied here. In a world saturated with media competing for people’s time and attention, gospel films must find ways to hold audiences not only with their message, but also with compelling storytelling.

That said, the film still manages to leave an impression because of its central message about yielding to the will of God. This comes across clearly in the way we see Him directing Tunde’s steps and unveiling Ngozi’s journey ahead of time. The impact of this truth is undeniable, and I look forward with interest to what the continuation of “Olukoya” has to offer.

The links to the movie are
Chapter 1: https://youtu.be/AAqm0j1Nqoo?si=Xbj_yiEn6cDhQlOx
Chapter 2: https://youtu.be/KZf1VyCKRJY?si=jxG7q9EyAhQfq0O-
https://youtu.be/mjRX4mMbLI8?si=AeWQf7hWqUaYLlOy

Till the next review, stay blessed!

Film Credits
OLUKOYA (September 11, 2025)
205 minutes
Blessed Assurance Studio Inc and New Life International Gospel Centre

Cast
Omooba Oluwasegun as Tunde Olukoya
Ibitoye Ayodele as Elijah
Oluchi Onuchukwu as Nneka
Gbenga Ayoola as Kabiyesi
Omolara Ayoola as Biola Olukoya
Adeola Adedamola-Salako as Nneka’s mother
Victor Olukoju PVO as Segun Olukoya

Crew
Screenplay
Oluwatosin Abidakun
Director of Photography
Kunle Adepoju, Korede Olayinka, Abiola Babatola Nattytunez
Editor
Abiola Babatola Nattytunez
Director
Seun Aejumobi