The origin
When Kunle Afolayan released Aníkúlápó in 2022, few expected it to become more than a standalone film. Rooted in rich Yoruba folklore and powered by striking visuals, the movie quickly captured the hearts of Nigerian audiences and global Netflix viewers alike. What came next was even more surprising: Aníkúlápó grew into a full-blown franchise, spanning two series seasons after the original film.
The story began with Saro (Kunle Remi), a reckless and womanising traveller who cheats death after a forbidden affair with Queen Arolake (Bimbo Ademoye), the king’s favourite wife. Rescued by the mystical Akala bird, Saro gains the supernatural ability to resurrect the dead, earning the name Aníkúlápó, meaning “the one who carries death in his pocket.”
As they say, power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely; that was the case for him. Saro downplays Arolake’s role in his survival, marries multiple women, and turns resurrection into a personal business, but when his powers fail him, his undoing saw no mercy. Saro is killed, paying dearly for his pride, betrayal, and unchecked desire. The film’s themes of power, arrogance, passion, and consequences endeared the movie to Nigerians, making Aníkúlápó one of Netflix’s most successful non-English titles.
The sequel
In 2024, the story continued with a six-episode miniseries, Aníkúlápó: Rise of the Spectre. This chapter follows Saro after his death. Punished for his sins yet denied rest, he returns to the living world as a ghost, burdened with a grim task: to reclaim the lives of everyone he once resurrected. Moving from village to village, Saro becomes an unwilling messenger of death, undoing his past actions one soul at a time.
The series also widened its scope, introducing political intrigue within the Oyo Empire. Bashorun Ogunjimi, the ruthless military leader, plots to overthrow the king, pushing his son into a royal marriage and seeking Saro’s powers for himself, ambitions that ultimately lead to his downfall.
Now comes Aníkúlápó: The Ghoul Awakens, which premiered on Netflix on 30 January 2026. The new season deepens its dive into Yoruba mythology while raising the stakes. With new cast members such as Kiekie, Antar Laniyan, Saidi Balogun, Teniola Aladese, Fella Makafui, and Okusaga Adeoluwa joining returning stars Kunle Remi, Bimbo Ademoye, Sola Sobowale, and Taiwo Hassan, the story expands in scale and ambition.
While it retains the lush visuals and cultural depth that defined the original film, ‘The Ghoul Awakens’ leans into darker, more intense territory. Love, loyalty, power, and survival are tested as the “ghoul” motif introduces stronger horror elements. Where the first film was intimate and folklore-driven, and Rise of the Spectre sometimes felt scattered, this season appears bolder, seeking to recapture the magic of the original while pushing the story into riskier, wider narrative ground.
The threequel
Aníkúlápó: The Ghoul Awakens begins in the afterlife, where Bashorun Ogunjimi is set to face punishment for the evil he committed while alive. Desperate to escape his fate, he finds a way back to the world of the living. However, his return comes at a terrible cost. He is neither fully alive nor completely dead.
Back in the land of the living, Prince Aderoju returns to Oyo to a warm welcome filled with joy and celebration. But his happiness is short-lived when he notices his sister, Omowunmi, is missing from the palace. In the previous season, Omowunmi was married to Kuranga, Prince of the Ede people, who mysteriously died on their wedding night, a tragedy secretly caused by Bashorun. Now, Omowunmi is held in Ede as an inherited wife meant to marry Kuranga’s younger brother, Ashiru. Fearing what lies ahead, the prince keeps delaying the marriage.
Worried for his sister, Aderoju travels to Ede and secretly brings Omowunmi back to Oyo without their father’s approval. This bold move breaks the fragile peace agreement between the Alafin of Oyo and Oba Yekini of Ede, setting the stage for conflict.
Elsewhere, Akin and Arolake move to Ilú Saki in search of a fresh start. Arolake, a key figure in the Aníkúlápó story, played a significant role in Saro’s downfall. Having been saved by Akin, she hopes this new beginning will finally bring her peace, but fate may still have painful plans for her.
Meanwhile, Bashorun hides in the evil forest, surviving by feeding on human souls. As more people begin to disappear, fear spreads across the land. While palace guards watch over the forest, a prince unexpectedly finds love, only to discover that it comes with a deadly curse.
Multiplicity of subplots
The series had overlapping plots that all struggled to shine and gain attention. There was the story of Aderoju: his return to the palace, the rescue of Omowunmi, and his love for the strange woman, Asake. Also, was the story of Bashorun Ogunjimi, Akin and Arolake, Awarun and her daughter’s slave trade business, amongst many others.
Subplots are integral to a story when they enhance the overall conveyance of its central message. Still, when they overlap, they confuse the audience and scatter the appreciation and understanding of the story. However, for a story like Aníkúlápó, the multiplicity of subplots is a gateway to the franchise’s continuity, builds suspense for commercial value, and keeps the story relevant.
However, there is a need to concatenate subplots to improve the overall narrative.
Bashorun Ogunjimi (played by Owobo Ogunde)
Mr Ogunde, the son of legendary actor, playwright and theatre icon Hubert Ogunde, made a grand return to the “Aníkúlápó” franchise, with the revival of his character, Bashorun, in the new instalment titled “Aníkúlápó: The Ghoul Awakens. He is the centre of this season’s narrative, as the season focuses on the ghoul.
A ghoul is a monster from folklore. They are traditionally scavengers that feed on human flesh, especially from corpses. Unlike zombies, which are often mindless, ghouls in folklore are usually depicted as cunning, shape-shifting, and malicious. In Aníkúlápó: The Ghoul Awakens, Mr Ogunde depicts the role like a second nature. Probably given how he played the role of a ruthless warlord in the previous season, it is best fitting for him to play the role of a ghoul, who feeds on human souls and leaves their flesh in riot to stay alive. His fierceness already commands that fear from his victim.
However, his role appeared only a few times across the five episodes released in season two. There were many subplots, all struggling for dominance and relevance, each with almost equal intrigue.
Review
The new season of Aníkúlápó takes an interestingly ambiguous turn, though expanding its story while staying firmly connected to what came before. Rather than feeling like a loose continuation, the series clearly positions itself as part of a growing franchise, one with no immediate end in sight.
Betrayal, a familiar theme from the earlier instalment, returns in new forms. But this time, the story widens its focus, embracing love, mythology, the slave trade and fierce struggles for power. These additions give the series greater emotional weight and historical depth while preserving its mystical core.
The show also makes a notable geographical shift. Moving beyond the Oyo Empire, the narrative travels to foreign lands, particularly Cape Coast in present-day Ghana. This expansion not only broadens the story world but also strengthens its portrayal of West Africa’s shared cultural and historical ties.
However, the very heart of the story, Saro (Kunle Remi), did not appear at all in the entire season; his character’s journey from the previous season has left his character’s cycle unfinished, and there is probably more to come. But Arolake (Bimbo Ademoye), on the other hand, continues her character cycle. Her journey is about breaking away from the cycle of power and resurrection that nearly destroyed her. She now struggles to rebuild but suffers another significant hurt. Strong performances from seasoned actors anchor the story, with a few standout moments that elevate the season.
READ ALSO: Owobo Ogunde returns in ‘Aníkúlápó: The Ghoul Awakens’
Central turning point
A central turning point comes with the arrival of European ships, signalling the beginning of a new era. With this, the series gradually shifts from pure mythology toward the early shadows of colonial influence.
Visually, the series continues to draw widespread praise. Its cinematography, costumes and set design remain a rich showcase of Yoruba culture and history. Performances are also strong, led by an experienced cast. The debut of Abike Dabiri-Erewa as the Iyalode stands out as one of the season’s surprises.
However, the season is not without flaws. The story sometimes struggles under the weight of multiple subplots and new characters. While the mythology is deep and engaging, the writing occasionally leans more on grand visuals than on tight, focused storytelling. Also, while the ideas are rich, the narrative sometimes feels stretched, slowing the pace and diluting its impact.
Still, Aníkúlápó remains a bold and culturally grounded series, ambitious in vision, even when its reach exceeds its grasp. The series excels in its visual storytelling, from sweeping landscapes to detailed costumes, making every episode visually striking.
If you loved the world-building of the first two instalments, The Ghoul Awakens is a must-watch for its beauty and lore. However, if you found the previous season’s pacing frustrating, you may find this one equally “heavy” to get through.
Verdict
6/10
Aníkúlápó: The Ghoul Awakens is now showing on Netflix
