Katangari Goes to Town is a commendable attempt at crafting a murder mystery within a Nigerian context and successfully meets the standards of the genre. Its compelling story and direction are strong enough to make the audience overlook its already somewhat pardonable flaws.
By Fejiro Sagua
Nollywood filmmakers have recently begun venturing into risky projects, particularly by Africanising film genres that are traditionally more popular in Hollywood than in our region.
With Tosin Igho’s Suspicion, which tells the story of a man who becomes a superhero and was released in November 2024, and now Reuben Reng’s whodunit, Katangari Goes to Town, Nollywood seems poised to gracefully spread its tentacles and step out of its comfort zone more frequently in 2025.
Katangari Goes to Town is the first Nollywood film of 2025 to be released on Prime Video, beginning its streaming run on January 4. The movie was directed by Nigerian filmmaker, Reuben Reng, whose 2023 film Love and Life was the second feature produced under the First Feature Project. Emil Garuba and Paul S. Rowlston brought the production to life with a well-crafted and engaging screenplay.
The cast is an interesting ensemble of Nollywood veterans – Segun Arinze, Munachi Abii, Iretiola Doyle, Sani Mu’azu, and Edward Fom – and budding actors – Patience Ujah, Gbubemi Ejeye, Bethel Njoku a.k.a. Senator, Abdulfatai Otori, Shehu Zock Sock, and Victor Panwal.
Set in Northern Nigeria, the story of Katangari Goes to Town begins with the titular character, Katangari (Segun Arinze), a retired police inspector turned vigilante, being summoned from his home in the North Central village of Tahos, Plateau State, to the city of Abuja to solve a murder mystery.
The deceased, affluent businessman, Chief Gyang (Edward Fom), who also happens to be Katangari’s cousin, had instructed his lawyer, Yunusa (Abdulfatai Otori), to play a self-recorded video filmed moments before his death.
Present at the reading are the chief’s wife, Sofia (Munachi Abii); ex-wife, Ulan (Iretiola Doyle); son, Wash (Victor Panwal); daughter, Chatong (Gbubemi Ejeye); business partner and chief financial officer of his company, Audu (Sani Mu’azu); and his “personal prayer warrior,” Pastor Dominion (Bethel Njoku, a.k.a. Senator)—one of whom, the chief reveals in the video, had been plotting his demise.
Chief Gyang instructs that his will must not be read until Katangari has uncovered his killer. He grants Katangari authority over his household, who in turn orders all the aforementioned individuals to remain within the premises of the chief’s mansion until the case is solved.
One of the most commendable aspects of Katangari Goes to Town is its relatability, stemming from its spot-on portrayals.
While the whodunit genre has Western origins, and the film itself is reminiscent of Hollywood’s Knives Out, the Nigerian cultural identity is prominently showcased. This is overtly displayed through the portrayal of rural life and the use of the Northern Nigerian language, and subtly established through elements reflecting Nigerian philosophies.
Examples include the chief—a wealthy man—having a pastor under his influence, his ex-wife, Ulan, being accused of using witchcraft to kill him as an act of revenge, and Katangari holding traditional authority over the chief’s household as the eldest family member after the chief’s demise.
Katangari Goes to Town satisfies the requirements of the standard whodunit, making the audience suspicious of each character by providing them with plausible motives. As the story delves deeper into the characters’ lives, the plot thickens, keeping viewers glued to their screens and guessing who the real killer is—especially as every known suspect appears to be innocent.
Although the roles may not seem particularly demanding from a viewer’s perspective, the actors delivered entertaining and engaging performances, embodying their characters with precision. Segun Arinze, in particular, excelled in his role, portraying a no-nonsense, clever, and meticulous Katangari with finesse.
Katangari Goes to Town can also be appreciated and applauded for its skillful incorporation of comic relief, despite the seriousness of the genre, through the character of Pastor Dominion, played by the comedian Senator. His facial expressions and mannerisms signal to the audience that they are in for a thrilling investigation laced with a measured yet impactful dose of humour.
Senator, however, appears to be carving a niche for himself in Nollywood with his smooth and understated style of comedy, which he also employed in Bright “Basketmouth” Okpocha’s A Ghetto Love Story (2024).
Brilliant as the production is, though, Katangari Goes to Town is not without its flaws. With respect to how much Nollywood has improved in makeup and costume over the years, Katangari’s white hair and beard look far too artificial and almost appear clumsy. Were it not for Segun Arinze’s stellar performance, the character might have been bungled.
Katangari Goes to Town also contains a fairly sizable plot hole. In his video, Chief Gyang reveals that he had previously hired a detective out of suspicion to identify who was trying to kill him, only for the detective to end up dead. However, the story’s resolution fails to address who killed the detective and their motive.
Of course, it would be reasonable to assume that the chief’s killer was responsible for that death, but a clear answer would have given the story a stronger sense of completion. The production also briefly suffers from poor sound and contains a few errors that might be inconsequential to the grand plot, yet indicate inadequate attention to detail.
Katangari Goes to Town is a commendable attempt at crafting a murder mystery within a Nigerian context and successfully meets the standards of the genre. Its compelling story and direction are strong enough to make the audience overlook its already somewhat pardonable flaws.
Rating: 3.5/5
Katangari Goes to Town is streaming on Prime Video.
Fejiro Sagua is a writer and film enthusiast who loves diving into the world of movies. She’s always on the lookout for great stories and new films to watch. When she’s not busy writing or watching movies, you can find her reading books, at the gym, creating content, or having interesting conversations with friends, family, or even strangers. You can get in touch with her on Instagram (@fejiro_sagua) and X (@bigbadfae).