The Emotional Weight of Complicity in To Kill a Monkey

Ekiti’s crime thriller To Kill a Monkey, which streamed on Netflix, received praise for its tight pacing, realistic setting, and emotionally intense character arcs. Among the ensemble, the character Nosa, wife of Efe, stood out for the role she played in his moral collapse. Her presence was not just minor; it was central to the story's emotional core, prompting reflection on ambition, complicity, and the integrity of relationships.

Efe turned down a stable job offer early in the story, a decision that seemed reckless considering his financial struggles. Nosa eventually persuaded him to accept it. However, when he chose to return to the dark world of cybercrime, she did not resist. Instead, she benefited from the money and comfort that came with it. Despite this, she continued to demand emotional support, love, and responsibility. That contradiction created a striking portrait of moral conflict in modern relationships.

The story revealed that many who participated in cybercrime or political fraud never truly found peace. The constant fear and secrecy drained their energy and distorted their sense of normal living. Nosa’s quiet acceptance of Efe’s fraud, while enjoying its rewards, demonstrated how silence in the face of wrongdoing could lead to deeper destruction. A home built without moral clarity became toxic. When values mattered, they needed to be voiced clearly and consistently. Real peace came not from money but from honesty. Integrity offered something wealth could not.

To Kill a Monkey premiered on July 18, 2025, on Netflix. It was written, directed, and produced by Kemi Adetiba. The eight-part series followed the story of Efemini, played by William Benson, a young man pulled into the world of cybercrime by an old friend. As he became entangled in betrayal, emotional confusion, and the loss of his moral compass, the show painted a raw picture of identity in Lagos’s tech-driven underworld. The series also featured standout performances from Bucci Franklin as Oboz and a strong supporting cast including Stella Damasus, Bimbo Akintola, Ireti Doyle, Chidi Mokeme, Lilian Afegbai, and Sunshine Roseman. Unlike Adetiba’s earlier political thrillers, this drama focused on the personal cost of greed and ambition.

Online discussions reflected widespread reactions to the complex emotions explored in the series. While some viewers sympathized with Efe’s dilemma, others were more focused on the silent role that Nosa played. Her refusal to challenge or oppose Efe’s illegal activities made her a quiet partner in his downfall. She did not speak up, and that silence became part of the problem. In her quiet acceptance, she allowed everything to fall apart.

Viewers who related to the need to protect moral values in a relationship found the message clear. A spouse holds influence and must use it wisely to defend what is right. Love should not tolerate moral compromise. When character is sacrificed for convenience, the foundation of the relationship crumbles. Quick money may bring luxury, but it cannot bring lasting peace. Only honesty and consistency can create a peaceful and meaningful life.

As the series moved toward its final moments, it left the audience with difficult questions. Could a relationship survive once truth had been traded for comfort? Was love enough when trust was broken? Would guilt lead to personal growth or spiral into bitterness? Nosa’s journey made these questions feel personal to many viewers. When silence replaces truth, the cost is heavy.

This emotional depth gave To Kill a Monkey its lasting impact. Efe’s journey was not just about crime but about the emotional price of betrayal. Nosa’s quiet support of his choices made her a central figure in his unraveling. She did not actively destroy their lives, but her failure to resist allowed the damage to continue.

Efe’s downfall echoed a larger truth about society where corruption often begins not with loud decisions but with quiet compromises. Nosa symbolized how people become part of the problem by choosing silence. Betrayal in marriage is not always an affair or a fight; it can be the failure to speak up when something is clearly wrong. In the end, silence itself can become the deepest betrayal.

As the credits rolled, the story lingered in the minds of viewers. Could love survive without truth? Could ambition justify the price paid in emotional suffering? Nosa's character reminded everyone that the daily choices we make in silence shape our lives. When we choose to stay quiet in the face of wrong, we choose to live with consequences that may never be undone.