‘Wicked’, bold, unforgettable; Nollywood’s most fearsome women

In the early days of Nollywood, there was a special group of actresses who printed their names on audiences’ minds not as heroines or damsels in distress but as the ultimate villains. These women skilfully portrayed cruel stepmothers, deceitful mothers-in-law, and terrible mothers, causing audiences to speak their names in wonder and horror. In this […]

In the early days of Nollywood, there was a special group of actresses who printed their names on audiences’ minds not as heroines or damsels in distress but as the ultimate villains. These women skilfully portrayed cruel stepmothers, deceitful mothers-in-law, and terrible mothers, causing audiences to speak their names in wonder and horror. In this feature, Weekend Trust revisits the legendary roles of Patience Ozokwor, Franca Brown, Clarion Chukwura, and others who turned villainy into an art form.

 

Patience Ozokwor

Patience Ozokwor, also known as Mama G, is perhaps the most famous Nollywood actress associated with the evil stepmother and overbearing mother-in-law roles. She played a variety of villainous characters who often resorted to manipulation, emotional abuse, and outright cruelty to control family dynamics.

An example will be the role Patience played in the popular Nollywood film ‘Market seller’ where she manipulated her daughter Omotola Ekedinde into destroying the marriages of Bob Manuel Udokwu and Kanayo. O. Kanayo. In another old classic titled ‘Submission’, Patience Ozokwor played the role of an evil mother who was having an intimate affair with one of her daughter’s husbands and attempted to indulge in another affair with her other daughter’s (Stella Damasus) husband (Zack Orji).

Ozokwor’s portrayal of wickedness was so real that many couldn’t separate her from her roles; however, the actress refuted the claims, stating she was nothing like her on-screen persona. Still, for a generation, Mama G became synonymous with terror.

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Sola Sobowale

Sola Sobowale is one of Nollywood’s fiercest females, known for her feisty and memorable performances. Sobowale’s charging presence and devoted delivery dominate every scene, whether she’s playing a troublesome mother-in-law, a ruthless businesswoman, or a tough-talking queen.

In Super Story: Oh Father, Oh Daughter (2001), she portrayed the wise and wicked Toyin Tomato, a mean husband snatcher and gold digger who was ruthless to the men in her path. In The Wedding Party (2016), she played the theatrical and overprotective mother-in-law who would do anything to influence her daughter’s wedding. However, it was in King of Boys (2018) that she sealed her status as Nollywood royalty. In an exceptional performance, she blended raw energy, emotion, and strength as the feared and merciless matriarch Eniola Salami.

With an ability to balance strength, cruelty, and vulnerability, Sola Sobowale is forever one of Nollywood’s most celebrated matriarchs.

Franca Brown

If Patience Ozokwor was fire, Franca Brown was ice. Her villains weren’t loud or dramatic. Instead, they were cold, calculating, and emotionally detached, making them even scarier. Unlike Patience, whose wickedness could be seen outrightly, Franca was best at hiding her negative thoughts till it was time to exert evil on those who crossed her parts.

An iconic role of Franca Brown is the one she portrayed in the Nollywood classic ‘The Only Solution’. In this epic drama, Franca Brown was able to convince her husband ‘Pete Edochie’ to use their first daughter for money rituals as she needed to keep up with her affluent lifestyle. As if that wasn’t enough, she let Edochie take a second wife, who will later be used to renew their cult vows.

In Tears and Sorrow (1996), she played a heartless stepmother who used emotional and physical abuse to suppress her stepdaughter’s potential. Brown’s portrayal of this character was so believable that many children dreaded having stepmothers in real life.

 

Clarion Chukwura

Clarion Chukwura is another of Nollywood’s most unforgettable matriarchs, known for playing bold and often fearsome characters. With her striking beauty and powerful presence, she brought elegance to even the most villainous roles.

One of her most iconic roles remains that in the African romance “True Love,” starring Omotola Ekehinde and Ramsey Nouah. Clarion proved to be a no-nonsense mother and frustrated Omotola after her son had chosen her to be his bride. That single portrayal instilled fear into women who were yet to be introduced to their future mothers-in-law as they wondered if they’d ever be met with such hostility.

Another renowned role was in the Nollywood film ‘Emergency Wedding’. After finding out that her partner ‘Tony Umez’ was only using her financial gains and was never going to leave his wife for her, she connived with a native doctor to make his wife ‘Genevieve Nnaji’ go mad.

One thing about Clarion’s performances was the depth she brought to her roles. Her character was never just evil; they appeared in stages with hidden motivations that made them real and relatable.

 

Liz Benson

Liz Benson is a name that commands respect in Nollywood, not only for her talent but also for her ability to portray complex, multi-layered characters. Known for her elegance and charisma, Liz was a master of playing the sophisticated villain—women who smiled while scheming and broke hearts with a single glance.

In the Nollywood classic, Liz played a terrible friend and betrayal to Hilda Dokubo and also played the role of a horrific stepmother to Zack Orji. Her character was one who appeared trustworthy and naïve; however, as the plot unfolded, so did her evil plans.

In World Apart (2004), she portrayed a queen who wouldn’t let her son ‘Kenneth Okonkwo’ marry a maidservant ‘Ini Edo’.  She made it her mission to frustrate Ini, stating that she was too poor and not from a befitting social class to marry her son.

Liz Benson’s characters often radiated authority and control, making her villains both terrifying and memorable.

 

Eucharia Anunobi

When it comes to Nollywood villains, Eucharia Anunobi is an icon of class and power. Defined by her appealing beauty and captivating performance, she made being bad look terrific.

In Glamour Girls (1994), Eucharia played a high-society woman who used deceit and betrayal to advance. While her friend was being trafficked abroad, she engaged in an intimate affair with her partner, who stayed back in Nigeria. Another memorable performance came in the ‘August Meeting’, where she played a cunning woman who was running for president of her village women’s community and went as far as indulging in diabolical means to win the position.

Eucharia’s roles always stood out due to her ability to balance charm and cruelty, as she was always dressed her best to enact her wickedness. She could make audiences hate her character yet admire her grace and wit. Her portrayal of villainy was both compelling and scary, making her one of Nollywood’s most fearsome ladies.

 

Camilla Mberekpe

Camilla Mberekpe was one of those ladies who brought a unique edge to Nollywood’s golden era with her spine-chilling performances. Known for her roles in supernatural and spiritual films, she played characters that struck fear into the hearts of audiences.

Camilla starred as a queen mother in End of the Wicked (1999), a film about a demonic cult. Her terrifying performance and complete evil costume helped her become a household name. In Okija Shrine (2000), she played a vengeful spirit with a passion for revenge, fluidly transitioning between grief and rage.

Camilla’s ability to illustrate spiritual wickedness was unmatched, and her acting frequently made audiences question the occult powers around them. Camilla Mberekpe, whether as a tormentor or a victim of her own plots, is one of Nollywood’s most famous actors.

In every film, each of the women listed above played their villain characters so well that often times, they’d star alongside in movies where they plan and connive to rain evil and problems on those they disliked or crossed their paths.

In the Nollywood classic ‘Women Cult’, the group of women, including Patience Ozokwor, Franca Brown, and Clarion Chukwura, all came together to use their husbands for money rituals and enjoy the finer things of life.

 

Impact on culture

These women were Nollywood icons in the late ‘80s, ‘90s and early 2000s, and their depictions of evil stepmothers, cunning mothers-in-law, and other villainous roles helped to create anxiety and suspense in early Nollywood films. The combination of societal humour, dramatic character features, and powerful performances made these ladies both feared and loved.

These actresses influenced the Nollywood scene by expressing the complex nature of familial relationships as well as societal expectations of women. They also paved the way for future portrayals of more complicated female characters, showing that these “villainesses” were more than just characters to be feared; their roles left lasting legacies in Nollywood’s history.