For The Love Of Kene

Uduak, a devoted single mother, raises her young son Kene in a quiet Nigerian neighborhood after her husband's death, and their recent move seems to have triggered a change in the boy. He starts skipping school, and when his teacher reports the absences, Uduak confronts him; Kene lies, saying school is fine, leaving her heartbroken and unaware that he has fallen in with older boys who smoke and loiter on the streets. In 'For The Love Of Kene,' Uduak catches him with those boys and later finds what she believes are drugs hidden in his room. She locks him in as punishment, but family friend Bassey persuades her to let him out, and it is then that a woman named Teniola arrives claiming Kene is the son she gave up for adoption fourteen years ago. Though Uduak denies it and throws her out, Teniola returns repeatedly, showing a birthmark and demanding a DNA test; Uduak refuses, and Kene, now aware that his parentage is contested, becomes more rebellious and eventually runs away. Frantic, Uduak searches for him, checking even a construction site at night. Teniola, who has been researching substance abuse, finds a rehab facility and begs Uduak to let her help; reluctantly, Uduak agrees, and Kene is admitted. During his stay, Teniola visits and tells him the truth: she was seventeen, poor, and chose to give him up for a scholarship, and his birth name, Majekodunmi, comes from her father. Moved by her confession, Kene asks for a hug and forgives her. After several months in rehab, he completes his program and returns home, apologizing to Uduak for the pain he caused. Teniola tells Uduak she will not take Kene away, acknowledging Uduak as his true mother, and she arranges a job for Uduak as well as covering Kene's school fees. Bassey then asks Kene for permission to propose to Uduak, and Kene happily approves, so the film ends with Uduak and Bassey embracing as the words 'It takes a village' appear on screen.