Mama's List

Mama, a devout Igbo mother, prays for her son Lotanna's success and a daughter-in-law who will cover her head and bear ten children in alternating gender order. Lotanna returns from America as a doctor and introduces his fiancée Olaniyi, a Yoruba international model who wears trousers and form-fitting dresses. Mama immediately despises Olaniyi and confronts a young woman on the street about her immodest attire as a proxy for her disapproval. When Lotanna brings Olaniyi home, Mama feigns a collapse and reveals a written list of divine requirements — doctor, Igbo, modest — which Olaniyi fails completely. Lotanna stands firm and declares 'Ola or nothing.' Mama launches Operation Chase Delilah and anoints her maid Amara as a holy weapon to seduce Lotanna, wear revealing clothes, and get pregnant to secure the marriage. Amara attempts to crawl into Lotanna's bed but is violently rejected. Mama suffers a partial stroke that leaves her paralyzed on one side and unable to speak. Lotanna refuses to let Olaniyi visit, fearing it will upset his mother. A caregiver named Sarah exploits Mama's vulnerability, physically abusing her with pillows, threatening to kill her, infect her with HIV, and steal Lotanna's money. The abuse is captured on a hidden CCTV camera installed by Lotanna and Olaniyi. The footage leads to Sarah's dramatic arrest by police. As Mama recovers through therapy, regaining speech and mobility, she experiences a deep change of heart. She acknowledges that Olaniyi possesses every quality on God's list rather than her own rigid checklist, admitting, 'God's list better pass my own.' Lotanna proposes to Olaniyi, now affectionately called Nne, in front of Mama, who sits in a wheelchair but smiles approvingly. The abusive caregiver Sarah is revealed to be an HIV patient, a karmic twist Mama notes with grim satisfaction. Mama undergoes physical rehabilitation, walking with assistance and expressing deep remorse.