Remember that feeling of hearing unexplained sounds at night?
Well, for generations of Nigerian boarding school students, those fears had a name: Madam Koi-Koi. The click-clack of her red high heels echoing down empty hallways has kept countless students tucked safely in their beds, afraid to venture out after lights-out.
This legendary female ghost—whose name mimics the sound of her approaching footsteps—has been Nigeria's premier boarding school boogeyman for decades. In 2023, Netflix brought this urban legend to global screens with "The Origin: Madam Koi-Koi," Nollywood's first horror series on the platform. But the question is, did they get her right? Let's compare the ghost we grew up fearing to her slick new streaming makeover.
Koi-Koi, Koi-Koi in Nigerian Folklore
Ask any Nigerian who attended boarding school about Madam Koi-Koi, and you'll get an instant reaction—usually a mixture of nostalgic shivers and knowing smiles. The classic tale goes something like this: She was once a beautiful, stylish teacher known for her signature red high heels. Her pristine appearance masked a cruel streak—she'd punish students harshly for even minor infractions.
Her backstory is where things get very interesting. There are two main origin stories that dominate the folklore:
The first version goes that, after severely mistreating a student, Madam Koi-Koi gets fired. Furious about her dismissal, she dies in an accident on her way home, but vows revenge on the school and its students with her dying breath.
While the second version tells us that students, fed up with her cruelty and the school's inaction, corner Madam Koi-Koi one night and beat her to death—ironically, using one of her own red high heels to deliver the fatal blow.
In Ghana, she's known as Madam Moke, which translates to high heel, and her story often involves dying in a car accident while chasing a student, leaving one of her signature heels behind.
But what makes Madam Koi-Koi instantly recognizable across all versions? It's those red high heels. The "koi-koi" sound they make as she walks gives her away—and gives her her name. In some versions, she's missing one heel and roams the school searching for it. Most terrifying of all: legend says anyone who sees her face will vanish without a trace.
Her typical haunting activities include:
- Walking through dormitories and hallways after lights-out
- Opening doors mysteriously
- Singing or whistling in the dead of night
- Slapping unsuspecting students
- Attacking students in bathrooms and toilets
Beyond just scaring kids, Madam Koi-Koi serves a practical purpose, and it's simply keeping students in line. What better way to enforce a curfew than a vengeful ghost who punishes rule-breakers?
Reinventing Madam Koi-Koi for Global Screens
In 2023, Netflix viewers met a very different version of Madam Koi-Koi. Set between 1971 and 1991 at the fictional St. Augustine Catholic College, "The Origin: Madam Koi-Koi" follows Amanda, a new student plagued by bloody nightmares, who discovers the school's dark secret.
Right away, the film takes a dramatic turn from folklore by centering on sexual violence. Rather than being a wicked teacher seeking personal revenge, this Madam Koi-Koi is reframed as an avenging spirit targeting those who perpetrate or enable sexual abuse at the school and in the surrounding town of Malomo.
Key characters include Mother Superior, the flawed principal, Edna, who is Amanda's chatty friend, and a group of privileged male bullies led by Lashe. The film's horror emerges from both supernatural elements and the very real terror of institutional abuse.
Visually, Netflix's Madam Koi-Koi barely resembles her folklore counterpart. Instead of a stylish ghost in red heels, she's portrayed as a shadowy monster, often accompanied by growling sounds and massive footsteps. While the iconic red shoes do make appearances, they feel more like nods to the original legend rather than central to her character.
Most tellingly, the film's spirit is selective in her haunting, primarily targeting male characters involved in abuse. This transforms her from an indiscriminate bogeyman into something more like a feminist avenger, punishing those who harm women.
Ghost vs. Ghost: What Changed in Translation?
When folklore hits the screen, something always gets lost, and sometimes gained, in translation. For Madam Koi-koi, here's how the two versions stack up:
The film employs modern horror techniques—dynamic camera work, strategic lighting with red motifs, and sound design that relies more on growls than heel clicks. While effective for contemporary horror fans, these choices sometimes overshadow the subtle psychological terror that made the original legend so effective.
The traditional folklore's power comes from its simplicity: the anticipatory dread of hearing approaching heels in the dark. Netflix's version trades this subtle terror for more explicit horror visuals and themes.
From Classroom Discipline to Social Justice
The biggest shift is thematic. In boarding schools, Madam Koi-Koi traditionally functioned as a behavioral enforcement mechanism—don't break curfew, or she'll get you. Her legend helped maintain order while giving students the delicious thrill of a communal ghost story.
Netflix reimagines her as an instrument of justice against sexual violence and institutional abuse. This transformation reflects contemporary concerns and potentially gives the character more depth and relevance for modern audiences.
Vengeance is a central theme in both the traditional Madam Koi-Koi folklore and the Netflix film adaptation. In folklore, Madam Koi-Koi seeks retribution for her mistreatment or death, often targeting the students she holds responsible. The film, however, shifts this focus, portraying her as a force of vengeance against perpetrators of sexual violence. While both narratives revolve around the idea of a spirit returning to settle scores, the motivations and targets of this vengeance differ significantly.
By centering the narrative on sexual violence, the film elevates Madam Koi-Koi from a simple bogeyman to a commentary on societal issues. While this approach might resonate with modern viewers, it significantly alters the character's original purpose and nature.
Why Ghost Stories Change (and Why It Matters)
Folklore has always been fluid—stories adapt as they travel between tellers and across generations. The Netflix adaptation continues this tradition by evolving Madam Koi-Koi for a new medium and global audience.
The film introduces this uniquely Nigerian legend to viewers who might never have heard it otherwise. While purists might question the changes, adaptations keep folklore alive by making it relevant to new contexts and audiences.
"The Origin: Madam Koi-Koi" demonstrates how traditional stories can serve as vehicles for exploring contemporary issues. By recasting the vengeful ghost as an avenger against sexual violence, the film finds new purpose for an old legend.
Conclusion
Whether you prefer the psychological dread of hearing "koi-koi" approaching in a dark hallway or the visual horror of Netflix's mutilated monster, Madam Koi-Koi's legend continues to persist. Both versions speak to fundamental human fears—the unknown figures that lurk in darkness, the consequences of breaking rules, and the possibility that injustice might follow us beyond the grave.
For Nigerians who grew up with her legend, Madam Koi-Koi represents a shared cultural experience, a ghost story that binds generations of boarding school students together. For new international audiences, she offers a glimpse into Nigerian folklore and its unique approach to the supernatural.
The differences between folklore and film highlight the challenges of adapting oral traditions to visual media, especially when targeting global audiences. Yet despite these changes, the core of what makes Madam Koi-Koi compelling remains: the universal thrill of a good ghost story and the satisfying fear of hearing footsteps when you know you're supposed to be alone.
So next time you hear an unexplained click-clack in an empty hostel hallway, remember—it might just be Madam Koi-Koi, still wandering after all these years, her red heels announcing her approach long before you see her. And if you do hear her coming? Well, the advice remains the same as it has for generations of Nigerian schoolchildren: don't look back, don't break the rules, and whatever you do, don't try to see her face.
References
- Aromolaran, Michael. "Madam Koi-Koi" Review: A Ghost Story That Doesn't Scare Much." The Culture Custodian (Est. 2014), November 9, 2023. https://culturecustodian.com/madam-koi-koi-review-a-ghost-story-that-doesnt-scare-much/
- "The Origin: Madam Koi Koi, Nollywood's first Netflix Horror Series." https://www.google.com/search?q=VibeOnVibe.com.ng
- The Origin: Madam Koi-Koi -A Horror Attempt With Subpar Execution - Spur Play Africa.
- “The Origin: Madam Koi Koi” Review: Jay Franklyn Jituboh-Directed Flick Reiterates Nollywood's Challenge with Handling Sensitive Subjects – Afrocritik.
afrocritik.com/the-origin-madam-koi-koi-review
- Madam Koi Koi – Wikipedia.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madam_Koi_Koi
- THE ORIGIN: Madam Koi Koi - Nollywood's First Netflix Horror Series Raises Nostalgia.
