To win the favor of Mami Wata, one must be clean and sweet-smelling both inside and out. Worshipers bathe and drink talcum powder before approaching her altar, neatly decorated with fruit, shells, ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I cover lifestyle, art, and interior design. This article is more than 3 years old. From the shore, a wave is a mere ripple in the ...

A priestess serves as the intermediary for a water spirit in this poetic stunner, the first homegrown Nigerian film to debut at the festival. Editor’s note: This review was originally published at the ...

You don’t need to believe in the generosity of an ancient water deity to be transfixed by Nigerian director C.J. “Fiery” Obasi’s folklore melodrama “Mami Wata.” Respecting the conjuring power of ...

C.J. 'Fiery' Obasi's third feature, which won the Sundance World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Prize in Cinematography, weaves the lore of a water deity into a propulsive narrative of village change.

The Nigerian filmmaker told IndieWire he was searching for his place in the world when the deity appeared to him. Soon, he was making an Oscar contender centered on her rich mythos. It all started ...