Here are the long-awaited Movies and TV Shows in Yoruba Post!! Well, I have only found movies so far, but I’m still looking!
Before I share the movies (fiimu in Yoruba), I wanted to share some information about the film industry in Nigeria, known as Nollywood. We, of course, have heard of Hollywood, known as the world’s movie capital, and perhaps Bollywood from India, but Nigeria also has a very prominent film industry scene and creates hundreds of Movies and TV Shows every year. It’s unclear when the term Nollywood came about, but in the early 2000s, it was starting to be used to describe the Nigerian film industry. However, the industry itself has been around since pre- and post-independent Nigeria. Nollywood doesn’t only make Movies and TV Shows in Yoruba but also the over 300 languages spoken in Nigeria. However, the majority is in English, Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo and Pidgin English (a mix of West African languages with English). Because most producers and actors are based in the Western region of Nigeria, Yoruba-language cinema is the most impactful of the language genres. Nigeria’s first blockbuster in 1985 was a Yoruba movie called Mosebolatan by Moses Olaiya. Since then, there’s been a huge influx of films and popularity in Nigeria and worldwide.
Now, let me introduce you to some contemporary movies that I found. I will admit that finding some in Yoruba wasn’t the easiest because of the linguistic diversity. I would find a film, then look it up and see if it was in Igbo, Pidgin English, or entirely in English. I had the idea of watching my mainstream shows and movies with Yoruba subtitles; however, as I mentioned, when searching for Yoruba language learning apps, there is a lack of linguistic diversity and the offer of languages, which is the same for audio and subtitles on popular streaming platforms. I will say Netflix does offer many Nigerian movies and limited series, but then again, you have to check which languages they are in.
After my search on Netflix, I found one in Yoruba called Ìjọ́gbọ́n: Chaos by Kunle Afolayan. Here is the trailer and synopsis:
“Four teenagers from a rural village in South West Nigeria stumble upon a pouch of uncut diamonds, but before long, others come looking for the bounty.”
Another movie I found, not from Netflix but after a few Google searches, is Freedom Way by Afolabi Olaleken. The movie is in Yoruba and English and received praise from the Toronto International Film Festival in 2024. Here is the trailer and synopsis:
“Software developers Themba (Jesse Suntele) and Tayo (Ogranya Jable) have finally launched their latest venture, Easy Go — a new rideshare app to connect Lagos State’s busy commercial motorcyclists (“Okada riders”) with customers in their area. Riding high on capital investments and credible government assurances, the young South African and Nigerian duo can finally envision the fruits of their labour. But after a night of celebrating, the business partners confront a pernicious roadblock familiar to all Nigerian youth — the police. This routine extortion, however, will turn out to be the least of their concerns.”
Lastly, I found this movie through the TIFF website while looking into Freedom Way and came across as a similar type of movie. The Legend of the Vagabond Queen of Lagos, directed by The Agbajowo Collective, is another film that premiered at TIFF and is not only in Yoruba and English but also Nigerian Pidgin and Egun. Here is the trailer and synopsis:
“Jawu (Ami-Williams) bears the mark of a warrior king but lives humbly, selling swallows at the local market, saving up for the better future she’s determined to build for herself and her son. The pair reside in the Agbojedo community, a floating slum planted in the lagoon that gives Lagos its name. Just as rumours begin circulating regarding government plans for new developments that would raze their homes, Jawu spies a corrupt politician (Adebowale Adedayo, also at the Festival in Freedom Way) burying a nest egg of cash. Struck by her good fortune, she takes the money for herself, thinking this might be her way out. Jawu doesn’t know that she is destined for a bigger battle that is yet to come.”
I haven’t seen these three movies yet; however, I’ll try my best to watch one soon! Perhaps after the business of semester is over. 🙂
The phrase of the day (I’m moving up from words now!) is da ara ya o, which means get well soon.
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