by Ikenna Churchill

In Nollywood, there is often a disregard for the treasures that lie in literature even though they can be used to form very great films. Nigerian literature is full of stories which explore life intricacies such as identity, culture and history that reverberate globally.

Despite Nollywood’s depth in storytelling, little has been done regarding book adaptations. This has resulted in untapped fountains of narratives for the industry. 

While Nollywood’s essence mainly emanates from original screenwriting, this could be expanded through book-to-screen adaptations, leading to new angles, nuanced characters, and plots firmly anchored on the rich tradition of Nigerian authors’ storytelling. Although Nollywood has already ventured into few book adaptations, they only offer a glimpse of the potential that lies ahead.

Books Already Adapted in Nollywood

Some novels have come to life in Nollywood through their powerful screen adaptations. One strong example is Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s “Half of a Yellow Sun”, a historical drama that details the Nigerian Civil War.

Starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, John Boyega, Onyeka Owenu, Genevieve Nnaji  of Nigerian descent and Thandiwe Newton, the Anglo-Nigerian feature film, directed by the now-deceased Nigerian author, Biyi Bandele, received international critical acclaim.

Another incredible filmic adaptation is Ishaya Bako’s “I Do Not Come to You by Chance” by Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani, set to be released at TIFF 2024. It is a comedy feature based in Nigeria, which gives a view into the dark depths of email scams and how they take their toll on human lives.

Another, although in-view, would be the brand-new adaptation of Tomi Adeyemi’s novel “Children of Blood and Bone,” based on Nigerian mythology and African fantasy. It is in the works with Lucasfilm. The international project will be a great stride for Nollywood, likely to bring African folklore into worldview. 

Another example of Nigerian literature coming onto the screen would be “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe. The adaptation of 1987 with Pete Edochie became a natural, cultural landmark for literature and the silver screen.

In 2005, Kola Akinlade’s “Owo Eje” was adapted into a Yoruba mystery film in which the renowned detective Akin Olusina comes upon a murder incident that he would like to unravel.

In much the same way, Tunde Kelani’s “Saworoide”, based on the work of Akinwunmi Ishola, who was a popular dramatist and writer of noble acclaim in his lifetime, used political satire to explore power and despotism in the-then Nigerian political administration.

The 2007 film adaptation of war veteran and writer, Elechi Amadi’s “The Concubine”  was brought to visual life by Andy Amanechi in the tragic love story of Ihuoma, bound to a sea god.

Also, Nigerian-American Sefi Atta’s “Swallow”, as directed by Kunle Afolayan, deals with the moral dilemmas of 1980s Lagos. Based on drug smuggling, its Netflix commissioning for release in 2021 added to Nollywood’s growing list of successful book-to-screen conversions.

Femi Osofisan’s “Maami” was adapted to screen in 2011. Directed by Tunde Kelani, it stars Funke Akindele leading an emotional story narrating the relationship between a footballer and his single mother. Earlier adaptations, such as Bisi, Daughter of the River in 1977, based on Ladi Ladebo’s play, told the conflict between traditional beliefs and modern aspirations.

Ija Ominira, a film produced in 1979 and based on Adebayo Faleti’s same-title historical novel, portrayed the fight between a village and a wicked king, while “Hello Moto” by Nnedi Okorafor was adapted into the 2018 sci-fi short film Hello, Rain by C.J. Obasi, depicting a futuristic story of wigs with mystic powers.

Next in line for a unique mention of an adaptation into an animated 90-minute feature is Sade Adeniran’s “Imagine This,” which relates to a young British-Nigerian girl torn between two cultures.

Wole Soyinka’s “Kongi’s Harvest”, already filmed in 1970 by Ossie Davis, comes as his political offering because it highlights the lead character as a dictator with a quest for control. Yet another Soyinka play that has made its way to the big screen is ‘’Death and the King’s Horseman’’, which saw the teaming up of EbonyLife Studios with Netflix for an adaptation. Titled Elesin Oba: The King’s Horseman, this cinematic version of the Nobel laureate’s work brings one of the most famous Nigerian plays to a global audience.

More recent adaptations, like The Smart Money Woman, a TV Series originated by writer Arese Ugwu in 2016 and The Wait in 2021, which was based on Yewande Zaccheus’s personal story titled “God’s Waiting Room”, prove how deft Nollywood has been in translating prose language into screen conceptions.

Lola Shoneyin’s “The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives” is already in development for Netflix, promising another rich portrayal of Nigerian-Yoruba polygamy and the consequences that come with it. Finally, Crushed Roses—a Taiwo Egunjobi adaptation of Ibiere Addey’s anthological novella—will soon be available for screen, culminating an imposing roster of literature-to-film reimaginings in Nollywood.

But why should Nollywood do more of this?

Nollywood should do more because African literature has a rich narrative that can add depth to storylines in a cinematic medium. Furthermore, it has the potential to provide new content to audiences worldwide, in addition to Nigeria.

Challenges with Book-to-Screen Adaptation

While there are plenty of exciting opportunities for Nollywood, some hurdles hold it back from making complete success with book-to-screen adaptations. First, there’s the challenge of getting intellectual rights for a screenplay adaptation of a novel.

Quite a good number of writers, especially internationally renowned ones, are a hard nut to crack when it comes to ceding rights to their works.

The cost of negotiation and, eventually, seeking permission is usually so enormous. This, in turn, slows the production time of filmmakers or quite quickly halts a project before it is even started.

The only other hurdle from there is sourcing the right talent to do justice to these works once the rights are secured. Novels, more often than not, present very complex characters and intricately layered plots that will require experienced actors, directors, and screenwriters who can not only faithfully but ingeniously translate the same to the screen.

This becomes a challenging task to execute, more so when the talent pool is limited and the source material calls for a depth not considered “standard” in mainstream Nollywood.

Maneuvering to balance commercial viability with artistic integrity also muddles the adaptation process—while some novels can take deep dives into the most severe philosophical or historical questions, Nollywood is for a broadly popular audience, meaning that fast-paced, dramatic storytelling often rules.

Besides, movie production teams have to tread that fine line between reproducing the novel’s essence with its adaptations to suit mainstream tastes.

Sometimes, the narrative, in its simplification process for purposes of commercial gist, can be altered to dilute the fundamental core themes and values embedded in these books that make them powerful.

More than that, a lot of stories, most especially those with very elaborate backdrops and settings or historical contexts, will be costly to translate into film.

The films Half of a Yellow Sun and Elesin Oba were shot on an infusion of international co-productions and enjoyed a more lavish and elaborate production scale. Yet, most Nollywood projects chug forth with shoe-string budgets, and, as a result, the vast scope of the original story may never be fully realised.

And finally, even when these challenges are surmounted, there is the matter of audience reception. The primary audience for Nollywood are people who are usually used to modern, light stories.

Literary adaptations usually include complex issues of society or historical periods, which might appear to be too slow or too abstract to some members of the audience. The challenge of maintaining faithfulness to the books while still making the audience riveted in their seat does call for a delicate balancing act between artistic fidelity and innovation.

Books That Should Be Adapted into Nollywood Films

Akpata Magazine has handpicked a selection of books ripe for Nollywood adaptation.

Each of the novels on this list creates distinct stories with multitudes of dimensions that can take the storytelling of the Nollywood genre to a new high.

“Fine Boys” by Eghosa Imasuen

It is a coming-of-age novel–so to speak–that strives to capture the very essence of university life in Nigerian institutions in the 1990s, when political turmoil was on a rise.

Given this, one would think it may stand out as an ideal candidate for a Nollywood adaptation of its themes about the Nigerian youth, identity, and resilience since it brought forth student life.

“The Madhouse” by TJ Benson

Set in Middle Belt Nigeria, it follows how the lives of a Nigerian family intertwine at the very edge of existence. This becomes quite an exciting adaptation possibility due to its tight characterisation and very undiscovered settings in Nigeria, which are a part of Nollywood’s growing geographical and thematic depth. 

“Under the Udala Trees” by Chinelo Okparanta

A powerful LGBTQ+ love story set against the backdrop of the Nigerian Civil War. Touching on themes of forbidden love, identity, and societal pressures, this novel would bring much-needed nuance in portrayals of love and conflict to Nollywood and break ground in filmic representation.

“Welcome to Lagos” by Chibundu Onuzo

This novel is about a group of runaways who find their way to Lagos through different voices and perspectives to locate the challenges in the city. An adaptation of the novel would capture the pulsating life of Lagos, the hopes and disillusionments of its people, and the blatant contrasts between classes.

“Blackass” by Igoni Barrett

This is a Kafkaesque story of a young Nigerian who woke up one morning and found his skin colour changed from black to white. The novel is an amusing exploration of race, identity, and privilege in contemporary Nigerian society.

Any film adaptation of such a work will mix elements of surrealism and social critique in a different visual and narrative style for Nollywood. 

“Honey and Spice” Bolu Babalola

Honey and Spice is a vivid rom-com set on a British university campus, providing a new young voice in the Romantic Comedy genre for Nollywood. It features a great number of diverse characters and witty lines that would be at home with young audiences, bringing modern romance alive on screen. Open Country Mag.***

“The Fishermen” by Chigozie Obioma

This is a sibling rivalry story, suffused with the power of prophecy in a small Nigerian town; in The Fishermen, the merger of myth and reality builds toward tragedy. The character arc is strong and the emotional depth is excellent for a psychological drama probing Nigerian beliefs and culture.

“In Dependence” by Sarah Ladipo Manyika

This sprawling historical romance follows love and politics from Nigeria to Europe over decades, from the 1960s into modern times. As a Nollywood film, it would be visually lush and emotionally resonant in detailing interracial relationships and cultural change with the shifting political terrain of Nigeria.

Last Days at Forcados High School

This is a coming-of-age story set in a fictional high school in Nigeria. The novel follows the lives of several students as they navigate the challenges of their final year in secondary school. It should be adapted by Nollywood because it presents relatable struggles and triumphs that resonate deeply with Nigeria youths.

Unlike the often generic, westernized high school movies that dominate the Nollywood scene, this story offers a rich, culturally grounded narrative that reflects the realities of growing up in Nigeria. It highlights the family dynamics, societal pressures, and the importance of community.

Opportunities Associated with Adapting Literary Works

Although significant, the challenges associated with adapting literary works are still far outweighed by the opportunities they present for Nollywood.

First and foremost, further exposure to book-to-screen adaptations can broaden the creative horizons of Nollywood. There has already been sufficient proof of how much the industry is capable of storytelling, considering its skills in original screenwriting.

Still, adaptation means opening doors to an even richer kind of narratives that have their roots in the literary tradition of Nigeria. These stories are worth a lot of material that can shove Nollywood into new and unexplored territories.

The adaptation of more novels will also help Nollywood tap into an already existing fan base of people who are already familiar with these books.

This interrelation between literature and cinema could foster audience interest, especially in such a period when Nigerian literature is getting international attention.

Nollywood movies based on Nigerian novels, like Half of a Yellow Sun and Swallow, have shown that adaptation is key to bridging gaps between local stories and global audiences, thereby increasing Nollywood’s reach internationally.

A growing interest in African stories is what the world has adopted, and further adapting literature into film would give Nollywood much stronger positioning in the world film market against international projects and investors.

Now, this is one exciting avenue: genre diversification. Many of these–from African Fantasy to Science Fiction, Romance, and political dramas–are some of the untouched novels waiting to be adapted.

Adaptations like these bring new themes, images, and ways of storytelling that keep Nollywood living, vibrant, and ever-evolving.

Now, it is time to connect the dots between Nollywood and the potential for book-to-screen adaptations, as well as closer ties between literature and cinema.

Filmmakers, producers, and other stakeholders in this creative industry should become aware that Nigerian literature is an untapped goldmine, an unrealized potential for their industry.

They will not only enrich the cultural repertoire of Nollywood but also provide new exposure for the works of Nigerian and African writers, at large, by bringing more significant numbers of them to the big screen and raising the film industry to new heights.

For audiences, it is about supporting these adaptations and going out to see them. Book-to-film projects not only preserve our literary heritage but also introduce stories to new generations. As Nollywood continues to grow, the voices of our most celebrated writers have to be a part of that journey.

Let these stories be taken from the page to the screen, broadening the reach of both collectives of Nigerian novelists and Nollywood and, in turn, reasserting the stand it initially held as a global powerhouse of storytelling.

If our filmmakers, producers, novelists and audience all come together, then Nigerian literature can be the defining force for the further evolution of Nollywood.