March Brings a Bumper Nollywood Cinema Slate, Led by ‘Onobiren’ and ‘Kilanko’

Nigerian cinema is enjoying a particularly rich month, with a strong slate of March releases spanning drama, thriller, historical fiction and supernatural storytelling. Among the most anticipated is Onobiren, a film following the journey of Roli, a young woman from Warri who makes her way to Lagos and chooses a path driven by purpose and the solidarity of women. Directed by Famous Odion Iraoya and written by Laju Iren, the film features Ruby Akubueze alongside Bisola Aiyeola, Patience Ozokwor and Deyemi Okanlawon, and has been well-received since its 6 March premiere in Nigerian and Ghanaian cinemas. Kilanko, also a March 6 release and directed by Allwell Ademola, tackles sickle cell disease and traditional belief through the story of an Abiku child, exploring the grief and resilience of African mothers with a cast that includes Saheed Balogun and Tina Mba. Meanwhile, the crime thriller Headless — in which a film producer is stopped at a police checkpoint with a decapitated head in his boot — has generated significant buzz since its cinema release on 13 March, with Gideon Okeke and Segun Arinze drawing strong performances. Looking ahead, AMShowcase’s Wura Season 4, starring Scarlet Gomez as the ruthless Frontline Gold Mine CEO, launches on 30 March, giving audiences even more to look forward to as the quarter closes.