How October 1 Became a National Treasure​

Ten years since its release, Kunle Afolayan’s October 1 remains a brilliant cinematic exercise at using Nigeria’s independence story to investigate deeper, systemic issues rooted in our country’s colonial experience.

Ten years ago, in October 2014, Kunle Afolayan’s critically acclaimed cinematic thriller October 1 was released to widespread praise from critics, film lovers, and the Nigerian public. The film, a product of great vision, powerful direction, and excellent scriptwriting, was lauded for its brilliance. Even after a decade, October 1 has not lost its charm, thematic resonance, or cinematic excellence. It remains an evergreen Nollywood classic, deserving of high praise. Early reviews lauded the film’s cinematography, production design, costuming, plot, writing, and acting. In his review for This Day, Nigerian novelist and critic Toni Kan, described October 1 as ‘a movie with a royal touch’. Kan also declared that the film is so masterfully crafted that ‘there is almost nothing wrong with it.’ Similarly, in his review for The Trent, Onyeka Nwelue, Nigerian filmmaker, and director of Other Side of History, a film that relived the early life story of Colonel Ojukwu, commended Afolayan’s work, calling it ‘the work of a genius’...