A Tussle Between Fact and Fiction

History has long been an underexplored territory in Nollywood, but recent films have endeavoured to recreate and interpret the past through contemporary storytelling. Hijack ‘93 (2023) is considered a turning point, as Tobilola Akanni describes it in The Nollywood Reporter as ‘the first of a retelling and the retelling of the first’ due to its pioneering effort in portraying an actual historical and national event. Prior to this, retellings of historical events from Nigeria’s colonial and postcolonial periods were limited. Films such as October 1 (Kunle Afolayan, 2014), ‘76 (Izu Ojukwu, 2016), and 93 Days (Steve Gukas, 2016) focus on personal lives intertwined with historical events, including specific occurrences like the 2014 Ebola outbreak in Lagos. However, these films didn’t explore key national events like Charles Opaleke’s Hijack ‘93. Other historical films include biopics such as The Herbert Macaulay Affair (Imoh Umoren, 2019) and adaptations like Biyi Bandele’s Half of a Yellow Sun (2013), which is inspired by historical fiction. While Nollywood historical movies draw from past events, they are shaped by the director’s vision, the scriptwriter’s interpretation, and the performance of the actors, which may not always align with historical records. Despite this, Nollywood has faced criticism for misrepresenting history and inaccurately dramatizing facts.