World Premiere of "Hope Is a Word" at the Sheffield DocFest, UK on June 11

I am delighted to share that ‘Hope Is a Word’, a documentary feature film on the poets of the Niger Delta, will have its World Premiere at the International First Feature Competition of Sheffield DocFest, UK, on 11th June 2026.

The film tells a powerful story of resistance through self-expression. In Nigeria’s Niger Delta, where decades of oil extraction have devastated communities and the environment, poet and activist Nnimmo Bassey inspires and mentors a new generation of writers to find their voices and speak truth through poetry.

This premiere is particularly meaningful because the project was first presented and nurtured at iREP Doc fest 2025 where its vision immediately connected with our audiences and industry stakeholders. It is a wonderful reminder of the important role our community continues to play in supporting documentary storytelling from Africa.

If you are around Sheffield or can make the trip, please come and celebrate this important milestone with us.

-Femi Odugbemi,
The CEO of Zuri24media

"Hope Is a Word" is a documentary feature film directed by Maria Galliani Dyrvik. 

The film focuses on the Niger Delta, where decades of oil spills and gas flaring have devastated communities. It follows renowned poet and activist Nnimmo Bassey as he gathers a new generation of voices—including his son Ukpono and a young woman named Barinedum—to use poetry as a weapon for environmental change and healing.

Production: Produced by Smau Media in collaboration with Ginko Film and Zuri24 Media, with support from the Norwegian Film Institute.  

Director: Maria Galliani Dyrvik
Production Companies: Smau Media AS, Ginko Film, and Zuri24media (Lagos)
Protagonist: Nnimmo Bassey
Run Time: 82 minutes

Key Themes: 
Climate justice, environmental activism, the Niger Delta oil spills, and resistance through self-expression"

 

End Bad Government Protests in Nigeria

The new month of August started with widespread #EndBadGovernance protests in different states in Nigeria.  Banks and other companies were shut and public transport services were suspended in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory and in Lagos, the commercial capital of the most populous country in Africa. Riots were reported in several locations in spite of the presence of both police and military patrols on the major roads and streets to prevent lawlessness and violence.

The majority of people are lamenting the economic challenges of survival caused by the administrative failures of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu since his oath of office on May 29, 2023. 

I929 Movie: A Nollywood Comedy of the Aba Women's Riot

 

https://medium.com/@DanielOkechukwu1/1929-review-a-messy-depiction-of-the-1929-womens-war-d73142808e2e

This film adaptation of the Aba Women’s Riot in 1929 by Moses Eskor only exposed the opportunism of both the director and the film distributor. And I am disappointed that an actor as well educated as Sam Dede featured in this bastardization of the historical facts of Aba Women's Riot and Daniel Okechukwu's review has said it all for me.

If you don't have the intellectual education for the comprehensive research and professional competence in filmmaking, it is best to hands off the film adaptations of historical events. You cannot give what you don't have.

A good film adaptation of the Aba Women's Riot is the kind of film that can qualify for the Official Selections of the Cannes, Venice, Toronto, Berlin and make the nominations for the Academy Awards. But as Okechukwu said, they messed it up.  It is a Nollywood comedy of the Aba Women's Riot. They even said, "We move!"

I have the entire transcripts of the court trials and the details of the principal characters and situations of the circumstances and consequences of the Aba Women's Riot and they are available for any proven filmmaker who has the criteria for the film adaptation.

- By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima, Publisher/Editor, NOLLYWOOD MIRROR® Series.

The Drama of the #EndSARS Protests

The Drama of the #EndSARS Protests

The enactments of the melodramatic scenarios of the #ENDSARS protests from Lagos to Abuja and ending up in Delta State are going to be featured in a live performance on stage with the action choreography by one of the best action choreographers in the Nigerian film industry.

My "Sleepless Night" of 2002 dramatised the June 12 protests of 1993 featuring the outstanding actor, Funso Alabi of blessed memory and dramatic choreography by Segun Adefila and the Crown Troupe of Africa.

It was cosponsored by the French Cultural Centre in Lagos, Otunba Dele Momodu and my United Artists For Human Development (UAHD).

This new stage drama will be full of histrionics.

I am the writer, producer and director. And I have completed casting for the historic roles of heroic protesters, Aisha Yesufu and DJ Switch. 

The following is an excerpt from the drama written in verse.

We are marching with our bare feet.

As we stomp on the street.

The echoes of our screams rent the skies 

In A Decade of Tongues.

Bekederemo! 

What are you going to tell Achebe and Okara?

What are you going to tell Saro-Wiwa?

Tell them the truth, the bitter truth

We have eaten the sour grapes of wrath.

Sour grapes of the wrath the earth.

We have bitten our tongues as we gnash our teeth.

 Even The Masquerade of Ngbilebiri has stopped dancing. 

As our mothers' singing has turned to mourning.

Who can dance to the Song of a Goat? 

In the hysteria of Nigeria.

Bekederemo!

Bekederemo!!

Bekederemo!!!

- By Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima,

https://www.amazon.com/author/ekenyerengozimichaelchima

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