An American media streaming service and producer, Netflix, has partnered with Nigerian filmmaker, Mo Abudu to create new content from the west African nation.
This was made known in a statement released on Friday, by Dorothy Ghettuba, Netflix’s lead for original series in Africa, who said the streaming giant is working with Abudu because of her “passion for creating high-quality, riveting multi-genre films.”
Ghettuba said, “We’re thrilled about this first-of-its-kind partnership in Africa that will bring some of Nigeria — and Africa’s — most iconic storytelling to screen. We look forward to supporting Mo as she brings all these diverse Nigerian stories to the world.
The partnership is part of Netflix continued expansion into Africa Market.
Abudu, who owns a production company, EbonyLife TV, will work with the teams at Netflix to create two original series as well as multiple Netflix-branded films.
Although EbonyLife, Abudu has produced over 5,000 hours of original television shows and top Nollywood films such as “Fifty” and “The Wedding Party,” which grossed 3.5 billion naira (about $11.5 million) in its 2016 release.
The partnership with Netflix will see on-screen adaptations of literary works by two award-winning Nigerian authors, Lola Shoneyin and Prof. Wole Soyinka.
Shoneyin’s debut novel, “The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives,” will be developed into a series, and Soyinka’s play, “Death and the King’s Horseman,” will be adapted into a film.
In her reaction to the deal, Abudu said the partnership is a testament to Netflix’s investment in African storytelling.
The US media streaming company first captured the heart of the African audience in 2015 when it paid $12 million for the worldwide distribution rights of “Beasts of No Nation,” starring award-winning actor, Idris Elba.
Soyinka, whose play is being adapted into a film, said in a statement that it is a “delight” to see Abudu’s production company, EbonyLife, thrive in the male-dominated filmmaking scene.
“In a creative industry which, even in pioneering countries, is so male-dominated, it is always a delight to see robust challenges offered by the female gender, and of attestable quality. Mo Abudu’s incursion into this arena as film and television producer has been especially stimulating,” he said.
Similarly, Shoneyin, whose novel is being adapted into a series, said she is “thrilled” that her work is going to be depicted through a partnership with Abudu and Netflix.
