In 2009, a Nigerian thriller about two friends who find a mysterious statue in an abandoned shrine played in cinemas instead of going straight to video. The Figurine was sleek, suspenseful and carefully made, and it showed what a bigger budget and more time could do for Nollywood. Its director, Kunle Afolayan, became one of the leading figures of what critics called New Nollywood.
A film family and The Figurine
Afolayan is the son of Adeyemi Afolayan, known as Ade Love, a pioneer of Yoruba theatre and cinema. Several of his siblings also work in film. He worked as an actor before moving behind the camera. He studied film and decided to make movies with higher production standards than most home videos of the time.
The Figurine (2009) won several awards and was released in cinemas, a rare achievement for a Nigerian film then.
His romantic comedy Phone Swap (2012) was a commercial hit and showed his range.
October 1, Netflix and Anikulapo
October 1 (2014), a period thriller set on the eve of Nigeria’s independence in 1960, follows a detective investigating murders in a northern town. It is often cited as one of his finest works. His film Citation (2020), about a university student who accuses a professor of sexual harassment, was released on Netflix. In 2021, he announced a deal to make further films for the platform.
Anikulapo (2022), a Yoruba-language fantasy epic about a man who gains the power to raise the dead, became one of Netflix’s most watched Nigerian titles and later became a series. His films are known for careful cinematography, strong production design and stories rooted in Nigerian history and culture.
Business and recognition
He runs Golden Effects Pictures and has spoken about the challenges of financing films in Nigeria. Afolayan has worked with many younger actors and crew, helping train a new generation of filmmakers. He has won many awards at home and screened films at international festivals. Beyond films, he has worked on series and documentaries, and the success of Anikulapo led to a follow-up series on Netflix that expanded its world of Yoruba myth and history.
Ade Love made Yoruba films for audiences in packed halls. His son made them for cinema screens and Netflix, keeping the family’s stories in Yoruba and its standards high.
