Dr. Wale Okediran’s Tenants of the House Sparks Debate at Ibadan Film Circle

AILFF Founder Osezua Stephen-Imobhio Makes a Case for Indigenous-Language Cinema as a New Frontier in Screen Content Business

IBADAN — The power of cinema to provoke debate, challenge authority and stimulate civic consciousness came sharply into focus on Saturday as the Ibadan Film Circle screened Tenants of the House, a film adaptation of Dr. Wale Okediran’s acclaimed novel, at the Senior Staff Club Gallery, University of Ibadan.

The screening attracted scholars, filmmakers, academics, writers and culture enthusiasts who engaged in a lively post-screening conversation on politics, power, leadership and accountability.

The film follows Honourable Samuel Bakura, whose political journey exposes the intrigues of Nigerian politics—from money politics and shifting alliances to the relentless struggle for power and influence.

At the heart of the film is its powerful metaphor: politicians are merely “tenants,” while the people own the House.

That metaphor became the springboard for a passionate conversation about leadership, public trust and the responsibility of those entrusted with political power.

Among those who offered critical reflections were Prof. Duro, Prof. Remi Raji, Adeleke, Dr. Tunde Kelani, Dr. Tunde Adegbola, Prof. Tunde Morakinyo and Mr. Wale Oshodi, among other distinguished participants. Mrs. Idowu Okediran, wife of Dr. Wale Okediran, was also among the guests.

AILFF FOUNDER MAKES THE CASE FOR INDIGENOUS-LANGUAGE CINEMA

Adding another dimension to the evening’s conversation, Osezua Stephen-Imobhio, Founder and Festival Director of the African Indigenous Language Film Festival (AILFF), used the gathering to draw attention to the largely untapped potential of African indigenous-language films as a screen-content business.

Stephen-Imobhio argued that the conversation about African cinema must move beyond cultural preservation to include audience development, intellectual property, digital distribution and commercial opportunities.

According to him, Africa’s indigenous languages should not be viewed merely as vehicles for preserving tradition, but as valuable creative assets capable of generating distinctive screen content, building audiences and opening new markets.

He noted that advances in subtitling, dubbing, artificial intelligence and digital streaming are breaking down the barriers that once restricted indigenous-language films to local audiences.

The challenge, he suggested, is no longer whether indigenous-language films can travel, but whether the industry is prepared to package, market, distribute and monetise them effectively.

His intervention reinforced AILFF’s central proposition: Africa’s languages are not obstacles to global cinema—they are part of Africa’s competitive advantage in the global content economy.

CINEMA AS A CIVIC FIRESIDE

Established about a decade ago, the Ibadan Film Circle once again demonstrated the enduring power of cinema to bring people together and stimulate conversations that extend beyond the screen.

The evening ultimately left participants with a compelling question inspired by Tenants of the House:

If politicians are only tenants in the House, how responsibly should they protect the home that belongs to the people?

But perhaps another question now demands equal attention:

If our languages are the foundation of our cultural House, what kind of cinema are we building upon them—and who will own the value it creates?