Nigerian film The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives has made its world premiere at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival, bringing one of Nigeria’s most recognised contemporary literary stories to an international cinema audience. Directed by Daniel Oriahi and produced by EbonyLife Films, the film premiered on September 11 at TIFF Lightbox in Toronto as part of the festival’s Centrepiece programme. The 51st edition of TIFF runs from September 10 to 20, with the Nigerian production among the 54 films selected for the Centrepiece lineup from filmmakers representing 50 countries.
Adapted from Lola Shoneyin’s acclaimed 2010 novel of the same name, the film centres on Baba Segi, a prosperous Ibadan patriarch whose household is unsettled by the arrival of Bolanle, his educated fourth wife. Her presence exposes long buried secrets and rivalries among the women, gradually threatening the carefully maintained balance of the family. The ensemble cast includes Odunlade Adekola, Omowunmi Dada, Iyabo Ojo, Mercy Aigbe, Bimbo Ademoye, Bisola Aiyeola, Nancy Isime, Nkechi Blessing and Mike Ezuruonye. According to Variety, the TIFF premiere represents the fifth official Toronto selection for Mo Abudu’s EbonyLife Films, underlining the production company’s growing presence within the international film festival circuit.
Beyond the premiere itself, The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives represents the growing international commercial and cultural reach of Nigerian storytelling, particularly the movement of established African literature into global film markets. The film is scheduled for its European premiere at the BFI London Film Festival on October 14, followed by an African premiere in Lagos on November 29, before its wider cinema release from December 4, according to Mo Abudu. With a story rooted in Yoruba family life and contemporary Nigerian society, the project places Nollywood talent, Nigerian production and African literary IP before international audiences while expanding the global journey of a story that began on the page.
