– A Bold Reclamation of African History Through the Power of Film
- By Wasiu Adekunle Adejumo || Premier World News
A transformative chapter in African storytelling is set to unfold on July 25 as “Ireke: Rise of the Maroons”, a groundbreaking 96-minute historical drama, makes its global theatrical debut.
Directed by Emmy-nominated BBC journalist Gbolahan Peter Macjob, the film is poised to redefine African cinema’s global perception.
Featuring a powerful ensemble of Nollywood stars and international talents, including Bolanle Ninalowo, Tobi Bakre, Atlanta Bridget Johnson, Peter Fatomilola, Fathia Balogun, Antar Laniyan, and Yemi Shodimu, Ireke unearths the rarely told African side of the transatlantic slave trade and the untold resistance that birthed the Maroons.
A Story of Resistance, Rebellion and Redemption:
Set in 18th-century West Africa and the Caribbean, Ireke follows the traumatic journey of a Nigerian family torn from their homeland into slavery.
The narrative explores their eventual rebellion on Caribbean plantations, culminating in the rise of the Maroons, a legendary community of self-liberated Africans who fought colonial oppression and brokered peace through defiant unity.
“The slave theme is not new”, said Macjob. “But every single slave movie we’ve seen has been told through Hollywood’s lens. This time, we are the ones telling our own story.”
From Cannes to Cinemas Worldwide:
Having premiered to critical acclaim at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, making it the first Nigerian local-language film to feature at the prestigious event, Ireke is already sparking global conversations around historical justice, identity and collective memory.
The film does not shy away from the complex realities of African complicity in the slave trade, it presents a deeply layered account of the economic forces, including the sugarcane plantation economy, that drove internal collaboration. Yet at its heart, Ireke is a story of triumph, resilience and the power of cultural reckoning.
Record-Breaking Distribution and Cultural Impact:
On its release date, Ireke will simultaneously hit over 100 cinemas across Nigeria, Ghana, Benin, the United Kingdom and Austria, marking an unprecedented milestone in Nollywood’s history.
It has also secured an exclusive international distribution deal with Odeon, Europe’s largest cinema chain, a feat never before achieved by a Nigerian film.
“We are stronger together than apart,” Macjob remarked.
“This film is not just entertainment. It is education. It is connection. It is legacy.”
As audiences across continents prepare to experience Ireke: Rise of the Maroons, it becomes more than a movie, it becomes a movement, reclaiming African history through African voices, on African terms.
