Nigerian film adaptation of Lola Shoneyin’s acclaimed novel The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives is set to have its world premiere at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), where it will feature in the festival’s Centrepiece programme.
Baba Segi is a proud, prosperous and uneducated Yoruba patriarch whose household, made up of three wives and seven children, is governed by a carefully maintained hierarchy of tradition, wealth and influence. Iya Segi, the formidable first wife, rules with authority; Iya Tope survives through quiet obedience, while Iya Femi quietly plots for greater power. Their fragile balance is shattered when Baba Segi brings home Bolanle, an educated young woman he hopes will strengthen his family and legacy.
When Bolanle fails to conceive, her inability to bear a child quickly becomes a source of suspicion and resentment in a household where fertility determines a woman’s place and children are central to a man’s legacy. As jealousy intensifies, the family’s carefully guarded secrets begin to surface, exposing hidden paternity, betrayal and long-buried truths that threaten to destroy the household.
Adapted from Lola Shoneyin’s acclaimed 2010 novel, the film is directed by Daniel Oriahi and produced by EbonyLife Films in partnership with Genesis, Nile, and Silverbird.
The cast includes Odunlade Adekola as Baba Segi, Iyabo Ojo as Iya Segi, Mercy Aigbe as Iya Tope, Bimbo Ademoye as Iya Femi, and Omowunmi Dada as Bolanle, alongside Bimbo Manuel, Nkechi Blessing Sunday, Bisola Aiyeola, Kunle Remi, Lateef Adedimeji, and others.
The film is set for a December 4, 2026, nationwide cinema release in Nigeria.
