Yoruba-language cinema is one of the oldest and richest parts of Nigerian film, with roots in the theatre of the 1960s. If you want to hear the language, see the culture and enjoy a good story, this watch list is a good place to start. Years and plots follow a Zikoko list of Yoruba films and common film records.
Classics
| Film | Year | What it is about |
|---|---|---|
| Ogbori Elemosho | 1963 | An early epic in which a banished chief helps his adopted town fight a mysterious being |
| Ti Oluwa Nile | 1993 | A chief who conspired to sell a sacred land faces the consequences |
| O Le Ku | 1997 | A love triangle that drives an emotional story (director Tunde Kelani) |
| Saworoide | 1999 | A greedy king’s rule ends in a coup; widely praised as a political drama |
| Thunderbolt: Magun | 2001 | A romance between a young Yoruba man and an Igbo woman wrecked by rumours (director Tunde Kelani) |
Comedy and city life
| Film | Year | What it is about |
|---|---|---|
| Jenifa | 2008 | A young woman moves to Lagos for a better life and falls in with the wrong crowd |
| Jelili | 2011 | A village boy enters a beauty pageant hoping to leave for greener pastures |
| Alakada | 2019 | A student lies her way through university to impress her classmates |
Modern epics
| Film | Year | What it is about |
|---|---|---|
| King of Thieves (Ageshinkole) | 2022 | An all-powerful bandit terrorises a kingdom, but there is more to him than it seems |
| Anikulapo | 2022 | A period drama directed by Kunle Afolayan, released on Netflix |
| Jagun Jagun | 2023 | A young man joins an elite army to become a warrior and win a woman’s heart |
Why watch Yoruba films?
Yoruba films are a living classroom. You hear proverbs, praise names and everyday speech, and you see traditional dress, festivals and family life. Try watching with subtitles and picking up phrases; our guides to common Yoruba words and polite phrases will help you follow along. You can also read about oríkì and Yoruba instruments, which feature in many films.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most famous Yoruba film? Saworoide (1999) is often named among the greatest.
Where can I watch them? Availability changes; check streaming services and official channels.
Photo: Unsplash contributor, an audience in a cinema facing a bright screen, illustrative. Years follow the sources named above and may differ in other records.
