Nigeria is a country filled with a hodgepodge of tribes that at their core, are bright, resilient, and ever-flowing. But when tradition is rich, it comes at a cost. One of these costs is the patriarchal hierarchy that corners women into believing men are the beginning and the end. However, the new generation of women are reclaiming their ancestral power not just for themselves, but for those before them. This project is the first of many attempts to light a torch for the untold stories of those who never had the privilege to tell their own.

Chinelo Okoro approaches what should be one of the happiest days of her life, her wedding. Her soon-to-be fiance must complete Iku Aka, the first stage of cultural marriage in Igbo land by asking her parents for her hand in marriage. On the big day, Chinelo’s parents appoint her politician uncle, Uncle Magnus, to speak on behalf of the Okoro family. Respect for tradition places the eldest and most successful man to speak on her behalf, but also a man who sexually assaulted her when she was younger. Being confronted with Uncle Magnus leads Chinelo down a rabbit hole of memories and corners her to face the deficiencies of tradition.

Tiffany “T.L.O” Onyejekwe, is a Nigerian-American high school dropout turned dramedy writer. Yes, you read that oxymoron right. T.L.O’s passion for writing drama series runs so deep that even her life reflects the arcs of her writing. Her explorative stories crack a door into weighty topics by providing Black women with multilayered reflections of themselves that stand as a reminder to keep digging and that hard truths come through failure and not despite it. T.L.O. has written for various independent projects, is a Coverfly ranked writer, and co-directed a Docu-Series on Black Womxn Basketball Players. She likes to think of her writing as a happy medium between Inside Out and Get Out. Outside of writing she uses her time to drive culture initiatives and bring BIPOC creatives into niche spaces within entertainment.

Hello, hi! My name is Onyinyechi “Onyii” Ogomaka, and I am a Nigerian-American creative storyteller treating our personal narratives as God’s Works of Art through cinematography, photography, and beyond. Currently, I am an MFA Film Production student with an emphasis in Cinematography at Chapman University’s Dodge College.

My visual approach to storytelling provides a space to define, see and recognize ourselves as masterpieces or “Works of Art.” No matter how complicated, beautiful, or simple, one’s story may be, I want to dive deep into the intricacies of our personal narratives and express them with intention and fine detail; for I believe they essentially are our testimonies hand-picked by God for us to proclaim to the world, BOLDLY. 

My innate response in all environments is to love, uplift, and connect with whomever I see through my lens and treat each story I’m given with the utmost care, sensitivity, and respect. I always say that it truly feels like a privilege to be able to visually bring anyone’s narrative to life, which I wish to do also for you!

With over 8 years in marketing and production, Epiphany brings a unique experience to this short film. Obsessed with the evolving world of content — she launched her own production company, Epiphany's Creative Studio, to help writers & directors bring their stories to life. As the producer of Black Girls Code's new YouTube series and the short film Colorway, she continues to stay committed to bringing Black stories to the screen with every project she encounters. 

Asari Aibangbee is an interdisciplinary artist with a focus on filmmaking and art curation from Los Angeles, California. Asari is 25 years old and identifies as a queer Nigerian femme. She directs, produces, and manages projects that reflect the life of Black Queer folks all over the African diaspora. Those are the realities and narratives that she is interested in sharing with the world. One of the first sets that she had ever stepped foot on was a senior film thesis for one of her peers in undergrad; the film was about a love story between two young folks who were growing apart. She was the script supervisor and learned a lot about continuity in visual storytelling! Prior to this experience, she was a studio intern for a non-profit in San Francisco, BAYCAT. The non-profit served as an educational hub that taught the youth of color in San Francisco media skills to help them to their own stories. She was on the producing and directing track and was managing collaborative spots for the Golden State Warriors and Black-owned businesses around the city. She then transitioned into the marketing world as an Apprentice at Goodby, Silverstein, and Partners. She was trained in all 4 departments and really enjoyed seeing how a 30-second spot gets touched by so many hands/creatives. Her experience in the advertising world taught her the importance of short-form storytelling outside of brand campaigns! Asari is also an A24 x Made in her Image Beyond the Screen Fellow, a space where she learned the ins and outs of creating a film from pre-production to distribution via a major studio company in the entertainment industry. She gained a lot of support from executives at A24 and her peers during the program which gave her more confidence to tell her own stories. Asari has also directed and produced a couple of her own personal projects, mostly experimental shorts about the lives of Black Queer Folks!

Nigeria is a country filled with a hodgepodge of tribes that at their core, are bright, resilient, and ever-flowing. But when tradition is rich, it comes at a cost. One of these costs is the patriarchal hierarchy that corners women into believing men are the beginning and the end. As beautiful as Nigerian culture is, it has its confines. And for generations, the journeys of Nigerian women have been swallowed up by the lack of resources, corruption, colonization, and patriarchy. However, the new generation of women is reclaiming their ancestral power not just for themselves, but for those before them. 

This film is the first of many attempts to light a torch for the untold stories of those who never had the privilege to tell their own. We can bridge the gap between generations and start a much-needed conversation.

Voices are amplified with resources and your support with this project will garner all Black women crew the capital to create a high-quality narrative. Our $10,000 goal will cover our location costs, film equipment, sound needs, and post-production.

To get it to international film festivals and the esteemed platform that is our African parent's WhatsApp chat, we need you! 

Here are a few ways to show your support:

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