The success of the Canadian shows ‘Heated Rivalry’ and ‘Off Campus’ has led to more books being adapted into TV series. As fans of these successful book series continue to enjoy the high of seeing their favorite characters on television, we wonder whether Nollywood will ever adapt books into TV series at this pace.
Why Is Nollywood Not Adapting Books To TV Series?
Nollywood has very few instances of Nigerian books being adapted for TV screens, and even fewer instances of TV shows native to Nigeria. With the excitement surrounding the adaptation of “The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives” and the anticipation from the thousands of fans the book was able to garner, why is Nollywood still so avoidant about adapting books into films and, most importantly, into TV series? Here are a few possible reasons why:
- Copyright or Licensing Rights
One of the major difficulties Nollywood could face in adapting books is securing the publishing rights to fan-favorite titles. Although Nollywood is thriving, the industry’s financial state remains precarious, and securing a copyright is a costly process that entails paying royalties and complying with strict agreements with authors or publishing houses.
- Production Costs
Books like “Children of Blood and Bone,” with complex stories and world-building, require high production costs. The struggle filmmakers face in securing investors for a TV series based on a book that requires higher production costs limits their ability to adapt beloved literary material.
- Nigerian Reading Culture
Although Nigeria has a healthy reading community, its reading culture is not strong. Fans sometimes prefer that their beloved books not be adapted into series, for fear of poor scriptwriting by filmmakers who did not do enough research into the books. Out of fear of public backlash from fans, filmmakers also choose to steer clear of adapting books with large fanbases.
- Censorship
Nollywood is still at a place where they face regular interference and censorship from the Nigerian government. Books with themes that could be misconstrued as political commentary or propaganda do not receive investment, which forces filmmakers to once again stick to their usual filmmaking processes.
Why Nollywood Needs To Start Adapting Books To TV Series
There are many reasons why Nollywood tapping into the growing trend of book adaptations would favor the industry, and some of these reasons are:
- Closing The Storytelling Gap
One of the criticisms Nollywood has received is the lack of storytelling in the existing films. Fans have also complained about repetitive storylines and characters. The adaptation of books gives the audience a plot with depth and a fresh storyline.
- Continuity
One thing missing from films is the space for continuity due to the 90-minute timeline standard. Transforming novels into blockbusters as a multi-part series allows creators to preserve character arcs, internal monologues, and subplots.
- Creates A Global Audience
Well-written Nollywood books being adapted into TV series could help in creating a global market for Nigerian works. It also allows Nollywood to improve its international standing and export authentic African experiences.
- Building On An Existing Audience
Creating a TV series based on a beloved book is the solution to the complaints Nigerian filmmakers have about their inability to reach new audiences. An established book comes with its own audience willing to watch a well-done adaptation, and this can easily translate into more viewers for the filmmaker’s other works.
What do we think?
Nollywood needs to lean into adapting books into series to increase the narrative complexity in the industry. The adaptations will also help attract a global audience and address recurring issues with weak screenwriting. While movies are sometimes too short for rich literary worlds, TV series provide the space needed to fully explore intricate Nigerian stories and rich folklore.
