Northern Nigerian has its stories to tell on Boko Haram-afflicted terrorism. Still, though, news reportage on terrorist attacks can sometimes be overwhelming and desensitising. But through documentaries and short films, we are better able to understand pain and loss, and the debilitating trauma associated with violent extremism. It’s never a palatable story.

Just this month, radio presenter Toolz released a documentary via her Instagram about her trip to the Bakassi IDP camp in Maiduguri, accompanied by the British High Commissioner to Nigeria Paul Arkwright. There is a story being untold and it seems women filmmakers are rising up to tell it.

In Through Her Eyes, Nadine Ibrahim’s short film released last year, she explores the rise of child terrorism. What makes these projects consumable is that they are crafted as short-form narrations, condensed for more heightened impact. That way, audiences can invest time in watching at one sitting. I’m not sure about In Love and Ashes though, the new TV show coming from Watershed Entertainment.

This April come with us let’s take a journey to Maiduguri #InLoveAndAshes #FriendshipAcrossNigeria #NotAnotherNigerian #TvDrama #NigerianTelevision #AmazingCast #ExcitingNewShow #ComingSoon #nigeria #tvseries pic.twitter.com/v1kdv5dicM

— InLoveAndAshes (@inloveandashes) March 20, 2018

Already, its long-form format as an eight-part drama spreads episodes over a duration, and would require time to consume, depending on how compelling the story is. The show is set right at the heart of terrorist hotbed Maiduguri, and designed to challenge the insurgency that has ravaged parts of the North East in Nigeria. Featuring a star-driven cast of Patience Ozokwor, Charles Etubiebi, Nafisat Abdullahi, Sani Danja, Tijani Usman and more, In Love and Ashes will premiere on NTA on April 1, and on EbonyLife TV on April 4. Viewers can also watch episodes on the In Love and Ashes YouTube page. You can watch the trailer below.

Bernard Dayo

When Bernard Dayo isn’t writing about pop culture, he’s watching horror movies and reading comics and trying to pretend his addiction to Netflix isn’t a serious condition.