Toluwani Obayan
Toluwani Obayan | |
|---|---|
 Obayan in 2020 | |
| Born | Toluwani Obayan 13 August 1990 |
| Alma mater |
|
| Occupations |
|
| Writing career | |
| Language | English |
| Notable works | |
Toluwani Obayan (born 13 August 1990) is a Nigerian author, screenwriter, and director known for her contributions to the Nigerian film industry, Nollywood.[1][2]
Obayan wrote Ponzi (2021),[3] a comedic film about Nigeria's economic challenges, This Lady Called Life (2020), and Something Like Gold (2023). She also directed the short film Heart & Might and authored a self-help book Becoming A Spectacular Woman (2018).[4]
Early life and education
Toluwani Obayan was born in Ilorin, Nigeria.[5] She is of mixed Nigerian heritage. Her father is from Kogi State, her mother is from Edo State, and her paternal grandmother is from Abia State. From 1996 to 1999, her family lived in England.[6]
Career
Toluwani's career in Nollywood began as a video editor at Wale Adenuga Productions.[7]
Her directorial debut was Heart & Might (2017), a short film about individuals involved in the fight against Boko Haram. In 2017, she was a staff writer at The Other News and became head writer by 2019.[8] She was a screenwriter for This Lady Called Life (2020), for which she received the Best of Nollywood (BON) Award for Best Screenplay and an Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Award (AMVCA) nomination for Best Writer.[9][10][11]
In 2021, she wrote Ponzi. She also worked on Something Like Gold. In 2022, she directed her debut feature film as part of the First Features initiative by Native Filmworks.[12]
Recognition and influence
Toluwani Obayan's work has been featured in Nigerian and international publications. She also participates in initiatives that support emerging filmmakers and writers in Nigerian cinema.[13][14]
Personal life
Toluwani married in July 2023 and welcomed her first child in December 2025.
Filmography
As Writer
| Year | Title | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Heart & Might | Short film, debut as writer | |
| 2017–2019 | The Other News | TV Series, Head-writer | |
| 2020 | This Lady Called Life | ||
| 2021 | Ponzi | Also screenplay | |
| 2022 | Finding Diana | Short | |
| 2023 | Something Like Gold | written along with Adaeze Ibechukwu | |
Awards and recognition
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | AMVCA | Best Writer (Movie/TV Series) | This Lady Called Life | Nominated | [15][16] |
| 2020 | 2020 Best of Nollywood Awards | Best Screenplay | Won |
References
- ↑ Memeh, Kikachi (2022-01-15). "7 Nollywood Screenwriters We Want More of in 2022". Pulse Nigeria. Retrieved 2022-07-16.
- ↑ "SheWrites 30: A Celebration of 30 Outstanding Female Screenwriters in Nollywood". What Kept Me Up.com. 9 March 2024.
- ↑ Lawal, Khadijat (2021-02-23). "Ponzi, 'La femme Anjola... Nigerian movies that will hit the screens in March". Daily Trust. Retrieved 2022-07-16.
- ↑ Obayan, Toluwani (2018-02-02). Becoming A Spectacular Woman. Whole Healthy Group LLC. ISBN 978-978-963-902-1.
- ↑ "Aize Olohigbe Obayan 1960 - 2019". The Nation. Lagos, Nigeria.
- ↑ "The Nation (Roehampton Institute)". The Nation. Lagos, Nigeria.
- ↑ "Wale Adenuga Show". IMDb.
- ↑ "The Other News". IMDb.
- ↑ Oyero, Ezekiel (2022-03-20). "AMVCA 8: Organisers announce nominees in 33 categories". Premium Times. Retrieved 2022-07-16.
- ↑ "AMVCA 2022 Nominees".
- ↑ "BON Awards: 'Living in Bondage', 'This Lady Called Life' win big". Vanguard. Lagos, Nigeria. December 6, 2020.
- ↑ "The Guardian". The Guardian. Lagos, Nigeria. 19 February 2022.
- ↑ Chen, Adrian (15 January 2018). "Using Comedy to Strengthen Nigeria's Democracy". The New Yorker.
- ↑ Olanrewaju, Oluwadamilola (2024-07-19). "7 Nollywood Screenwriters You Should Know". Zikoko. Retrieved 2024-10-28.
- ↑ "AMVCA: 2022 Africa Magic Awards Nominees don land- See who dey list - BBC News Pidgin". BBC News Pidgin. March 21, 2022. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
- ↑ Oyero, Ezekiel (March 20, 2022). "AMVCA 8: Organisers announce nominees in 33 categories". Premium Times. Retrieved November 17, 2022.