Media executive Mo Abudu has appointed five leading actors in The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives as executive producers, expanding their responsibilities on the forthcoming Nigerian film ahead of its December theatrical release.
The announcement, made on Monday, 2 November 2026, names Odunlade Adekola, Iyabo Ojo, Mercy Aigbe, Bimbo Ademoye and Omowunmi Dada. All five appear in the adaptation of Lola Shoneyin’s novel, which is being brought to the screen by EbonyLife Films and its production partners.
According to the announcement shared by Abudu, the actors will contribute beyond their screen performances to the film’s strategic direction and plans to reach audiences internationally. The appointments add five prominent performers to an executive production group that already includes Abudu, Nnaeto Orazulike, Moses Babatope, Guy Murray-Bruce, Cecil Hammond and Keke Hammond.
Adekola, who plays Baba Segi, described the additional responsibility as an opportunity to influence the direction and international reach of the production. His remarks, issued with the announcement, emphasised the ambition to take a distinctly African story to viewers beyond Nigeria.
The new appointments arrive as the producers prepare for a major December release. The film is scheduled to open in African cinemas on 4 December, with international and diaspora releases announced for 11 December. Cinema schedules and local opening dates may vary by territory.
Directed by Daniel Oriahi from a screenplay adapted by Adze Ugah, the film draws on Shoneyin’s 2010 novel about a wealthy Yoruba patriarch and the tensions within his polygamous household. The arrival of an educated fourth wife unsettles established relationships and exposes long-concealed family secrets.
Adekola leads an ensemble that includes Ojo, Aigbe, Ademoye and Dada, alongside other well-known Nollywood performers. The production combines established stars of Yoruba-language cinema with actors recognised across Nigeria’s wider film industry.
The project has already attracted attention beyond the domestic market. Its international festival journey included a Toronto International Film Festival premiere in September and a London Film Festival screening in October. Those appearances preceded the planned commercial release rather than replacing it.
For EbonyLife Films, the adaptation also represents a return to theatrical distribution after an extended period away from Nigerian cinema releases. The company is working with partners including Genesis Group, Nile Entertainment, Silverbird and Flytime on the production and its wider audience strategy.
The source material has a substantial history of its own. Shoneyin’s novel has reached readers internationally and has previously been adapted for the stage. The film introduces its characters and conflicts to cinema audiences while retaining the story’s Yoruba family setting and its examination of marriage, power and secrecy.
The executive producer designation does not mean that each actor directed or financed the film. The announcement specifically describes expanded responsibilities in strategic and executive matters. It does not disclose individual financial commitments, contractual terms or the precise division of decisions among the newly appointed producers.
With the December opening approaching, the enlarged executive team will now be associated with the film’s final release preparations. The confirmed announcement concerns the five actors’ additional production roles; box-office results and the eventual reach of the international rollout remain to be seen.
