By Emeke Precious Nwaoboli
Professor Osakue Stevenson Omoera, Professor of Theatre and Film Studies at the Federal University Otuoke (FUO), Bayelsa State, delivered his 30th inaugural lecture titled ‘Orobosa’: The Evolving Poetics of Benin-Language Film in Nollywood on Wednesday, 28th January, 2026, to a packed auditorium of academics, students, and film enthusiasts, and unprecedented number of virtual audience from around the world. The lecture was met with sustained applause, with many attendees describing it as “outstanding” for its depth, scholarly insight, and cultural significance.
The Vice-Chancellor of FUO, Professor Teddy Charles Adias, led a host of dignitaries and university officials in congratulating Professor Omoera for his pioneering work in Benin-language film scholarship. Other notable guests included local cultural leaders, film practitioners, international stakeholders and individuals from the Nigerian film industry, all of whom were present to witness the milestone lecture.
Professor Omoera’s lecture traced the historical development of Benin-language films, exploring their early beginnings, production sites, and audiences. He highlighted Nollywood as both a cultural and industrial phenomenon, demonstrating how films serve multiple functions, including entertainment, social commentary, and the preservation of cultural heritage.
Central to his presentation was the Benin worldview as an infrastructure for local filmmaking, accompanied by a detailed taxonomy of Benin-language films. The genres discussed ranged from epic and comic films to rags-to-riches, Pentecostal/Christian, documentary, musical video dramas, action/sci-fi, and horror thriller films. Attendees were particularly engaged by the discussion of evolutionary waves in the industry—Pre-Evbakoe, Evbakoe, Ikoka, and Post-Ikoka—which charted the transformation of storytelling in local cinema.
The lecture also examined the role of the “Orange Economy” in globalising and localising Nollywood films, emphasising the “Triad of Screen Power” in Benin-language film and other indigenous language film productions in the Niger Delta region and Nigeria. Professor Omoera encouraged youths to explore filmmaking as a viable career and entrepreneurial avenue, highlighting opportunities for startups and MSMEs within the Benin film sector.
Concluding the lecture, Professor Omoera presented proposals for the future of Benin-language films in a glocalised world and underscored the importance of balancing cultural preservation with global engagement. The lecture received standing ovations from attendees, with many praising it as a landmark contribution to Nigerian film studies.
The event drew significant attention from academics, students, dignitaries and film industry practitioners from prestigious scholarly associations like the Society of Nigerian Theatre Artists (SONTA) and the Film Educators' Guild of Nigeria (FEGON), marking a major milestone in the documentation and promotion of indigenous language film cinema in Africa.
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