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Paper short abstract:

Nollywood filmmakers are beginning to see the currency in recreating indigenous stories around cultural legends and myths. Anikulapo and Eleshin Oba become significant indigenous models that set the tone for indigenous films and for the rejuvenation of African folklore on the Nigerian screen.

Paper long abstract:

Nigeria is at a time in its social-cultural life where looking back at the past for inspiration is gaining agency. Nollywood filmmakers are beginning to see the currency in recreating indigenous stories around cultural legends and myths. The year 2022 witnessed the premiere of at least three such films: King of Thieves (Agesinkole), Anikulapo, and Elesin Oba (The King's Horseman). Prior to 2022, films given to indigenous content such as Amina (2021) and The Griot (2021), prepared the taste of Nollywood lovers for the surge to come. Both films become significant indigenous models that set the tone not just for indigenous films, but for the rejuvenation of African folklore on the Nigerian screen. The film did not only revisit the past in terms of content but also with form. Employing story in story techniques, dance, and songs like the historic tales by moonlight. This paper uses Anikulapo, and Elesin Oba (The King's Horseman) as a case study for revisiting indigenous African storytelling techniques and a tool for engineering new approaches for future storytelling in Nigeria and Africa. The language of films is Yoruba, the story techniques are very indigenous and open up the space for discourse around indigenous reawakening in Nollywood and the prospect of a change in storytelling trajectory that becomes genuinely African. With the boom of historical recreation in Nollywood, hopes as to whether the industry can begin to make profound statements creating future direction for entertainment in Africa becomes a possibility.