Nigeria's "19" Premieres at GUBA, Lands in Barbados Schools. Is This the Future of Afro-Caribbean Co-Productions?
- Sahndra Fon Dufe
- 7 days ago
- 8 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
Bridgetown, Barbados The first day of the GUBA Trade & Investment Forum 2025 concluded with something unexpected: a standing ovation for a Nigerian film that would, within hours, become part of Barbados' national curriculum.
On the evening of November 10, after a full day of panels on reparations, financial integration, and diaspora investment at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre, delegates and guests filed into the theater for the world exclusive premiere of "19," directed by Nigerian filmmaker Tola Odunsi. What they witnessed wasn't just cinema, it was a blueprint for how African and Caribbean creative industries can collaborate and capitalize on their shared cultural DNA.
The Miller Holding-sponsored GUBA Trade and Investment Conference and Awards 2025 which brought ministers, investors, and cultural leaders from Accra to Bridgetown on the first-ever direct charter flight between the two nations had spent the day discussing how to monetize cultural assets and build cross-Atlantic partnerships in entertainment. By evening, "19" had become the embodiment of that vision.
A Film That Sparked Immediate Action
Starring Stan Nze, Nollywood legend Sola Sobowale, and Bisola Aiyeola, and others, "19" tackles the difficult intersection of fraudulent crime and youth in contemporary Nigeria (and neighboring countries). The screening drew enthusiastic applause from delegates, with performances that resonated deeply with audiences from Prime Minister Mia Mottley to everyday Bajans who packed the hall.
Deyemi Okanlawon, Bisola Aiyeola, Boma Akpore, and William Benson (not present at the premiere) delivered performances that moved the room beyond cultural and linguistic barriers. Despite differences in lexicon and pidgin slang, Bajan audience members were completely absorbed so much so that some asked the actors personal plot questions during the Q&A. The cast jokingly responded with "e get as it be," a Nigerian slang meaning the script dictates the story, not them. The room erupted in laughter. It was comedic, therapeutic, and inspiring to watch the crowd reacted on cue, unprovoked. Sitting next to the director himself made the experience even more surreal. The film tackles one of Nigeria's most controversial social crises: "yahoo yahoo," the internet fraud epidemic that has ensnared a generation.
"19" doesn't shy away from these uncomfortable truths. The film's compelling message struck a chord with audiences and policymakers alike. Within hours, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office with responsibility for Culture, Senator Dr. Shantal Munro-Knight, offered a powerful testimony. "After a full day of conference, I was struggling a little bit about the evening activities," she admitted. "And oh man, was I lucky to have been able to be here to see this premiere." She praised the film's "top tier professionalism" and its authentic storytelling. "One of the things that I am very passionate about is that we tell our stories, our own stories, in our authentic way and to be true to ourselves," she said. But what moved her most was the film's universality: "That story could be transplanted right here in Bridgetown, in St. Michael. And it would have been relevant right here. That means we have to transcend the narratives we've been told about who we are and why we shouldn't work together." She concluded with a call to action: "We have a responsibility to ourselves and to the generation that comes behind. If we know and we are here and we've been elected, it's our responsibility to say what's the next step to change. How do we build those bonds that are very concrete and very personal?"
Also present, Hon. Chad Blackman, Barbados' Minister for Transformational Education, announced plans to introduce the film into schools nationwide. The decision signals something larger than educational programming. It's a bellwether for an emerging cross-Atlantic co-production model that could redefine Black cinema's global footprint.
Also in attendance was veteran Hollywood actor Clarke Peters, whose presence underscored the international significance of the premiere.
The Q&A That Became a Business Plan
Following the screening, an engaging Q&A session brought together Odunsi, Nze, and Sobowale for an intimate conversation about the filmmaking process, the story's themes, and the growing opportunities for Africa-Caribbean co-productions in the creative economy a topic that resonated with the day's earlier discussions on monetizing cultural assets and building cross-Atlantic partnerships in entertainment.
Odunsi's film confronts this reality head-on. "This film was also about showing how even our immediate environment enables us," he explained during the Q&A. For the director, yahoo yahoo isn't just a crime it's a pandemic that requires honest examination. He wants to use his platform to address the difficult subjects that Nigerian cinema often glosses over, exploring how societal structures, family pressures, and normalized behaviors create conditions where fraud becomes an acceptable path for desperate youth.
One Distribution Gap That GUBA Is Solving
The premiere of "19" at GUBA represents more than a film screeningit's a test case for African cinema's expansion into Caribbean markets, a relationship that has remained paradoxically underdeveloped despite obvious cultural connections.
The demand is already there. According to a Pulse Report, approximately 40% of Caribbean populations regularly watch Nollywood films, drawn to the industry's relatable storytelling that mirrors their own experiences, family dynamics, economic struggles, social issues, and shared colonial histories. The films' use of pidgin, focus on everyday life, and cultural authenticity create a powerful sense of familiarity for Caribbean audiences.
Yet the supply chain remains broken. Nollywood is the world's second-largest film industry by volume, producing upwards of 2,500 films annually and generating an estimated $6.4 billion in revenue. Despite this output and proven Caribbean audience appetite, fewer than 30% of Caribbean nations have consistent access to Nollywood content through traditional distribution channels.
In the 15-nation CARICOM region home to over 16 million people African films are largely consumed through informal means: YouTube uploads, diaspora-driven DVD circulation, and fragmented streaming platforms. Theatrical releases and institutional partnerships remain virtually nonexistent. The gap isn't demand. It's infrastructure. And that's exactly what GUBA is designed to address.
Nollywood is the world's second-largest film industry by volume, producing upwards of 2,500 films annually and generating an estimated $6.4 billion in revenue. Yet its penetration into Caribbean markets remains thin. According to industry data, fewer than 30% of Caribbean nations have consistent access to Nollywood content through traditional distribution channels. In the 15-nation CARICOM region home to over 16 million people African films are largely consumed through informal streaming platforms, YouTube uploads, and diaspora-driven DVD circulation rather than theatrical releases or institutional partnerships.
Nollywood is the world's second-largest film industry by volume, producing upwards of 2,500 films annually and generating an estimated $6.4 billion in revenue. Yet its penetration into Caribbean markets remains paradoxically thin despite obvious cultural affinities.
According to industry data, fewer than 30% of Caribbean nations have consistent access to Nollywood content through traditional distribution channels. In the 15-nation CARICOM region home to over 16 million people African films are largely consumed through informal streaming platforms, YouTube uploads, and diaspora-driven DVD circulation rather than theatrical releases or institutional partnerships.
The reasons are structural: fragmented distribution networks, limited theatrical infrastructure in smaller island nations, and the historical dominance of Hollywood and Bollywood content in Caribbean media markets. But perhaps most critically, there's been a lack of intentional bridge-building between West African production hubs and Caribbean exhibition ecosystems.
Miller Holding's sponsorship of the historic charter flight from Accra to Bridgetown carrying government ministers, investors, and cultural leaders signals private sector commitment to removing these barriers. GUBA 2025 positioned itself as that bridge.
When Government Becomes Distributor
Hon. Chad Blackman's commitment to place "19" in Barbados schools is unprecedented in scope. It's not merely an endorsement it's state-sponsored distribution at scale, reaching every secondary school student on the island. For Odunsi, best known for his celebrated TV series Men's Club the Barbados premiere represents validation that African narratives don't need to be diluted or "Westernized" to travel. They need platforms. And GUBA provided exactly that: a forum where art meets policy, where screenings lead to distribution deals, and where culture becomes capital.
The Economic Engine of Cultural Alignment
The throughline connecting Day 1's panels to the evening's premiere was clear: culture is capital. And the Africa-Caribbean corridor represents billions in untapped economic potential if the infrastructure can catch up to the demand.
"What we witnessed yesterday was transformative," said Lady Dentaa Amoateng MBE, Founder & President of GUBA Enterprise. "From the powerful conversations around reparatory justice and diaspora investment to the tangible frameworks for financial integration and tourism partnerships, every session reinforced that our collective economic power is immense when we work together across the Atlantic."
The numbers support her optimism. The global African diaspora represents approximately $2 trillion in collective spending power. Caribbean nations, many of which derive 40-60% of GDP from tourism and creative industries, are increasingly looking to African content as both cultural reclamation and economic diversification.
Co-productions offer mutual benefit: African filmmakers gain access to Caribbean locations, tax incentives, and English-speaking markets; Caribbean nations gain content that resonates with local audiences while building production capacity and technical expertise.
Why GUBA's Model Works
The relationship between African and Caribbean creative markets has historically been complicated by colonial legacies, geographic distance, and competing cultural influences. While music particularly Afrobeats has successfully penetrated Caribbean markets through festival circuits like Afronation, film has lagged behind.
GUBA's model flips that script. By embedding film premieres within trade forums, linking screenings to educational initiatives, and facilitating direct conversation between filmmakers and government stakeholders, the platform creates pathways that didn't previously exist. The day had featured panels with creative economy architects like King SMADE (Afronation founder) and Mary Spio (CEO of CEEK AI) discussing how to monetize cultural assets. By evening, "19" had become the case study proof that when you bring the right stakeholders into the same room, deals happen in real time.
What "19" Proves
The decision to integrate "19" into Barbados' educational system validates what African filmmakers have long argued: their stories are not just entertainment. They are education, cultural preservation, and social commentary. For Odunsi, whose reputation as one of Nigeria's most compelling storytellers is well-established, the Barbados recognition affirms that African narratives possess universal resonance when given proper platforms.
For Stan Nze and Sola Sobowale, the Barbados premiere demonstrates that Nollywood's influence can extend far beyond West Africa if the distribution models evolve.
The Bigger Industry Shift
GUBA's emphasis on "culture as capital" explored in sessions with thought leaders like John Hope Bryant (Operation HOPE) and content creator Wode Maya reflects a critical shift in how the African diaspora views creative output.
Film, music, fashion, and art are no longer just expressions of identity. They are economic engines capable of generating jobs, attracting investment, and anchoring soft power strategies.
When governments like Barbados commit to integrating African films into educational systems, they're not simply celebrating culture, they're making an investment thesis. They're betting that cultural alignment translates to economic partnership, that storytelling can be monetized across borders, and that the Africa-Caribbean creative corridor represents a competitive advantage in global markets increasingly hungry for authentic, diverse narratives. As the GUBA Awards ceremony unfolded, honoring excellence across business, entertainment, public service, and diaspora leadership, "19" stood as proof that African stories told by African filmmakers, performed by African actors, have the power to move not just audiences, but entire systems.
The question now is whether this moment catalyzes sustained co-production frameworks or remains an isolated success story. If Barbados is any indication, the future of Afro-Caribbean cinema isn't coming. It's already here.
Photography by Ernest Simmons & Jol Photography
About GUBA Enterprise:
GUBA (Gathering for Unity, Business & Action) is a global platform connecting Africa, the Caribbean, and their diaspora through strategic partnerships, investment facilitation, and cultural celebration.
For more information:
Visit www.gubaawards.com
Comments