A new African epic is set to storm cinemas worldwide on July 25—and it’s not coming quietly.
“Ireke: Rise of the Maroons” arrives with the full weight of ancestral storytelling, armed with a 96-minute tale that cuts through history and injustice like a hot blade. Directed by Emmy-nominated BBC journalist Gbolahan Peter Macjob, the film is already being hailed as a cultural landmark.
With stars like Bolanle Ninalowo, Tobi Bakre, Fathia Balogun, Peter Fatomilola, and Atlanta Bridget Johnson in tow, the cast is as bold as the message: this is Africa, speaking for itself.
Telling Our Own History
Set in the 18th century, “Ireke” traces the brutal descent of a Nigerian family into the claws of transatlantic slavery. But the film doesn’t stop at despair—it roars into rebellion.
Enslaved Africans, once bound by chains, rise in defiance on Caribbean plantations. Their revolt births the Maroons, a self-liberated community whose resistance would rattle colonial empires.
“The slave theme is not new,” Macjob said. “But every single slave movie we have watched was made in Hollywood.”
This time, Africa writes the script—and owns it.
“The fact that this story centers around the heroics of our ancestors is exactly why I… had to bring it to life,” he said.
The film doesn’t just entertain. It educates. It remembers.
It challenges viewers to confront painful truths—like the economic reasons some African kingdoms joined in the slave trade.
But Macjob insists: “Ultimately, Ireke is a tale of triumph, rebellion, and cultural reckoning.”
A Global Milestone for Nigerian Cinema
After making history as the first Nigerian local language film to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, “Ireke” isn’t slowing down.
On July 25, it will debut in over 100 cinemas simultaneously across Nigeria, the UK, Ghana, Benin, and Austria. That’s a first for any Nigerian production.
The film has also secured a groundbreaking deal with Odeon—the largest cinema chain in Europe. Another first.
“These were slaves who collaborated and found victory through unity,” Macjob said. “Our history shows we are stronger together than apart.”
“Ireke: Rise of the Maroons” arrives not just as a movie, but as a movement—a cinematic reclaiming of memory, pride, and purpose.
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