Stakeholders in Nigeria’s film, literary and academic communities have called for stronger collaboration between writers and filmmakers to promote the adaptation of literary works into indigenous language films.

The call was made at a Fireside Film Screening and Discussion organised by the Ibadan Film Circle (IFC) at the Senior Staff Club, University of Ibadan, where participants watched and discussed ‘Tenants of the House’, a film adaptation of a novel of the same title by former lawmaker and writer, Dr Wale Okediran.

Speaking at the event, co-chairperson of the Ibadan Film Circle, Mr Yinka Akanbi, said the organisation, which marked its tenth anniversary this year, had consistently intervened in issues affecting artists and cultural practitioners, although it required greater support to sustain its activities.

Introducing the theme of the discussion, Dr Yinka Smart Babalola explained that the gathering was designed to examine the prospects, challenges and opportunities involved in adapting books into films, particularly indigenous language productions.

Delivering the keynote remarks, Dr Okediran, who is Secretary-General of the Pan-African Writers Association (PAWA) and executive producer of ‘Tenants of the House’, recounted how the film evolved from his novel through collaboration with publisher Gbenro Adegbola, veteran filmmaker Tunde Kelani and director Kunle Afolayan. He noted that adapting books for the screen opens additional streams of income for writers and helps their stories reach wider audiences.

According to him, the growing preference of younger generations for visual media makes film adaptation increasingly important. He disclosed that PAWA had secured a grant aimed at supporting African writers in transforming their books into films.

READ ALSO: Musawa woos Professor Soyinka on preservation strategies for Nigeria’s literary art

Veteran filmmaker, Tunde Kelani, traced his filmmaking journey to his early love for literature, particularly the works of D.O. Fagunwa. He described writers as indispensable partners in filmmaking and recalled adapting works by renowned authors such as Cyprian Ekwensi and Professor Akinwunmi Isola.

Kelani welcomed PAWA’s initiative, arguing that film remains one of the most effective ways of transmitting knowledge to a generation that reads less than previous ones.

Language scholar Dr Tunde Adegbola observed that the Nigerian film industry had yet to fully harness the wealth of literary talent available to it. Stressing that writing and filmmaking are complementary arts, he urged greater cooperation between writers and filmmakers to strengthen adaptation projects.

Also speaking, theatre scholar, Dr Tunde Awosanmi, said film adaptation should not be limited to books alone, noting that cinema can emerge from diverse forms of writing, including journalism and serialised newspaper stories.

He added that the evolution of media platforms has expanded opportunities for storytelling across multiple formats and called on writers to pay attention to the quality of their scripts.

The event attracted a number of distinguished guests, including Professor Mark Nwagwu, Professor Duro Adeleke, Dr Tony Marinho, actor Bimbo Manuel, Professor Remi Raji, Mr Folorunsho Moshood, Mr Dele Morakinyo and other notable figures from the literary, academic and creative sectors.