Nollywood audiences are gearing up for the highly anticipated release of Radio Sunrise, a screen adaptation of Anietie Isong’s award-winning novel. The movie premieres on October 1, bringing to life a story that mixes humor, satire, romance, and social commentary. With a strong creative team behind the project and an impressive cast lineup, the fillm is positioned as one of Nollywood’s biggest literary adaptations in recent years.
Storyline
At the heart of Radio Sunrise is Ifiok, a young journalist navigating the pressures of a compromised media industry. His career at a Lagos radio station is marred by funding cuts, office politics, and personal scandals. While a trip to the Niger Delta exposes deeper national issues such as militancy and corruption. The story cleverly balances satire and seriousness, showing how personal choices intersect with larger social dilemmas.
Filming took place in Lagos and the Niger Delta, grounding the story in real locations that mirror the novel’s setting. The backdrop provides a visual authenticity to the struggles of journalism in modern Nigeria and the cultural complexities of the Niger Delta region.
Cast and Crew
Emem Isong Misodi of Royal Arts Academy produces the film, and Uduak Isong Oguamanam of Closer Pictures directs it. Their partnership blends decades of Nollywood filmmaking experience with a sharp eye for literary material. Executive producers include Kenneth Ochije, Emmanuel Ekpenyong, and the author himself, Anietie Isong. This is to ensure that the adaptation stays true to the essence of the novel.
The cast features a mix of seasoned and rising Nollywood stars. Bimbo Ademoye brings her charisma to the screen, alongside Maurice Sam, Akin Lewis, Uche Montana, Pere Egbi, and Tomi Ojo. Adding comic flavor is Adebowale Adedayo (Mr Macaroni), known for his unique blend of humor and social critique. Together, the ensemble promises a dynamic interpretation of the novel’s themes of ambition, morality, and personal struggles.
Why This Release Matters
The original novel Radio Sunrise earned the McKitterick Prize and reached the longlist for the 9mobile Prize for Literature. Its recognition established Anietie Isong as a strong literary voice, and its adaptation signals Nollywood’s growing appetite for nuanced, book-based stories. The film not only entertains but also raises conversations about integrity, love, and identity in a rapidly changing society.
Radio Sunrise will premiere on October 1 on Uduak Isong TV with its blend of humor and heartfelt performances. Therefore, both readers of the novel and newcomers to the story will easily find something engaging in this Nollywood adaptation, and as a result, it successfully bridges literature and cinema in a bold yet entertaining fashion.
