Tough Love S1

Tough Love is an exciting Nigerian family drama that explores the struggles of women in a patriarchal society through childhood friends Debola and Chinonye and their mothers. The ladies are fresh out of NYSC and are already being bombarded by questions of marriage.

The series casts a spotlight on the pressures faced by female children after their first degree. Sons are encouraged to pursue high-paying jobs or acquire more degrees while daughters are told to bring a man home, and the case is no different for Debola and Chinonye.

“Now that you have finished NYSC, the next thing is for you to be thinking of something serious,” Chinonye’s mum tells her when she says she’s ready for the next phase of her life. “This is the right time. You’re young, and you’re educated; if a man comes, marry!”

Tough love also highlights the problem of absentee fathers. Debola’s dad, Lolu, left her and her mother, Sade, for greener pasture abroad and didn’t return when he found out she was pregnant. Chinonye’s dad is never around; he is always in Aba for business while her mum stays alone in their Lagos mansion. The relationships between the mums and the dads are in shambles. Demola’s dad is trying to come into her life, but her mother is having none of it.

The series, directed by Billion Obi, features an exciting mix of Nollywood legends and new stars, from Nkem Owoh and Sola Sobowale to Jemima Osunde, Timini Egbuson, Sharon Ooja and Sophie Alakija.