Showmax Original telenovela Wura spotlights Nigeria’s gold mines

Showmax is set to launch a new Original telenovela titled Wura in January 2023. A Nigerian adaptation of the hit South African 1Magic telenovela, The River, Wura is billed to be Showmax’s first and longest-running Nigerian telenovela, with over 200 episodes.

Wura: Watch the trailer

Set against the backdrop of the gold mining industry in the Iperindo community of Osun state, Wura tells the story of Wura-Amoo Adeleke, a perfect wife, a loving mother of two, and the ruthless Chief Executive Officer of the fictional Frontline Gold Mine. In the eyes of her family, Wura is faultless and a saint, but when it comes to running her business empire, she is the ultimate iron lady who doesn’t care whose ox is gored in her path to get what she wants.

The episodic drama stars Nollywood veterans and upcomers, including fast-rising Nollywood star, Scarlet Gomez, who is cast as the lead Wura Amoo-Adeleke, popular Nollywood Yoruba actor, Yomi Fash-Lanso who plays Anthony Amoo-Adeleke and Nollywood veteran, Carol King as Grace Adeleke.

Wura also stars Ray Adeka as Jejeloye “Jeje” Amoo, Iremide Adeoye as Lolu Adeleke, Ego Iheanacho as Iyabo Kuti, Martha Ehinome as Tumininu “Tumi” Kuti, and Lanre Adediwura as Olumide Kuti.

Speaking ahead of the launch of the show, Executive Head: Content and West Africa Channels, MultiChoice Nigeria, Dr Busola Tejumola said: “Wura explores the untold story of gold mining in Nigeria and is a demonstration of Showmax’s continued investment in authentic local stories. Each scene is carefully crafted to thoroughly entertain as well as educate our viewers. This is going to be our longest-running Nigerian telenovela with over 200 episodes, and as you can imagine, a lot of hard work and long hours have gone into making it. We are incredibly proud of the outcome and cannot wait to share it with the world.”

Also speaking on the show, multiple award-winning filmmaker and Executive Producer for Wura, Rogers Ofime said, “Our research into the world of Wura has given us a new belief in Nollywood. We poured our hearts and soul into the show. Every word, every scene, and every reaction was a thought-provoking journey, a journey we would like you to be a part of and be entertained by. Wura gives all the emotions that a well-rounded series should; it will pull you into its world of intricacies, whodunit, deceit, triumph, and suspense from the very first frame to the last. We have no doubt that our viewers will enjoy Wura as much as we loved making it for their viewing pleasure.”

Iperindo, where the show is set, is a small community in Osun state in the South-Western part of Nigeria. It is one of the clusters of seven gold deposits around Ilesha town. But, despite the promise that the presence of the precious metal holds for Iperindo and surrounding communities, residents are still plagued by poverty and exposed to environmental disasters as a result of illegal mining activities. Wura, though fictional, will throw some light on this.    

With Wura, Showmax continues to expand its library of local content and investment in Nigeria’s film industry, Nollywood. In 2022, the video streaming service added five new Nigerian Originals to its roster including the reality TV series, The Real Housewives of Lagos; a 10-part docu-series on the history of Afrobeats, Journey of the Beats; the psychological thriller, Diiche; the drama series, Flawsome; and the recent Nigerian adaptation of the police procedural drama, Crime and Justice Lagos.

Wura will debut on Showmax on Monday, 23 January 2023, with four episodes weekly.