Like many book lovers, I have a love-hate relationship with book-to-movie adaptations. Some days, I daydream about my favorite stories flickering to life in a dark cinema. When it is done right, it feels like stepping onto the pages of the book itself. But when it is done wrong, you’ll consider calling the police on everyone involved.
Frankly, not every book will have the luck that the Godfather movie adaptation did. But that is not enough reason to stop dreaming. Here is a list of books I will pay good money (my whole puffpuff budget) to see adapted to the big screen by next year.
1. The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi
Akwaeke Emezi’s second novel follows Vivek, a young man determined to defy the traditional expectations placed on men in Nigerian society—especially in Eastern Nigeria, where the story unfolds.
This book earns its place on this list for its intriguing story and the way it brings to life a theme rarely seen in Nigerian media: people trying to navigate love, queerness and grief in a conservative society like Nigeria. Also, I can’t wait to see who could possibly bring Vivek Oji to life on screen.
2. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
When I search for a word to describe this book, ‘timeless’ is the word I return to most often. Chinua Achebe published this book in 1958 and decades later, in 2025, it is still culturally relevant. Set against the backdrop of early colonialist incursion into Nigeria, it tells the story of Okonkwo, a young man, who fights against all odds to make a name for himself, and ends up losing it all.
Now, I know what you’re about to say: “But it already has a TV series.” First, that movie came out ages ago in 1971, you probably weren’t even born then. Second, I know a remake is currently in the works starring Idris Elba, I do not know how to feel about that. And third, I’m proposing this one be filmed entirely in Igbo. Because watching Things Fall Apart in English just doesn’t feel right.
3. Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Purple Hibiscus was the first ever Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie book I read and it changed my life. After reading it for the first time in JSS 2, I fell in love with Adichie’s writing. Purple Hibiscus tells the story of Kambili, a 15 year old who lives under the control of her abusive and devout catholic father, Eugene.
Nollywood doesn’t currently have many movies that capture teenagehood the way Adichie does, letting us live inside young Kambili’s world. If this ever becomes a movie, I pray we get actual teenagers to play these roles.
4. Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives by Lola Shoneyin
A remake of Fuji House of Commotion? Yes, please. Every day I wake up and thank Shoneyin for this masterpiece. The novel follows a wealthy, polygamous man whose household is thrown into disarray when his fourth and newest wife cannot conceive.
For this one, I’m advocating a limited series rather than a movie. There’s just too much nuance—the individual stories of each wife deserve space to breathe, and a two-hour film won’t do them justice.
5. Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
It’s not every day you come across a book that takes you on a ride through history and nails it. Set against the backdrop of the Nigeria-Biafra war, the novel follows three distinct lives: Ugwu, the houseboy of Odenigbo; Odenigbo, a radical university professor; and Olanna, his lover, as they navigate the complexities of their personal lives in a world turned upside down.
This is another story that desperately needs a remake. Half of a Yellow Sun is too rich and layered to feel rushed. The old movie did not do Ugwu justice. Casting him as an older man made him feel worlds away from the Ugwu we grew to know and love in the novel. If that alone is reason enough for a new adaptation, it is still valid.
6. Fine Boys by Eghosa Imasuen
Fine Boys makes you feel like you’re walking the University of Benin campus yourself. It’s a coming-of-age novel that follows Ewaen and his friends as they navigate friendships, rivalries, and the constant undercurrent of danger on campus.
Once again, Nollywood lacks stories that truly capture the lives of young Nigerians. When it does try, the stories either don’t feel age-appropriate or the actors are way off. Old Nollywood had movies that gave real insight into university life. Adapting Fine Boys into a movie would be a great way to run it back, maybe our very own Sex Lives of College Girls, or Secret Cult Lives of UniBen Boys.
7. Last Days at Forcados High by A.H Mohammed
This is another book I read in secondary school and immediately fell in love with. It follows Jimi Solade, the most popular boy at an elite secondary school, as he navigates his final days at Forcados High while facing challenges like his mother’s cancer diagnosis and the return of his troubled brother.
The highlight of this book is how realistically it portrays Nigerian student life. The story feels genuine, and that’s exactly why it needs a movie adaptation. We need more films made for young people, and most importantly, acted by young people.
