Zikoko Life Anthology Returns for Second Edition with New Director and Expanded Storytelling

Big Cabal Media is bringing back Zikoko Life, the anthology film series that translates Zikoko’s sharp, intimate journalism into short films, and has announced a new director for the upcoming season. The second edition will deepen its exploration of love, sex, and autonomy in contemporary Nigerian life, focusing more closely on the inner worlds of young Nigerians.

Launched in 2025, the first Zikoko Life anthology was Zikoko’s major debut into filmmaking. It adapted popular editorial franchises—Naira Life, Sex Life, and Love Life—into three short films that captured the realities of Nigerian womanhood. The series was noted for its clear vision, emotionally honest storytelling, and its ability to preserve Zikoko’s signature voice while moving from page to screen.

The second chapter builds on that momentum with a new slate of stories and a tighter focus on identity, desire, and personal autonomy. The characters are caught between family expectations, cultural norms, religious pressures, and the growing pains of youth. The anthology continues to ask the same core questions: what does it mean to claim autonomy over your sex life, your relationships, and your sense of self in today’s Nigeria?

These themes align closely with Zikoko’s broader editorial mission, which has long centred on young Nigerians’ lived experiences, especially around gender, relationships, and modern culture.

Created and executive produced by Anita E. Eboigbe for Big Cabal Media, the new edition is produced and showrun by Blessing Uzzi—known for Freedom Way and Call of My Life—through BluHouse Studios. Uzzi also writes one of the films in the anthology.

Returning directors Dika Ofoma and Uzoamaka Power will reprise their roles from the first season, bringing continuity to the series’ visual and narrative style. They are joined by new director Kaelo Iyizoba, whose addition signals the anthology’s expansion and willingness to bring fresh voices into its storytelling ensemble.

Zikoko Life represents a significant move for digital media brands in Nigeria: adapting written journalism into a short-form film anthology that retains editorial depth while gaining cinematic impact. By focusing on love, sex, and autonomy, the series taps into conversations that are already central to Zikoko’s audience but often underexplored in mainstream Nigerian media. The return of the anthology with a strengthened production team and new director suggests that this is not a one-off experiment but an evolving platform. For viewers, creators, and industry observers, Zikoko Life is becoming a notable space where Nigerian youth narratives are told with honesty, nuance, and a distinct cultural voice.

The films in the second edition: 

Siraam 

Siraam, written and directed by Uzoamaka Power, stars Genoveva Umeh as the titular lead. The film first premiered at the S16 Film Festival in November 2025, where it drew attention for its introspective storytelling and nuanced portrayal of a young woman negotiating love, sex, and selfhood. With the upcoming release of the Zikoko Life anthology, Siraam reaches a wider audience as a key work in Power’s growing body of writing and filmmaking. It is a film about a woman’s journey to self-discovery, told through the lens of her relationships and the choices she makes about her body, her desire, and her future.

Before We Fall Asleep 

Before We Fall Asleep, written by Blessing Uzzi and directed by Kaelo Iyizoba, follows a couple whose union is thrown into turmoil when the core dynamics of their relationship start to shift. Starring Tobi Bakre, Onyinye Odukoro, and Rita Edochie, the film examines how quiet resentments, unspoken fears, and changing power balances can destabilise what once felt secure. 

A Happy Ending 

A Happy Ending, written and directed by Dika Ofoma, is an ode to old Nollywood, reimagined. It follows a young woman who moves to a big city to start life afresh, only to be confronted with more choices than she envisioned. It stars Ifeoma Obinwa and Ruby Okezie.