“My Father’s Shadow” Opens Strong at Nigerian Box Office

Following its festival circuit acclaim, Akinola Davies Jr.’s debut feature My Father’s Shadow has opened strongly in Nigerian cinemas.

On September 22, Funmbi Ogunbanwo’s Fatherland Production announced that the film ranked as the country’s highest-grossing title over the weekend. The company did not provide official box office figures.

Set against the backdrop of Nigeria’s June 1993 election crisis, the autobiographical drama follows a father and his two sons navigating Lagos during a period of political and social unrest. 

The film stars Sope Dirisu, Marvellous Egbo, and Godwin Egbo.

The release comes after My Father’s Shadow premiered at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, where it received a special mention for the Camera d’Or, before screening at several other international festivals.

My Father’s Shadow opened in Nigerian cinemas on September 19.