Vol. 34 No. 3 (2025): Nordic Journal of African Studies
General articles

Warriors and Colonizers: Colonial Allegories and Resistance in Nollywood’s Jagun Jagun

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Omotayo Jemiluyi
University of Missouri Columbia
Bio

Published 2025-09-26

Keywords

  • Jagun Jagun,
  • African Cinema,
  • Nollywood,
  • Colonial and Postcolonial Ideologies,
  • Youth Empowerment

Copyright (c) 2025 Omotayo Jemiluyi

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

Warriors and Colonizers: Colonial Allegories and Resistance in Nollywood’s Jagun Jagun. (2025). Nordic Journal of African Studies, 34(3), 209–226. https://doi.org/10.53228/d8ngnt69

Abstract

This study critically examines (post)colonial ideologies within the Nollywood epic Jagun Jagun (2023), directed by Adebayo Tijjani and Tope Adebayo and produced by Femi Adebayo. Through a colonial reading, the film emerges as a narrative that critiques systems of power, exposes the enduring legacies of colonialism, and accentuates the urgency of African self-determination and youth empowerment. Set against the historical canvas of colonial exploitation and its lingering socio-political impacts, Jagun Jagun knits together a narration of war, love, and betrayal; this study positions the film as presenting a colonial narrative rooted in an African Indigenous framework, explored through its key characters. By situating Jagun Jagun within the evolving landscape of African cinema, this research highlights Nollywood’s role as a medium for confronting historical injustices, promoting cultural resilience, and inspiring African youth to reclaim agency in the face of (post)colonial challenges. It presents the potential of African cinema as a space for artistic expression and as a platform for socio-political critique and the collective reimagining of the continent’s future.

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