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'Palaver: A Romance of Northern Nigeria' - Nigeria's first foray into cinema

How much of Nigeria's film history do you know?

Before the years of 1/3 pounds road Aba, the Idumota and Ubakason plaza movies, Nigerians had long begun to explore film making.

The Nigerian film industry, though unnamed, officially kicked off in the 1920s with a silent film titled 'Palaver: A Romance of Northern Nigeria' and shot in black and white and in 35mm.

'Palaver' was directed by Geoffrey Barkas and shot in 1926 [Ohafrika]
'Palaver' was directed by Geoffrey Barkas and shot in 1926 [Ohafrika]

Agreeably the first film short in Nigeria, 'Palaver' was directed by Oscar award-winning Geoffrey Barkas and shot by Stanley Rodwell, both English filmmakers.

'Palaver' was shot in the now Bauchi state [Ohafrika]
'Palaver' was shot in the now Bauchi state [Ohafrika]

The movie is based on a war caused by a rivalry between a British district officer and a tin miner and filmed in northern Nigeria among the Sura and Ngas people. Its final cut with a running time of 1 hour, 18 minutes premiered in cinemas on April 24, 1927.

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