Movie Adaptations 8 Nigerian books you should’ve read (but thankfully there's a movie version!)

Everyone’s read it, or at least everyone says they've read it. You have every intention of reading it, too, but somehow these books have been made into movies and you did not bother to read them again.

From the greatest of adventures (J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings), to the most terrifying of horror movies (Stephen King’s The Shining), to most heart warming of romances (Nicholas Sparks’ The Notebook), to the brain twisting thrillers (Robert Ludlum’s Bourne Trilogy), to the best of dramas (Mario Puzo’s The Godfather) to the epic fantasies (J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter Series), to most awesome action movies (Stan Lee’s The Avengers) and the most accurate of biopics (Thomas Keneally’s Schindler’s Ark); literature has always proved to be the best of source materials in movie making.

So, to read or to watch? It’s certainly not a new dilemma, especially in the word of movie adaptations. Here are some Nigerian authored books that we're glad were adapted for the small screen.

1. The Virgin by Bayo Adebowale

Bayo Adebowale’s first novel, was adapted into “The Narrow Path” and was released in 2007.

2. Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Adichie

Chimamanda Adichie; the book which won the 2007 Orange Prize for Fiction was adapted into a movie also titled Half of a Yellow Sun. Featuring a handful of Hollywood stars, the movie also features Nollywood heavyweights such as Genevieve Nnaji, Onyeka Onwenu and OC Ukeje.The movie was released in 2013

3. Maami by Femi Osofisan

Written by Femi Osofisan, the novella ‘Maami’ was adapted into a movie with same title in 2011. The movie features Nollywood stars such as Funke Akindele who plays the role of Maami.

4. Things Fall Apart & No Longer at Ease by Chinua Achebe

Both written by Chinua Achebe, these two books were combined into a movie adaptation titled Bullfrog in the Sun, which was released in 1972.

5. The Perfect Church by Ebi Akpeti

Written in less four hours by, writer-cum-banker, Ebi Akpeti; the book was adapted into a movie by Wale Adenuga Productions (producers of hit TV series Super Story, This Life & Papa Ajasco).

6. Kongi’s Harvest by Wole Soyinka

Believed to be Nigeria’s first independent feature film was adapted from a play of the same name written by Wole Soyinka. The movie was directed by an American, Ossie Davis and it also starred Wole Soyinka as the main character “King Kongi”. The movie premiered in Dakar, Senegal, at the first Negro Arts Festival in April 1966.

7. The Concubine by Elechi Amadi

Hailed as a “most accomplished first performance” and “an outstanding work of pure fiction”, Elechi Amadi’s debut novel has been adapted into a movie of the same name directed by Nollywood director Andy Amenechi.

8. Beast of no Nation by Uzodinma Iweala

Uzodinma Iweala’s 2005 novel, Beasts of No Nation is a war thriller about a child soldier.

Intense, gripping, and emotionally charged are a few words to describe this trailer that provides us a glimpse into the spine-chilling violence involving children. Many people have expressed worries that the movie could be very disturbing. The life of a child solider is certainly a tough subject, but then it is one that has to be addressed.

Streaming service, Netflix, has announced that undefinedwill be released on October 16, 2015.

What Nigerian authored books are you hoping will be adapted to movies soon? Share them with us via the comment section.

ALSO READ: 10 books you should have read but thankfully the movie version is coming out this year!