Entertainment
Femi Adebayo Leads Historical Epic 'King Kosoko: The Battle for Lagos'
The 19th-century drama premieres August 23 in Lagos ahead of a nationwide cinema release
"King Kosoko: The Battle for Lagos" holds its grand premiere at IMAX Lekki in Lagos on August 23, 2026, ahead of a nationwide theatrical release on August 28.
Directed by Adebayo Tijani and produced by Teqsus Studios in partnership with distributor FilmOne Entertainment, the Yoruba-language epic stars Femi Adebayo as Oba Kosoko, the 12th monarch of Lagos, dramatising the throne struggles, political rivalries and resistance that shaped the kingdom between 1833 and 1852.
The production features an ensemble cast of over 70 actors, led by Odunlade Adekola, Jide Kosoko, Gabriel Afolayan, Fathia Williams, Yinka Quadri, Taiwo Hassan, Tina Mba and Femi Branch, tracing how Lagos transformed from a contested kingdom into the modern city it is today.
The film joins a wave of Nigerian historical epics dramatising 19th-century power struggles, following in the tradition of recent Yoruba-language productions that have found strong audiences in cinemas by pairing lavish production design with stories rooted in local history.
Marketing for the film has centred on its themes of power, betrayal and legacy, positioning it as one of the bigger cinema releases of the month alongside several other Nollywood titles opening in the same window.
Source: Vanguard News, National Daily