Announced yesterday, August 4th, 2026, Mo Abudu’s highly anticipated film, The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives, has been officially selected at the 51st Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in September. The film adaptation from Lola Shoneyin’s highly acclaimed 2010 novel of the same name has been selected to world premiere in the Centrepiece Programme at TIFF 2026, ahead of its Nigerian cinema release on December 4.

BIG NEWS! 🎉

The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives has been officially selected for the Centrepiece Programme at the 51st Toronto International Film Festival.

To celebrate, we’re releasing our first official trailer today.

The journey to the world stage starts now. pic.twitter.com/k49ldmAV3z

— The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives Movie (@babasegiswives) August 4, 2026

The latest announcement followed the film’s first trailer, with Daniel Oriahi credited as director and Adze Ugah as writer. The Nollywood film is produced by Mo Abudu’s EbonyLife Films, in partnership with Genesis Media Group, Nile Media Entertainment Group, Silverbird Group and Flytime Entertainment.

Away from the novel’s traditional backdrop, the film is set within a seemingly harmonious polygamous household of Baba Segi, a wealthy patriarch with his three wives, seven children and a carefully maintained family order.

The arrival of the fourth and youngest wife, Bolanle, disrupts the fragile balance within the household, setting in motion a series of revelations and exposing long-buried secrets as she fails to conceive. From hidden betrayals to truths capable of destroying the family forever, the film explores themes of love, power and gender rivalry, identity, survival and the complex relationships that bind families together.

The film stars an ensemble cast, including Odunlade Adekola as Baba Segi and Iyabo Ojo, Mercy Aigbe, Bimbo Ademoye, and Omowunmi Dada as the wives. Others include: Nkechi Blessing, Bimbo Manuel, Bisola Aiyeola, Olarotimi Fakunle, Constance Olatunde and Maleek Sanni, alongside special appearances from Daniel Etim-Effiong, Kunle Remi, Uzor Arukwe, Tina Mba, Nancy Isime, Blessing Nze, Mike Ezuruonye, Bolaji Ogunmola and Binta Mogaji.

“We are honoured that ‘The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives’ has been selected for the Toronto International Film Festival. Authenticity was at the heart of every creative decision we made, which is why we chose to tell this story predominantly in Yoruba. It is the language these characters speak, live and love in, and preserving that authenticity was essential while bringing this powerful story to audiences around the world,” said Mo Abudu.

The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives marks EbonyLife Films’ return to theatrical cinema, as the company eyes a release date of December 4, 2026 across Nigeria and additional international territories, including the UK where EbonyLife Cinemas is scheduled to open in October this year.