World Day Against Trafficking: Oloture, Mvera, other African films highlighting modern-day slavery

To commemorate the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, recognised by the United Nations on 30 July, African films like ‘Oloture’ and ‘Mvera’ stand out for using compelling storytelling to expose the harsh realities of modern-day slavery and inspire action.

Human trafficking is the illegal practice of transporting or coercing individuals to exploit their labour or services, often through forced labour or sexual exploitation. It occurs in varying forms, including sex trade, organ trafficking, forced labour, forced marriage, and domestic servitude, among others.

Statistics from the International Labour Organisation (ILO) reveal that over 24.9 million people are forced into labour globally, with many victims coming from African nations. Notably, 72 per cent of these victims are women and girls.

Films have become a powerful medium for raising awareness and inspiring action to combat this issue. Notable among them are the Nigerian films ‘Òlòtūré‘ (2024), ‘Shanty Town‘ (2023), and ‘Glamour Girls‘ (2022), as well as the Kenyan film ‘Mvera’ (2023) and the South African film ‘I Am All Girls’ (2021).

These films provide compelling narratives and crucial tools for educating and informing the public about African human trafficking.

‘Òlòtūré’

‘Òlòtūré’

Released initially in 2020 by Ebonylife, it tells the harrowing story of a journalist who goes undercover to expose the sex trafficking industry. This film, based on actual events, highlights the dark realities faced by many women in Nigeria, particularly those from Edo State, a significant hub for irregular migration and trafficking. The series stars Chidi Mokeme, Ini Edo, Richard Mofe-Damijo, Nse Ikpe-Etim, Sola Sobowale, Nancy Isime, Shaffy Bello, Ali Nuhu, etc.

This movie focuses more on the sex trade while it also sheds more light on the dark horrors of illegal migration.

Netflix recently released a sequel, Òlòtūré: The Journey, released in June, continuing the story and delving deeper into the world of human trafficking and modern-day slavery. This limited series paints a grim picture of victims’ exploitation and dangers.

‘Shanty Town’

Shanty Town

‘Shanty Town’ is a Nigerian crime thriller television series created by Xavier Ighorodje and Chichi Nworah and produced by Chinenye Nworah.

This six-part series was released on Netflix on 20 January, 2023, and stars Chidi Mokeme, Ini Edo, Richard Mofe-Damijo, Nse Ikpe-Etim, Sola Sobowale, Nancy Isime, Shaffy Bello, Ali Nuhu, among others.

‘Shanty Town’ follows the story of a ruthless leader named Scar (Chidi Mokeme), who dominates a crime-ridden community known for drug dealers, prostitutes, and thugs. Scar is regarded as the King of Shanty Town, handling numerous illicit activities. However, when some of the Lagos hustlers he and his associates have held captive discover that those supposedly set free are always missing, they unite to wage war against him.

The series briefly touches on prostitution, sex trade and forced labour.

‘Glamour Girls’

Glamour Girls

Glamour Girls is a 2022 Nigerian movie directed by Bunmi Adesoye and produced by Abimbola Craig. Released on Netflix, it stars Nse Ikpe-Etim, Sharon Ooja, Joselyn Dumas, Toke Makinwa and Segilola Ogidan as women embarking on glamorous and luxurious lifestyles through escorting.

The movie explores a narrative around prostitution and forced labour.

Glamour Girls was initially touted as a remake but subsequently metamorphosed into a reconstruction of the original story with an entirely different storyline and different characters, and some actors from the 1994 movie also appeared.

‘I Am All Girls’

I Am All Girls

‘I Am All Girls’ is a 2021 South African mystery thriller directed by Donovan Marsh and written by Emile Leuvennink and Marcell Greeff, with additional contributions from Jarrod de Jong, Wayne Fitzjohn, and Donovan Marsh.

Based on actual events with fictionalised elements, the film stars Erica Wessels, Hlubi Mboya, and Masasa Mbangeni.

It follows detective Jodie Snyman and her colleague Ntombizonke Bapai as they race to track down members of an apartheid-era sex-trafficking syndicate who are being murdered one by one by an unknown serial killer.

READ ALSO: Oloture: The Journey, Savage Beauty: Season 2, other Netflix titles this June

‘Mvera’

Mvera

After being trapped by an organ trafficking ring, a woman tries to make it back to her community to warn them of the dangers that are being sold to them as new opportunities.

The film depicts young girls from a poor village lured by a supposed benefactor into forced labour and prostitution, only to face unimaginable horrors.

The movie stars Linah Sande, Patrick Owino, Hillary Namanje, Kibibi Salim, Susan Kadid and Carolyn Rita Mutua.