Ever since Freedom Way got its 2025 AMVCA Best Movie win, many have been eager to see what the buzz was about. And for those who already knew of the film but missed it during its festival run, the news that it’s headed to cinemas this July was easily the best we’ve heard in a while (certainly was for me, considering our distribution woes).
Directed by Afolabi Olalekan, Freedom Way set out with an exclusive cast announcement on What Kept Me Up in 2022. At this time, production had already begun on the project that was Olalekan’s directorial feature debut. However, the film’s journey saw some shifts along the way, including cast replacements; Timini Egbuson and Bucci Franklin, initially announced, were later replaced. The cast list wrapped with Debo ‘Mr Macaroni’ Adedayo, Femi Jacobs, Mike Afolarin, Bimbo Akintola, Akin Lewis, Ogranya Jable Osai, Meg Otanwa, Jesse Suntele, Teniola Aladese, and Tiwalola Adebola-Walter. Three years later, the film has had a run on the festival circuit, also winning Best Movie and Best Writing at the 2025 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards.
A wider look at its festival run saw the film have its world premiere on September 7, 2024, in the Discovery section of the Toronto International Film Festival. The film later received a Special Jury Award at the 2024 AFRIFF (Africa International Film Festival), with What Kept Me Up praising it as a film that handles its sensibilities better than most films of its kind have. Other festival appearances include the 2024 Red Sea Film Festival, the 2024 Philadelphia Film Festival and opening film at the 2025 New York African Film Festival.
Set in Lagos, Freedom Way follows two young tech entrepreneurs, Themba (played by Jesse Suntele) and Tayo (played by Nigerian musician Ogranya), who launch a motorcycle-hailing app called Easy Go. Their mission is to create economic opportunities for okada (motorcycle) riders, but their ambition quickly comes under threat from government restrictions, police harassment, and systemic corruption. As the story unfolds, other characters, such as Abiola, a rider played by Adebowale Adedayo (Mr. Macaroni), a conflicted police officer (Femi Jacobs), and a principled doctor (Taye Arimoro), become entwined in a web of events that test their values and resilience.
In a press statement, Uzzi expressed how it felt to have Freedom Way screen in Nigerian cinemas. “It feels really good, surreal, for Freedom Way to finally be screening in Nigerian cinemas,” she said. “I’m excited to see how people receive it here, where it matters most.”
Afolabi Olalekan’s Freedom Way marks his debut feature film, on the back of his music video era. Prior to this, Olalekan had directed several videos for pop star Ayra Starr, but an incident of police harassment he experienced firsthand deeply influenced the film’s gritty tone. “The Nigerian Police Force is notorious for harassing and extorting young Nigerians […] I have been a victim of such harassment and arrest, and my experience partly inspired the creative direction of Freedom Way,” he stated.
Written and produced by Blessing Uzzi under her Bluhouse Studios banner, she initially drafted the story as a short film titled The Report, inspired by Nigeria’s “Treat now, ask questions later” campaign, which advocated for treating gunshot victims before involving the police. This evolved into Freedom Way after Uzzi wanted to explore deeper social themes, borrowing inspiration from films like Crash and series such as When They See Us.
Most recently, producer Uzzi was selected alongside director Dika Ofoma for the 2025 Locarno Open Doors. Their project, Kachifo (Till the Morning Comes), is part of the first cycle focused exclusively on Africa (2025–2028).
Plans for Bluhouse Studios’ near future involve wrapping up ongoing productions, shorts and features.
Freedom Way will open in cinemas nationwide on July 18, 2025, distributed by Genesis Pictures, marking Bluhouse’s first full theatrical release.
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