The next episode of ‘Doctor Who’, the British sci-fi series, has been filmed in Lagos Nigeria for the first time in the show’s 62-year history.
The series, created in 1963 by Sydney Newman, C. E. Webber, and Donald Wilson, follows the adventures of the Doctor, an extraterrestrial being who travels through time and space using the TARDIS, a seemingly ordinary blue police box that is a time machine.
In an interview with the BBC, Inua Ellams, the writer of the episode ‘The Story & the Engine’, recounted how ‘Doctor Who’ inspired him to dream beyond his reality as a child living in Lagos.
He revealed that returning to Nigeria years later helped him reconnect with a deep sense of freedom he once felt.
He added that filming ‘Doctor Who’ in Lagos was his way of showcasing the city’s “magic and sparkles”.
“I was a kid in Lagos when I started watching Doctor Who. The show taught me to dream beyond my present reality, to go across the universe, to leap into incredible adventures,” he said.
“When I became a displaced person and an immigrant, I forgot about what it felt like to be in Nigeria. Sixteen years passed before I returned to visit as an adult, and something began to nestle and settle into my body.
“My body remembered a way of being, a sense of freedom. So, to take Doctor Who, this Doctor, particularly, to Lagos sort of felt like stretching an olive branch out to the Inua who lived there three decades ago.
“I guess what I’m trying to show is a little bit of the magic of Lagos, a little bit of the sparkles that exist when you choose to discover it.
“Doctor Who is full of incredible stories, and this is what happens in barber shops. Incredible stories are told. So, I was trying to unite them all.”
Ariyon Bakare, the actor who played the barber in the episode, shared his excitement over the Nigerian “cultural depth” explored.
He also praised Ellams for brilliantly showcasing Nigerian authenticity in the episode.
“What I love about this episode is its cultural depth. Inua’s script is steeped in Nigerian culture; it tells a story about storytelling and the origins of stories – the power they hold to heal, educate, and inspire,” he said.
“The Nigerian cultural element is authentic; the barbershop serves as a hub of conversation where these stories are shared.
“Inua brilliantly employs old Nigerian folktales, those bedtime stories we all heard as children, and creates a timeless piece that is Nigerian in essence but universal in appeal.
“For me, it demonstrates that all stories are significant; stories are not diminished by culture, race, or geography. Good storytelling is simply that – no one story is less relevant than another.
“In the end, it reminds us that whether across galaxies or cultures, our shared stories are what truly make us human.”
The episode, ‘The Story & the Engine’, will premiere on May 10 on BBC iPlayer in the UK and Disney+.
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