More than a decade after the tragic abduction of 276 schoolgirls from Government Girls’ Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, a new documentary is bringing renewed attention to the silent heroes left behind — the mothers who continue to live with the pain, uncertainty, and resilience that define their everyday existence.
Nollywood icon Joke Silva and award-winning filmmaker Joel Kachi Benson have teamed up to release Mothers of Chibok, a feature-length documentary that shifts the spotlight away from the horrors of the night of April 14, 2014, and instead focuses on the enduring strength of the women whose daughters were taken by Boko Haram insurgents.
While the global #BringBackOurGirls campaign drew international outrage and solidarity, many of the abducted girls remain unaccounted for. Over the years, attention has slowly faded, but for the mothers, the trauma never ended. Mothers of Chibok seek to tell their story with honesty, depth, and dignity.
A Story Beyond the Abduction
Rather than rehashing the harrowing details of the mass kidnapping, the documentary explores the present-day realities of the Chibok community. It follows the daily lives of the mothers as they farm, trade, and struggle to survive amid insecurity, all while raising funds to educate their remaining children.
The film paints a moving portrait of women who, despite deep grief and ongoing fear, remain determined to rebuild their lives and preserve hope. Through their perseverance, Mothers of Chibok highlight a form of quiet resistance — one rooted in survival, sacrifice, and unwavering love.
Speaking about her involvement in the project, Silva, who serves as an executive producer, described the experience as deeply emotional and transformative.
“After watching, I realised that we don’t often think about these women. We don’t understand what their journey has been,” she said.
She added, “What Kachi has done with this film is amazing. I couldn’t be more thrilled to support a filmmaker like Kachi, whose record of the endurance, resistance and resilience of the Mothers Of Chibok will make it harder for future generations to forget what happened to the girls and their families in 2014 and what continues to happen to them now.”
A Continuation of a Powerful Narrative
For Benson, Mothers of Chibok is a natural continuation of his storytelling journey into the Chibok tragedy. In 2019, his groundbreaking virtual reality film Daughters of Chibok premiered at the 76th Venice International Film Festival, introducing global audiences to immersive storytelling on the subject.
This new documentary deepens that exploration by centering on the women whose lives were permanently altered.
“We think we know the women of Chibok because we know their tragedy. But that tragedy is just one part of their story, the one the world is quick to see,” Benson explained. “One cannot know the mothers of Chibok until you truly know the depth of their strength and resilience.”
Through intimate interviews and carefully observed moments, Benson captures the emotional complexity of their lives — the pain of loss, the anxiety of waiting, and the fragile hope that one day their daughters may return.
International Acclaim and Awards
Even before its Nigerian cinema debut, Mothers of Chibok has already gained international recognition. The film premiered at DOCNYC, one of the world’s leading documentary festivals, and has since screened at more than 50 festivals globally.
Its most recent accolade came at South Africa’s Encounters Film Festival, where it won the Encounters Al Jazeera Award for Best African Feature-Length Documentary. This achievement adds to Benson’s growing list of international honors, including his historic Emmy win in 2025 for his debut feature documentary Madu, making him the first Nigerian to receive the prestigious award in that category.
A Strong Production Team
The documentary is produced by JB Multimedia Studios, Hunting Lane, and Impact Partners, in association with Shark Island Productions. Its production team includes Jamie Patricof, Rachel Halilej, Katie McNeill, Samira Mohammad, and Adeyinka Oduniyi.
Alongside Silva, a robust lineup of executive producers — including Ian Darling, Adam & Melony Lewis, and Geralyn White Dreyfous — lends strong creative and strategic backing to the project.
Nigerian Cinema Release
Nigerian and Ghanaian audiences will have the opportunity to experience Mothers of Chibok when it premieres in cinemas on February 27.
Victoria Ogar, FilmOne’s Head of Distribution, expressed confidence in the film’s impact, particularly in West Africa, where interest in documentary storytelling continues to grow.
“There is a growing audience for documentary storytelling in West Africa, and we’re excited for them to discover Kachi’s beautiful film, which deserves to be seen in a theatrical environment,” Ogar said.
Preserving Memory, Inspiring Hope
Mothers of Chibok is more than a documentary — it is a powerful act of remembrance and a tribute to extraordinary courage. By centering the voices of the mothers, the film ensures their struggles, resilience, and humanity are not forgotten.
As the world moves on, this documentary serves as a reminder that the story of Chibok is far from over — and that behind every headline are women who continue to wait, hope, and endure.
