For Nigerian Romcoms, Timini Egbuson is Ready to Take the Reins

Timini Egbuson was bored. At 37, the swaggy Nigerian actor has taken on a library of roles across drama, thrillers, and (mostly) romance genres, bringing other people's stories to life, almost always as an actor. He needed a challenge, one he found in his latest executive-produced film, Reel Love.

"I've been a part of the filmmaking process in every department in my 15-year career, and being able to take on this executive producer role and deal with everything that happened from production to actual shooting and post-production has reignited a fire in my heart for the love of film making," Egbuson says.

With leading roles in contemporary romcom classics like Big Love and Breaded Life, Egbuson has swiftly developed a reputation for leading films that tackle the complexities of romance with aplomb and an ability to make each role, no matter how similar, distinctly interesting.

In his latest film, Reel Love, Egbuson takes charge, executive-producing alongside director Kayode Kasum and playing a savvy social media influencer who finds love in the unlikeliest ways. Reel Love might have all the markings of a typical romcom: a convenient conflict that sets off the plot, a theatrical resolution, and a simmering romance that everyone, except the two love interests, can see coming, but it's the awareness of these tropes and their sharp execution that makes this film a delightful watch.

After a short altercation ends up becoming a viral moment on social media, Rachel Monday (played by TJ Omusuku), a professional errands girl with zero social media presence, and Tomide Jobi (Timini Egbuson), an online relationship expert, enter an unusual but explosive agreement to salvage the situation. Tomide, who already has a relationship that has been kept secret, must decide whether to stay with what feels familiar or explore a romance built on performance. This situation radically upturns their self-perception and forces them to reconsider what love means. The story is funny, pulsing with heart, and fully aware of its charm.

"We wanted to do something that had to do with social media," Egbuson says. "We wanted to do something relatable that highlights that decisions about love are not always as straightforward."

Although the film's primary thesis revolves around the pitfalls of social media perception, it's really a love story. Familial love and romantic love are all reminders of the power of second chances and the importance of following one's heart.

Many decisions around making the film are unconventional, but they work. There is music from Stylplus. The dialogue moves with the beauty of a poetry performance. Omusuku, a fast-rising actress and on-air personality for whom this is her first time playing a lead in a feature film, brings maturity and admirable ease to this enormous role. "Just watching her audition tape and seeing how raw she was made me know that the film would happen and it would be magical," Egbuson says. "It was just one of those things where we knew that the whole film would have fallen apart if we cast wrong for Rachel, TJ's character."

"Timini brought such beautiful energy to the set, creating a supportive and fun environment," Omusuku says of her co-star. "He was incredibly generous and collaborative, and I learned so much from him. I'm also deeply grateful for his acceptance of me. He took a chance on me, an upcoming actor without much experience on my résumé. I appreciate him seeing something in me and giving me this incredible opportunity."

Omusuku describes the filming experience, her major entry into the industry, as exciting. "Having mostly played smaller roles previously, it was eye-opening to see the difference in my approach and the level of dedication required. I truly enjoyed all the perks of being an important piece of the puzzle. The entire journey was a highlight," she says.

So far, Egbuson has been most taken with the rush of positive reactions the film has received. In just its first week, Reel Love grossed nearly 100 million Naira ($66,500). The love triangle in the story has birthed factions and opened up conversations Egbuson was hoping the film would ignite. For his first work in production, Egbuson proves that he knows how to tell a good Nigerian love story, whether behind or in front of the camera.

"Those kinds of things make me happy, he says. "That's what the film is supposed to do; put hard conversations on the table and allow people to express themselves and maybe unlearn certain things."

What this means for Egbuson is that he is just getting started. He plans to work on and release a film around Valentine’s Day every year, claiming a relatively unoccupied space with the hopes of making it his. It's an audacious goal and, for anyone else, a tad over-ambitious, but coming from Egbuson, whose work is an astute study of modern Nigerian romance, it just makes sense.

As he attests, his eyes already set on the future, "I hope that this is the first of many romcoms that I make for Valentine in Nollywood history. Next year, I can guarantee you that, come Valentine's Day, it will be bigger, better, and juicier."