Toka McBaror is a Nigerian filmmaker, producer, movie[2][3][4] and music video director[5][6] born, raised and is based in Kaduna, Kaduna State, Nigeria but originally from Delta State.[7] He received an award nomination for "Kada River" at the 2018 Toronto International Nollywood Film Festival in Canada,[8][9] 6 award wins for the movie, Lotanna including: "Best Film", "Best Director", "Best Cinematography", "Best Art Director", "Best Costume" and "Best Sound Editor" at the 2017 Golden Movie Awards.[10][11]

Toka McBaror
Born
Toka McBaror

Kaduna, Nigeria
Occupations
  • Film director
  • movie producer
  • music video director
  • cinematographer[1]
Years active1998-present
Known for
AwardsSee below

He also has to his awards credits, "Best African Film" and "Best Nollywood Director" from the 2018 Toronto International Nollywood Film Festival, TINFF, which took place in Toronto, Canada.[12] for the movie, The Island, and was again nominated for the "Best Cinematography" and "Best Director" categories at the ZAFAA Global Awards, for his 2017 movie, Lotanna.[13]

Career

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In 2011, Mcbaror directed the Nigerian singer, J'odie's musical video, "Kuchi Kuchi (Oh Baby)".[14]

He directed the film, "Blogger's Wife", released to the Nigerian cinemas on Friday, February 10, 2017. The film was produced by Seun Oloketuyi, featuring Nollywood actors and actresses like Segun Arinze, Adejumoke Aderounmu, Deyemi Okanlawon, Ijeoma Grace Agu and Adeniyi Johnson.[15] Still in 2017, "Kada River" a movie produced by him was nominated for an award at the Nollywood Film Festival in Toronto, Canada. At the 2017 Golden Movie Awards, he was nominated in six categories, including: "Best Film", "Best Director", "Best Cinematography", "Best Art Director", "Best Costume", "Best Sound Editor".

In August 2018, the movie which he directed titled, "The Island" was awarded "Best African Film" and himself, "Best Nollywood Director" at the Toronto International Nollywood Film Festival, TIFF, which took place in Toronto, Canada. In September of the same year, he directed the movie, "Merry Men: The Real Yoruba Demons" by Ayo Makun, a popular Nigerian comedian.[16] He was again nominated for the "Best Cinematography" and "Best Director" categories at the ZAFAA Global Awards, for his 2017 movie, Lotanna.

In 2019, he released an action Crime TV Series titled, Paper Boat.[17]

In early 2020, he directed Lilian Afegbai's first movie of the year titled, "Double Strings".[18] Later on February 22 at a press conference in Abuja, he announced the auditioning for his new movie titled, Red Caravan, which he would direct and co-produce, with estimated production cost of N61 million, and is to be shot in Kaduna State. The film centers on epilepsy and is set in the 1880s, at a period when slave trade thrived and is to be acted by about 600 actors and actresses.[19] During the Covid-19 outbreak, McBaror released a web series of short films entitled, The Chronicles, aimed at spreading public awareness on the Coronavirus disease.[20][21]

By 2021, his first ever attempt at horror movie production, a movie titled Creepy Lives Here had its official trailer released in January [22][23] starring Afeez Oyetoro, Nancy Isime, Bimbo Ademoye ex Big Brother Naija (season 3) housemate Temidayo Adenibuyan aka Teddy A, Beverly Osu, and Mike Godson. By February we had our first look at Underbelly Movie[24] which stars Nollywood notable acts like Stan Nze, Femi Adebayo, Ali Nuhu, Maryam Booth and Kunle Coker.

In 2023, he directed Dark October, a film centered on the true life event of the lynching of four young Nigerian students from University of Port Harcourt, who were falsely accused of theft in Aluu area of Port Harcourt popularly known as Aluu Four lynching.[25]

Filmography

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Music

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Year Title Singer Role Ref.
2011 Kuchi Kuchi (Oh Baby) J'odie director
2019 Power Rangers Teni (singer) director [26]
2020 Under The Sky Praiz director [27]

Film

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Year Title Actors Role Ref.
2023 Dark October Chuks Joseph, Boman Bognet, Oge Gabriel, Favour Ben, Prince David director [28][29]
2022 Almajiri Ayo Makun, Alexx Ekubo, Asabe Madaki director
2021 Underbelly Kunle Coker, Martins David, Femi Adebayo, Akume Akume, Stan Nze director [30]
Creepy Lives Here director [31]
2020 Double Strings Lilian Afegbai, Steve Asinobi, Ushbebe Comedian, Victor Decker director
2019 Paper Boat director
The Millions Toyin Abraham, Vera Chidera, Etinosa Idemudia co-director
Made in Heaven Toyin Abraham, Dauda Adewale, Cassie Daniel, Eso Dike, Lasisi Elenu director [32]
2018 Merry Men: The Real Yoruba Demons Segun Arinze, Fathia Balogun, Falz, Nancy Isime director [33][34]
The Island Femi Adebayo, Segun Arinze, Tokunbor Idowu director [35]
Kada River Fella Makafui, Chris Okagbue, Rachael Oniga, Joke Silva director •
co-producer
[8]
2017 Lotanna Liz Benson, Chris Attoh, Henry Adofo, Jide Kosoko, Bimbo Manuel director
Blogger's Wife director
2015 Ikogosi Kunle Adetoba, Didi Ekanem, Chelsea Eze, Emem Isaac director •
producer
2014 Cubweb Tomorrow director [36]

Web/TV Series

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Year Title Role Ref.
2020 The Chronicles director [37][38]

Awards and nominations

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Year Event Prize Recipient Result
2018 ZAFAA Best cinematography Himself Nominated
Best director Nominated
TINFF Best Nollywood director Won
2017 GMA Best Film Lotanna Won
Best Director Himself (for Lotanna) Won
Best Cinematography Won
Best Art Director Won
Best Costume Lotanna Won
Best Sound Editor Himself Won

References

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  1. ^ "Funke Akindele makes directorial debut in Mo Abudu's 'Your Excellency'". August 6, 2019.
  2. ^ Kehinde, Opeyemi (August 21, 2019). "Ali Nuhu, Ramsey Nouah, Chika Lann feature in 'The Millions'". Daily Trust. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
  3. ^ "Blossom Chukwujekwu News". Retrieved October 4, 2020.
  4. ^ "Somkhele Iyamah, Adesua Etomi, Adunni Ade attend old school themed premiere". Pulse. April 9, 2017. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
  5. ^ "Teni - "Power Rangers" | Download MP3 « tooXclusive". June 13, 2019.
  6. ^ "'Under the Sky' with Praise". October 12, 2020.
  7. ^ Offiong, Adie Vanessa (April 6, 2019). "I Thought I Would End Up A Basketballer – Toka Mcbaror". Daily Trust. Retrieved October 5, 2020.
  8. ^ a b Husseini, Shaibu (September 16, 2017). "A huge world premiere for Toka Mcbaror's 'Kada River' in Toronto". Retrieved October 2, 2020.
  9. ^ "Alter Ego, Kada River… Movies to be screened at Nollywood Travel Film Festival". News Agency of Nigeria. August 31, 2017. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
  10. ^ "Nollywood director, Toka McBaror bags six awards at the Golden Movie Awards 2017". Sagagist. July 26, 2017. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
  11. ^ "Epic Drama 'Lotanna' Goes on Amazon Prime Video – THISDAYLIVE". www.thisdaylive.com. Retrieved July 19, 2022.
  12. ^ "Nigerian Movie, The Island, Wins Best African Film Award at 2018 TINFF". August 18, 2019. Retrieved October 2, 2020.
  13. ^ "Ghana Earns 14 Nominations At 2018 African Film Awards London". Ghafla!. September 26, 2018. Retrieved November 3, 2020.
  14. ^ "MUSICNew Video: J'odie – Kuchi Kuchi (Oh Baby)". BellaNaija. February 17, 2011. Retrieved November 3, 2020.
  15. ^ Ohai, Chux (January 19, 2017). "Blogger's Wife to hit the screen soon". Punch Newspapers. Retrieved October 29, 2020.
  16. ^ Augoye, Jayne (September 7, 2018). "AY releases trailer of new film". Retrieved October 2, 2020.
  17. ^ Okechukwu, Daniel (October 30, 2019). "TOKA MCBAROR TEASES ACTION CRIME TV SERIES 'PAPER BOAT'". Culture Custodian. Retrieved November 2, 2020.
  18. ^ "Behind an Unsolved Murder lies a Dark Secret – Watch the Trailer for Lillian Afegbai's "Double Strings"". BellaNaija. February 21, 2020. Retrieved November 2, 2020.
  19. ^ Akan, King (February 21, 2020). "Red Caravan Movie Audition Holds Weekend". Abuja: This Day Live. Retrieved November 2, 2020.
  20. ^ "Toka McBaror's Covid-19 awareness short film The Chronicle is A Frightening reality of the North". May 2, 2020. Retrieved December 17, 2020.
  21. ^ Roberts, Julia (May 1, 2020). ""The Chronicle" by Toka McBaror is all About Spreading Awareness on Coronavirus". Retrieved December 17, 2020.
  22. ^ "McBaror's 'Creepy Lives Here' is Fearful". January 23, 2021.
  23. ^ "Toka McBaror taps into claustrophobic dread in trailer for Creepy Lives Her". January 12, 2021.
  24. ^ "Watch Stan Nze, Femi Adebayo, Maryam Booth in the First Teaser for Toka McBaror's "Underbelly"". February 2, 2021.
  25. ^ "Linda Ikeji makes film production debut with dark October". The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. January 21, 2023. Retrieved February 5, 2023.
  26. ^ "The iconic new song by Teni - Power Rangers: Why we absolutely love it!". June 17, 2019.
  27. ^ "Download VIDEO: Praiz – Under the Sky » TapoutNaija". October 14, 2020.
  28. ^ Augoye, Jayne (January 19, 2023). "Linda Ikeji makes Nollywood debut with film on extrajudicial killings 'Dark October'". Premium Times Nigeria. Retrieved February 5, 2023.
  29. ^ "Watch Dark October | Netflix". www.netflix.com. Retrieved February 5, 2023.
  30. ^ "Stan Nze, Femi Adebayo, Maryam Booth star in 'Underbelly' teaser". February 3, 2021.
  31. ^ "Must Watch Trailer: Nancy Isime, Bimbo Ademoye, Beverly Osu in "Creepy Lives Here"". January 11, 2021.
  32. ^ "Made in Heaven". Nollywood REinvented. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
  33. ^ "Merry Men: The Real Yoruba Demons review – cheerful comedy, lost in translation". TheGuardian.com. December 7, 2018.
  34. ^ "Merry Men: The Real Yoruba Demons - Movie Reviews". Rotten Tomatoes.
  35. ^ "The Island". IUVIT Media Sales. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
  36. ^ "Nigeria: Foluke Daramola-Salako Premieres Cobweb Tomorrow". All Africa. Daily Independent (Lagos). June 26, 2020. Retrieved October 2, 2020.
  37. ^ "Chronicle: Movie on Coronavirus". Nolly Movies Planet. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
  38. ^ "The Chronicle by Toka McBaror is all About Spreading Awareness on Coronavirus". Latest Nigerian News. Bellanaija. May 2, 2020. Retrieved October 5, 2020.
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