After ‘Wives on Strike’ garnered 51 million Naira in 17 days of its cinematic debut in Nigeria, with views by over 50,000 people across cinema houses in different states of the federation, it continued to make stupendous waves in the cinemas, breaking and surpassing all other records in the Nigerian box office history.
Reports emerged from top cinemas like Filmhouse Cinemas, Surulere, Silverbird Cinema, Ikeja City Mall, Genesis Deluxe Cinema, Lekki, and Silverbird Cinema, Abuja, that ‘Wives on Strike’ kept selling, even with the presence of latest Hollywood releases like ‘The Barber’s Shop’, ‘The Huntsman’ and ‘Jungle Book’.
Having made such huge achievement in Nigeria, the movie is set to hit Ghana in all its grandeur.
The movie which stars Omoni Oboli, Uche Jombo-Rodriguez, Ufuoma Mcdermoth, Kehinde Bankole, Julius Agwu, Keneth Okonkwo sold 15 million in three days in its first weekend at the cinema, making it the first ever Nollywood movie to do so in the history of box-office records in Nigeria.
‘Wives on Strike’ was produced and directed by leading Nollywood figure, Omoni Oboli who in time past had garnered commendations for her two earlier movies, Being Mrs Elliot and The First Lady as executive producer. The two movies made best box office movies of 2014 and 2015 respectively with excellent showing at the cinemas.
However, Wives on Strike has shattered all those earlier success by Omoni’s previous movies, not only that, the movie is shattering records of other movies and setting a new one.
The movie is a hilarious comedy about a group of market women who decided to take matters into their own hands against their husbands in a bid to stir them into standing up for a young girl whom they wanted to protect from the wishes of her own father.
The women, who hilariously interpret their roles, set a series of events in motion to give the movie many moments of laughter without missing a beat on the reason for everyone to know why they are on strike.
While reviewing the movie, Segun Odejimi of TNS wrote; “Wives on Strike has been in the cinema for how long now? 19 days? However, it was still a FULL house at the 3pm screening I opted for. Many people could not find a seat at twenty minutes past 3…The hall erupted in unified laughter almost every five minutes. As the credits rolled at the end of the screening, there was a standing ovation. The audience enjoyed it and not less than half of them will share the testimony with others….”
In a statement by BBB Media, FilmOne, COO, Moses Babatope said, “Wives on Strike” has surprised everyone. We expected a decent run at the cinemas but no one expected this record breaking standard the movie is setting at the box-office. The records of the movie have truly amazed everyone. And to say it is beating The Huntsman despite being in cinema for three week is so amazing. Omoni is truly Nollywood personality of the year and definitely casting her name is gold’.
Omoni says she is truly grateful for the record. ‘I am full of gratitude. People have shown me so much love. The record is humbling. I am grateful’.
Omoni Oboli has proven herself worthy of all the recognition she has amassed. Bagging The Sun’s Nollywood Personality of the year and churning out a record breaking movie in the Nigerian cinema history, which has no doubt made her the current big deal in the industry. Right now, the next stop for her is Ghana, as viewers in diaspora make more demands.
