Nigerian-American Filmmaker Lanre’ ObisesanCEFR B1
9 Jun 2025
Adapted from Zita Zage, Global Voices • CC BY 3.0
Photo by Inatimi Nathus, Unsplash
Lanre’ Obisesan is a Nigerian-American filmmaker who turns to cinema to explore emotional healing and reflection. He started his career as a pharmacist, earning a doctorate in pharmacy.
However, he was drawn to storytelling. His debut film, "Dokita Musa," focuses on a young boy in a Nigerian village who dreams of being a cardiologist. The film captures the boy's struggles and the lives of those around him, revealing themes of resilience and identity.
Difficult words
- filmmaker — A person who makes movies or films.
- emotion — A strong feeling such as joy, sadness, or anger.emotional
- storytelling — The act of telling stories.
- struggle — A difficult or challenging situation.struggles
- resilience — The ability to recover quickly from difficulties.
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Why do you think emotional healing is important in storytelling?
- How can films influence our understanding of different cultures?
- What challenges do filmmakers face when telling personal stories?
Related articles
Nigeria restores English as medium of instruction
The Federal Government reversed the 2022 National Language Policy and restored English as the sole medium of instruction from pre-primary to tertiary. The November 2025 decision has prompted strong debate among educators, linguists and cultural groups.
Citizen archivists record South Asian oral traditions
Citizen archivists in South Asia record folk songs, oral histories, riddles and traditional medicinal knowledge. They upload videos and transcriptions to Wikimedia Commons, Wikisource and Wikipedia to preserve fading cultural knowledge.