There’s a phase of life almost everyone remembers vividly, secondary school. But for many, nothing compares to the intensity of attending a public girls-only boarding school: growing up in front of your peers while living within the confined walls of a hostel.
Having experienced it firsthand, Bolu Essien brings that world to life in her latest project, Girls’ Hostel, a drama series she created, wrote, produced, and stars in. The show blends nostalgia, drama, and raw relatability, exploring the complexities of adolescence within a tightly controlled environment.
Girls Hostel follows Lara (played by Bolu Essien), the school’s reigning queen bee, and Ufoma (played by Onyinye Odokoro), a wealthy transfer student with a mysterious past. Ufoma’s arrival disrupts the balance of power, and as rivalry brews, secrets threaten to unravel carefully maintained reputations. Watch the official teaser here:
Executive Produced by the duo Emmanuel Essien and Bolu Essien, and supported by brands such as MTN, Nivea, Indomie, Power Oil, Cowbell, Twisco, Knorr, and Closeup, the series explores themes of sisterhood, friendship, power dynamics, survival, and the formative experiences that shape young women.
Ahead of its premiere on BoluEssienTV (YouTube) from February 13, we spoke with Bolu Essien about the inspiration behind the show and what audiences should expect.
What makes Girls’ Hostel unique?
“Everything,” Bolu says. “It’s a nod to the past and a mirror to the present. Some of the experiences in the show are drawn from real life, while others are imagined, but I believe many Nigerians will relate to it. It’s about that stage where the oppressed can become the oppressor, and where young people are desperately seeking to be seen, heard, and recognised.”
Why create this show now?
“I believe in God’s timing,” she explains. “I initially planned to make this show in 2023, but it didn’t work out. I’m very tenacious. If I believe in something, I pray and work towards it. And here we are.”
How did you select the cast?
“No one has spent more time with this series than I have, especially during the writing phase,” Bolu shares. “I knew who these characters were how they would behave, how they would speak, their motives, even their background stories. I documented all of this to help structure their external behaviours and actions, but they are all a reflection of what is happening in these kids’ lives, their homes and families, so I sought actors whom I believed could embody them fully, and I think we did a pretty great job. I also loved that every actor took the details they received about the characters and added their own spice to it”
The cast includes Bolu Essien, Onyinye Odokoro, Eva Ibiam, Ronke Omooba Adepoju, Darasimi Ogbetah, Inem King, Miriam Peters, Tomi Oladipo, alongside veteran actors Remi Surutu (Matron) and Oluwatoyin Alausa (Ufoma’s mother).
What are you most proud of about the show?
“A lot,” Bolu says. “First, I’m grateful to God for the gift of storytelling. Nothing gives me more joy or fulfilment.”
“In terms of the production itself, I’m incredibly proud of the people. The actors who gave their talents wholeheartedly, our director Bunmi Akingbola, and the entire crew who poured their skills into this project.” She continues, “I’m very big on details. Even if we don’t have the deepest pockets, I don’t compromise on authenticity. One of the hostels was filmed inside a hall. We transformed the space completely, bringing in bunk beds, lockers, boxes, pillows, everything. We wanted it to feel like a real school and a real hostel.”
“All the uniforms, bedsheets, and hostel wear were custom-made. We even purchased school bags and notebooks just to make the world believable. It speaks to the level of rigour we put into this project.” She adds, “Special shout-out to my Art Director, Sarah of SB Creatives, who helped bring my vision to life.”
What should audiences expect?
“Drama. Conversations. And almost like a call to pay attention to children,” she says. “Adolescence is the stage where lives are shaped. From parents to school authorities, it takes a collective effort to raise responsible citizens. And as you know, Evolving Light studios doesn’t produce anything we don’t believe in, so from Becoming Abi on Netflix to the Viral Salon 001, this is another project that has come to claim its space”
Any surprises?
“Oh yes, a lot I must say but I won’t give further clues here so that viewers can enjoy the full experience when the show drops (winks).”
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