Film director Tope Adebayo has opened up about the painful personal cost he paid while working on the Netflix original epic Jagun Jagun, revealing that the intense production period was followed by the loss of one of his children.
Adebayo shared the emotional revelation during a recent interview, where he reflected on how the pressure of directing the large-scale historical film affected his health, marriage, and family life.
Speaking candidly, the director said the demands of the project took a toll on him physically and emotionally.
“During the initial process, I struggled with my husbandly duties in bed. When I visited the hospital, I was told my stress levels were very high,” Adebayo said.
He explained that managing the scale of Jagun Jagun, from logistics to performance and storytelling pushed him beyond his limits.
The director then revealed the heartbreaking moment that followed the completion of the film.
“After our shoot, one of our children, my own, passed away. We were told it was a spiritual arrow that hit the child, coming from where we were,” he said.
Though he did not go into further details, Adebayo’s comments struck a chord online, sparking sympathy from fans and industry colleagues who described his story as deeply painful and sobering.
Despite the heavy revelations, Adebayo also shared a lighter behind-the-scenes moment from the production, showing how even major films are not immune to human error.
“There was a megaphone in one scene. It was only at the premiere that someone pointed it out. It turned out it was my own ward who brought it there,” he recalled, laughing.
The prop error went unnoticed throughout editing and only surfaced when the film premiered.
Jagun Jagun premiered on Netflix on August 10, 2023, and quickly became one of the platform’s most successful Nigerian originals.
The epic Yoruba-language film explores the clash between a seasoned warlord and a rising challenger in an ancient kingdom. It stars Femi Adebayo, Odunlade Adekola, Lateef Adedimeji, Bukunmi Oluwasina, Faithia Balogun, Mr Macaroni, and Ibrahim Yekini.
The film ranked among the top non-English titles globally, pulling millions of viewing hours across multiple countries.
It also earned critical acclaim, winning Best Indigenous Language Movie at the 2024 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards and securing six awards at the 2024 Best of Nollywood Awards, including Best Indigenous Film, Best Actor, and Best Production Design.
Adebayo’s story has reignited conversations within Nollywood about the unseen emotional, physical, and spiritual pressures filmmakers endure behind successful projects.
While Jagun Jagun continues to be celebrated for its impact and craft, the director’s testimony offers a sobering reminder that some successes come at a deeply personal cost.