Something unusual is happening in Nigerian cinemas. Audiences are not just watching a movie, they are experiencing what many are calling a revival. Agbara Nla: The Return, the long-awaited remake of Mount Zion Faith Ministries’ 1993 classic, hit screens nationwide on October 1.
The film produced by Mount Zion Film Productions, Sozo Films and Circuits, brings back Evangelist Mike Bamiloye in his iconic role as the herbalist, Isawuru. Within days, sold-out shows, emotional responses, and reports of spontaneous worship and speaking in tongues have turned ordinary screenings into something closer to church services.
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A Classic Reimagined for a New Generation, Agbara Nla: The Return
The original Agbara Nla also became one of the most influential Christian films in Nigeria and across Africa. The movie, which was also released in English as The Ultimate Power, was set in the village of Muwonleru; it told a story of a powerful occult stronghold challenged by the light of the gospel.
The new version keeps the core story and major characters while updating the presentation for contemporary audiences. Olaboye and Olatomi leave their city jobs to carry the message of Christ into the village, sparking a fierce clash with Isawuru that ultimately leads to deliverance for the village and for those who initially resisted the call.
Produced by Chris Odeh, Mike Bamiloye, the man who created and starred in the original story, returns as Isawuru; however, this version was directed by his sons, a full-circle moment.
Cinemas Turned Into Places of Worship
Apart from tickets being sold out and reports of movies like Spider-Man: Brand New Day being cancelled to accommodate viewers in some cinemas across the nation, reports describe people breaking into prayer, worship, and speaking in tongues mid-screening.
Attendees have taken to social media to share their experiences of viewers laughing, crying, praying, and “blasting in tongues.”
Others described elders sitting alongside young fans, both moved to tears by deep emotions. Filmmakers, including the Nigeria Box Office, have noted the surge and the unusual atmosphere.
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A Growing Pattern that Has Come to Stay
Christian filmmaking in Nigeria has long operated in the shadow of mainstream Nollywood. Agbara Nla: The Return suggests a deliberate step into the theatrical space with higher production values and a cinema-first strategy.
The strong opening and the spiritual responses suggest the story still resonates deeply more than three decades later.
Other faith-based films have recently proven that Christian stories can thrive on the big screen. Onobiren: A Woman’s Story by Laju Iren, for example, became one of 2026’s biggest Nollywood successes, grossing over N138 million in seven weeks, topping the West African box office for two consecutive weeks, and earning recognition as the highest-grossing faith-based film of the year.
Titles like this are showing that audiences are willing to show up for well-made stories rooted in faith.
For many who grew up with the original VHS tapes and church screenings, this is nostalgia meeting a new generation.
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