How I Lost A Child Following Months Of Stress While Directing Jagun Jagun — Tope Adebayo

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Tope Adebayo, the acclaimed director behind the blockbuster historical epic Jagun Jagun and younger brother to Nollywood star Femi Adebayo, has shared a deeply emotional account of a personal loss that followed the completion of the first part of the award-winning film.

In a recent interview, the filmmaker revealed that the period surrounding the production of Jagun Jagun was one of the most demanding phases of his life, both professionally and personally. According to Adebayo, the pressure of directing such a large-scale project took a serious toll on his health and family life.

Reflecting on the experience, he explained how the intense workload affected 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,” he said, noting that the responsibilities of coordinating cast, crew, and logistics for the epic film pushed him beyond his limits.

Adebayo described the production as a delicate balancing act, particularly because of the cultural and traditional elements involved. He said the team was deliberate about respecting the customs and beliefs of the host communities where filming took place, ensuring that no sacred practices or traditions were violated during the shoot.

Despite these efforts, the director disclosed that tragedy struck his family shortly after production wrapped. “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,” Adebayo said, recounting the devastating loss that followed months of hard work on the project.

He explained that the production had already been riddled with challenges, including logistical difficulties and spiritual concerns, making the loss even more painful. The death of his child, he said, marked a heartbreaking moment that overshadowed the success and acclaim the film later received.

While speaking on the emotional weight of the experience, Adebayo also shared a lighter moment from the film’s production that highlighted how even meticulous planning can miss small details. He revealed that an error in the film went unnoticed despite repeated reviews by the production team.

“After post-production, we watched the movie about 50 times, then again about 20 times, and we didn’t notice 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 said, recalling the incident with a mix of amusement and disbelief.

The anecdote, he explained, served as a reminder of how demanding filmmaking can be, even when teams invest countless hours in editing and quality control.

Adebayo’s candid revelations shed light on the often unseen sacrifices behind major cinematic projects. While Jagun Jagun went on to achieve widespread acclaim and commercial success, the director’s story underscores the emotional, physical, and personal costs that can accompany creative triumphs.

His testimony has resonated with many fans and industry observers, prompting conversations about mental health, work-life balance, and the pressures faced by filmmakers working on large-scale productions in Nollywood.

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