Temiloluwa Fosudo is no stranger to the screen or stage but ‘The Benefactor’ marks a significant turning point in his career. Although he has been writing for a while, ‘The Benefactor’ marks his screenwriting debut on the big screen.
The drama, which marks his screenwriting debut on the big screen, follows Tuntunlade, a breakout music star on the brink of fame, who is faced with an impossible demand from a man who once helped her rise. Her refusal sets off a chain reaction, one that unearths a deeper culture of silence, complicity, and survival.
Written by and starring Fosudo, ‘The Benefactor’ brings together an ensemble cast that reads like a who’s-who of Nollywood brilliance: Bimbo Ademoye, Kunle Remi, Akin Lewis, Bimbo Manuel, Aisha Lawal, Tobi Makinde, Miwa Olorunfemi, Kiitan Bukola, Joke Muyiwa, and Folakemi Bello. Directed by Adeoluwa Owu (Captain Degzy)—a long-time collaborator of Fosudo’s—the film confronts the unspoken cost of silence and how society often chooses to protect abusers, especially when they hold influence, status, or sentiment.
“It’s ironic,” Fosudo says, reflecting on the film’s title. “A benefactor is meant to give, to support. But what happens when their ‘help’ becomes a leash?” The idea for ‘The Benefactor’ didn’t come easy. In fact, Fosudo admits that he hesitated when he was first approached to write it. “I’ve seen so many stories about sexual abuse,” he says. “I’ve read them, acted in some of them, and studied them. So at first, I didn’t want to write another version of the same thing.”
As a writer who deeply values storytelling that forges new paths, he was wary of repetition. But that changed after a pivotal conversation with his wife and collaborator, Wumi Tuase Fosudo. “She’s a feminist. We had a long conversation,” he recalls. “And I realised something: this isn’t about my awareness. I know how devastating these stories are, but not everyone does. So it’s not about me. It’s about telling it differently.”
That shift in perspective led him to a series of reference points, including ‘To Kill a Tiger’, the harrowing Indian documentary about a father seeking justice for his daughter. The film left him gutted and renewed his belief that stories like this still matter, especially when the silence around them remains so culturally enforced.
“One of the hardest things to look at is how society protects the abuser when he’s close to us,” he says. “When it’s a pastor, a family member, a mentor… we protect them. We hide what they’ve done because we’re afraid of the cost: to our reputation, our comfort, and our community. ‘The Benefactor’ tries to expose that. It asks: who are we willing to sacrifice to keep things looking tidy?” That question runs through the film like an open wound.
Set in the glittering-yet-volatile world of music, the film uses song as a storytelling device and as a metaphor for pain. “Music lets you hide,” Fosudo explains. “You can pour your trauma into melody and lyrics, and people will dance to it. That’s what makes Tuntunlade’s story so heartbreaking; she’s using music to survive.”
Though ‘The Benefactor’ is a standalone project, it arrives at a time when the Fosods are building something of their own: TWF Productions, an emerging production outfit focused on telling layered, emotionally intelligent stories across stage and screen. Their first short film, ‘Tell It No More’, written by Temi and based on a story by Wumi, is already in the works.
It is directed by Chukwu Martins and shot by rising cinematographer Okwong Fadamana. The cast includes Martha Ehinome, Temoulu Fosudo, and Wumi Tuase Fosudo; it promises to be a bold debut for the company. “We just wrapped it,” Wumi says. “We’re babies in the industry, but we’re doing it.”
The couple’s dynamic is warm, collaborative, and quietly electric. They finish each other’s sentences, nudge one another into the spotlight, and share a creative language that’s both thoughtful and grounded. “She supports me in ways I can’t even explain,” Temi says. “And we’re learning how to build this thing together.”
At the heart of both ‘The Benefactor’ and ‘Tell It No More’ is a shared desire to tell stories that mean something, stories that peel back layers and force reflection, even discomfort. The Fosudos are doing something different. They’re choosing to take their time. To sit with the hard questions. To write with intention.
