Bamiloye Recounts 38-Yr Journey of Agbara Nla, Announces Global Remake

FOUNDER of Mount Zion Faith Ministries, Evangelist Mike Bamiloye, has shared the remarkable story behind the making of Agbara Nla, revealing how the iconic Christian film project survived disappointment, years of delay and eventual revival before becoming one of Nigeria’s most influential gospel productions.

In a Facebook post on Friday, Bamiloye traced the origins of the production back to 1987, when the vision for what he described as Nigeria’s first Christian movie was conceived during the National Festival of Christian Drama (HARVEST ’87) held at GOFAMINT International Gospel Centre, Ojoo, Ibadan.

He recalled that drama leaders and coordinators from churches and campuses gathered to discuss the ambitious project.

“The meeting was successful as we all rose from the meeting to strategise. The script was written and the title was: ‘Agbara To Ju Agbara Lo’,” he wrote.

According to Bamiloye, rehearsals were held at Orita-Mefa Baptist Church, Total Garden, Ibadan, with drama ministers travelling from across the country to participate.

“Drama ministers majorly from church and campus drama groups were coming to the meetings from many cities and campuses, notably from UNILAG, UI, Ogun State University, College of Education, Ilesa, including many from church drama groups,” he said.

Filming eventually commenced at Apete Village, but the project suffered a devastating setback.

“Then, after all our efforts and labours of many brethren from church and campuses, when the film shoot was completed, THE CAMERAMAN DISAPPEARED WITH THE TAPES. All efforts to locate him proved abortive. So the vision was rested and it died,” Bamiloye recounted.

The veteran filmmaker said the abandoned vision was revived in 1993 after what he described as divine prompting.

“When we had already made five or six movies successfully, and we were more stable in ministry, the Holy Spirit brought up the matter of shooting the movie again. Now as a television serial,” he wrote.

He explained that the script was rewritten and filming resumed at Badeku Village, Ibadan, where members of the Christian drama community reunited for the production.

Bamiloye acknowledged the contributions of several supporters, noting that “a Foursquare Gospel Church pastor gave us N5,000 to deposit for the camera”, while “Rev. Idowu Animashawun of World Hope Mission, Badeku, hosted us in the village all through the Muwonleru village scenes.”

The television series, Agbara Nla, was later broadcast across television stations in Western Nigeria.

According to him, the ministry returned to the project again in 1994.

“The Lord instructed us to go back on location and make the movie in English Language: Ultimate Power. It was the English version that spread across the Eastern and Northern Nigeria and beyond in 1994,” he said.

Bamiloye also announced that the classic production has now been remade for a new generation.

“2025 – September/October we were on film location to do a remake of this iconic production,” he disclosed, adding that the new version was rewritten and directed by Damilola Mike-Bamiloye, produced by Chris Odeh and jointly sponsored by Mount Zion Films, Sozo Films and Circuit-TV.

Reflecting on the production’s nearly four-decade journey, the gospel filmmaker wrote: “Therefore the story of the production of Agbara Nla had began since 1987. Now it is time to appear on the global stage in the name of the Lord. Amen.”

The post offers a rare behind-the-scenes account of how one of Nigeria’s most celebrated Christian film productions overcame early setbacks to become a defining work in the country’s gospel film industry.