In a thrilling moment for Nigerian fans of the legendary British sci-fi series ‘Doctor Who’, the TARDIS is finally landing in Lagos.
For the first time in its 62-year history, the long-running show will feature an episode primarily set in Africa, and Lagos, Nigeria’s bustling commercial capital, is taking centre stage.
Among the most excited is Adesoji Kukoyi, a lifelong ‘Doctor Who’ fan who grew up glued to the screen in 1980s Nigeria.
“Whatever I was doing, maybe cleaning up or doing homework, when I heard the ‘oooh-oooh-oooooh’,” Kukoyi told BBC, mimicking the iconic theme tune, “I dropped everything and ran straight to the television.”
Now 44 and still deeply connected to the franchise, his phone even rings with the vintage ‘Doctor Who’ theme, Kukoyi described the Doctor as a comforting presence through the decades.
“He always spoke to me,” he said. “Like there’s somebody watching out for us… yes, we make mistakes, but we do our best, especially if we have a teacher that will lead us on the right path.”
So when a teaser from last week’s episode previewed the words “Welcome to Lagos, Nigeria,” Kukoyi could hardly contain his excitement.
“I screamed like a little girl!” he admited, beaming. “I’m waiting with baited breath. Finally, he is coming!”
The upcoming episode marks the first time the ‘Doctor Who’ franchise has focused on a story set in Africa. It’s a fitting tribute for Nigeria, which has a unique place in the show’s history. In 2013, nine long-lost episodes from the 1960s were discovered in a Nigerian television archive, thrilling fans worldwide.
This Saturday’s episode is expected to feature vibrant snapshots of Lagos life, including a bustling market, a colourful barber shop, and even a monstrous creature many speculate to be Anansi, the legendary spider from West African folklore.
Ariyon Bakare, who plays the enigmatic Barber in the episode, offers fans a hint of what’s to come: “Expect a time-bending cultural ancestral collision… and hair, lots of hair.”
The episode is penned by Nigerian-British writer Inua Ellams, who believed the Doctor’s arrival in Africa was long overdue.
“In 62 years, a character known to traverse the universe has barely spent any time in Africa,” Ellams noted. “It could be that no writer has felt confident enough to produce an authentic African story… or it might be down to the Doctor’s need to blend into his environment and be inconspicuous.”
However, with Ncuti Gatwa, the first Black actor of African descent to lead the series now piloting the TARDIS, Ellams believed fresh narratives were finally possible.
“Gatwa’s identity creates new opportunities to tell new stories in different ways,” Ellams says. “This is the brilliance of the show, every Doctor creates new opportunities.”
Ellams also hinted at the Doctor’s shared spirit with Nigerians: “Nigerians are sort of loud, gregarious people… the Doctor is mysterious, boisterous, sort of over-confident, but somehow manages to save the day.”
Despite the milestone, accessibility remained a challenge for local fans. ‘Doctor Who’ no longer airs on Nigerian public television, the new episodes are available only on the streaming platform Disney Plus.
Still, Kukoyi was hopeful the show’s legacy will live on in Nigerian homes.
“There’s a dedicated troop of Nigerian Doctor Who lovers,” he said, confident that living rooms across the country will be glued to their screens on Saturday night.
Even as he tried to introduce his young daughters to the beloved series, Kukoyi knew this Lagos-centric episode might be the spark that will finally win them over.
“Perhaps seeing the Doctor wearing traditional Nigerian clothing, squeezing through a Lagos market and getting caught up in local folklore will help them fall in love with the show the way I did,” he stated.
