Nollywood Stars Turn Movie Premiere Into a Bridal Runway for ‘A Mama Deola Wedding Story’

Nollywood brought wedding-season glamour to the red carpet on Wednesday, September 2, as celebrities gathered in Lagos for the premiere of Folagade Banks’ A Mama Deola Wedding Story.Instead of the usual premiere dress code, guests were invited to interpret a “White Wedding Couture” theme and the result was a red carpet filled with bridal inspired gowns, dramatic trains, pearls, lace and polished formalwear. The unusual concept quickly became one of the night’s biggest talking points.Kate Henshaw, Osas Ighodaro and Shaffy Bello were among the stars who embraced the bridal aesthetic. Henshaw appeared in a white beaded bridal-inspired dress with a contrasting bouquet, while Ighodaro opted for a brown-and-white look with floral details and a long train. Bello kept her interpretation more understated in a structured white ensemble.Other notable arrivals included Toyin Abraham, Mercy Aigbe, Kie Kie, Mo Bimpe, Lateef Adedimeji, Blessing Obasi, Stan Nze and several other entertainment personalities. Kie Kie stood out with a pearl-heavy couture look, while couples including Mo Bimpe and Lateef Adedimeji, and Blessing Obasi and Stan Nze, leaned into the wedding concept together.The fashion was not simply for show. Organisers also introduced a best-dressed competition with a ₦1 million cash prize, adding another layer of excitement to the evening.Beyond the red carpet, the premiere marked an important moment for Folagade Banks, who is taking his popular Mama Deola character from short-form comedy into a feature-length production. A Mama Deola Wedding Story is directed by Femi Adebayo, with Banks serving as producer and executive producer. Omowunmi Dada and Rotimi Salami play the central wedding couple, while the wider cast includes Shaffy Bello, Bukky Wright, Erica Nlewedim, Toyin Abraham and veteran actress Idowu Phillips, popularly known as Iya Rainbow.The scale of the wedding at the centre of the story has also attracted attention. The production featured a major wedding sequence involving about 600 cast members, underscoring the ambition behind Banks’ transition from viral skits to feature filmmaking.Following its Lagos premiere on September 2, A Mama Deola Wedding Story became available to stream exclusively on Kava from September 3, 2026. The release also marked a significant moment for the platform, with the film serving as Kava’s first original production.With its combination of comedy, Nigerian wedding culture and a red carpet that looked more like a bridal fashion showcase, the premiere gave the film a strong visual launch — and the movie is now available for audiences to watch.