Common stories can be told in a variety of ways. Some creators use the same techniques, while others adopt a different approach to storytelling. If you are familiar with stories of women in the North, this series’ plot will not be surprising; however, its approach to telling the stories is laudable.
Co-produced by Nadine Ibrahim and Sifa Asani Gowon, Beyond the Veil is a Nigerian series that seeks to explore the different lives and phases of Northern women other than the stereotyped profiles that are popular in society. It addresses common societal issues such as mental health, domestic violence and conflicts common in polygamous families.
Speaking at the movie screening, Nadine Ibrahim mentioned that while season one of the series was an introduction into the lives of the character and representation of Northern women, season 2 seeks to dive deeper into the narrative and explore the obstacles that the characters face while trying to be their authentic self.
“I will not refer to the series as an advocacy project but rather as challenging the stereotypes that are tied to Nigerian women. For us, it was about showing a fresh narrative and showcasing to the world that northern women come in different faces,” Ibrahim said.
Co-Producer and writer, Sifa Asani Gowon stated that as a writer it was important to tell a story that is authentic and relatable to the audience.
Read also: Discover Kenya's Wildlife
She said, “It was important for Nadine and I to come together to tell a story that wasn’t a gimmick, but very relatable and real for the audience. We wanted viewers to be like, I know someone like this or I can recognise this situation.
“We tried our best to navigate even the difficult issues with as much respect as we could because we touched on issues like inter-tribal and inter-religious relationships, drug use in the north, the question of choosing a career versus a family or doing both.”
“So while the story is centred in the North and on Northern women, we portrayed these issues in such a way that even a South African woman, Middle Eastern woman or even a European woman will be able to connect with the show.”
Beyond the Veil is a series of films directed by Nadine Ibrahim and Sifa Asani Gowon, available for streaming on Amazon Prime. This film provides a rollercoaster of emotions and introduces a unique type of friendship rarely depicted in mainstream media: the bond between five northern Muslim women. Beyond the Veil centers on the stories of five young Muslim women navigating the ups and downs of life, family, love, culture, and religion, among others. It was shot in Abuja and Lagos. Mostly in Abuja.
A show about liberal Northern women living and working in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, Beyond the Veil could not have come at a better time. The series follows three friends and two sisters of one of the friends as they navigate the different facets of relationships that life has to offer them.
Read also: Beyond the Pyramids
In the beginning of Season 2 Beyond The Veil, Na’ima starts her healing journey after a car crash with support from friends Baddriyah and Hanifa, while facing societal and familial challenges due to her relationship with Matthew.
Baddriyah, an influencer known as “Baddie,” grapples with an abusive marriage and finds unexpected support from Bilqis, her husband’s first wife. Hanifa, pregnant and financially strained due to her husband’s failed business, pushes herself despite medical warnings, with her sister Afrah’s support.
After Bappa’s death, Zizi resigns as the minister’s aide and seeks a promotion, complicated by her chemistry with new police officer Tarik and pressure from Kassim’s fiancée’s family.
The show portrays how these women face ongoing challenges and make tough choices, offering a touching narrative of womanhood.
The series emphasizes the importance of sisterhood, which ties all the elements together. Each woman strives to balance being true to herself, achieving her goals, and meeting societal expectations. This movie centers on women’s stories and struggles.
Read also: Atlanta Nigerian Passport Services
“Beyond The Veil” premiered in 2023, created and directed by Nadine Ibrahim and Sifa Asani Gowon. It currently has two seasons, each with 6 episodes. Season two continues the main characters’ stories, improving production quality and introducing new characters like Tariq (portrayed by Andrew Bunting) to create a love triangle with Kassim (portrayed by Caleb Richards) and Zainab, regard as “Zizi” (portrayed by Ame Aiyejina).
The series’ character arcs and storylines from both seasons intertwine significantly. Season two picks up where season one ended, with Nai’ma’s accident. To fully understand the characters’ journeys and their positions in season two, watching season one is essential. By episode three of season two, the story begins to stand on its own, making it accessible even to those unfamiliar with season one.
As Na’ima grapples with past trauma during therapy, spiraling into dangerous territory, while Zizi faces personal and professional challenges. Tension rises as Badriya’s abusive marriage takes a perilous turn, prompting Zizi and Bilkis to intervene, leading to a pivotal moment of support from her friends.
Zizi finds a new love interest in her co-worker, Tariq, while still deeply in love with Kassim. Kassim, in turn, struggles to show affection to his arranged fiancée, Maryam. Maryam, a young and successful tech professional, is an intriguing character. Her ambition makes it easier for Kassim not to pursue Zizi wholeheartedly.
The creator opts for a safe approach, only touching on the internal and external conflicts superficially. While the storylines of Nai’ma, Hanifa, and Badriya are familiar and have been explored before, Zizi’s character brings a unique element to the series. As a Northern woman working as a detective, her experiences and struggles provide a fresh perspective. Additionally, Surrayah’s character, deeply involved in traditional African beliefs and love potions, adds another layer of uniqueness.
Audiences who enjoy series centered around female friendships will find “Beyond The Veil” interesting, because the storylines are relatable and authentic, the acting is superb, and the cinematography is excellent. The production value is high, with a pleasing aesthetic and strong visual appeal. The women of “Beyond the Veil” are distinct and bold, portrayed as whole, nuanced, and relatable individuals. The men are equally well-developed, with personalities that are compelling and worthy of screen time.
Despite its merits, viewers accustomed to fast-paced, conflict-laden dramas might find the series less captivating due to its deliberate slow pacing, consistent with season one, and its lack of explosive moments. The creator opts for a more restrained approach.
What Lies Beyond the Veil (Spoiler-Free) Book Review | + Spoiler Discussion
Meet the Characters
The series highlights the unique journeys of five Northern women, focusing on the friendship between Nai’ma, Badriya, and Hanifa. Let's take a closer look at each of them:
| Character | Portrayed by | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Na’ima | Jemima Osunde | Appears happy and confident but is secretly struggling with anxiety and depression. Owns and manages a spa, concealing her true emotions behind a “dummy smile.” Develops a romantic interest in Amir and later reconnects with an old lover, Matthew. |
| Hanifa | Maryam Booth | A wife and mother who aspires to continue her education and pursue a career as an architect. Faces opposition from her husband, Ahmadu. |
| Badriya (Baddie) | Norah Ego | A social media influencer who projects a glamorous life online. Her love for grand gestures leads her into an abusive relationship. |
| Zainab (Zizi) | Ame Aiyejina | A police officer with a strong bond with her grandfather. She has strained relationships with her parents and struggles to balance her love life and career. Becomes entangled in a romantic relationship with Kassim, Na’ima’s brother, and later finds a new love interest, Tariq. |
| Surrayah | Habiba Baba-Ahmed | An expert in traditional medicine and herbal remedies. She is in love with Kassim and will do anything to make him fall for her. |
Na’ima appears happy and confident but is secretly struggling with anxiety and depression. She owns and manages a spa, concealing her true emotions behind a “dummy smile.” Among her friends, she is the wealthiest and most conscious of social class.
Hanifa is a wife and mother who aspires to continue her education and pursue a career. She is the only married woman in the group and has two children with her much older husband, Ahmadu. Hanifa wants to advance her study and build a career, against cultural expectations, she want to have it all. Among her friends, Hanifa is the most mature, poised, and balanced.
Badriya, popularly known as Baddie, is a social media influencer renowned for her love of grand gestures and luxury. She equates these gestures with love, leading her to meet Sadiq, an initially anonymous lover who becomes her boyfriend. Shortly after, Baddie discovers through his wife, Bilkis, that Sadiq is married with children.
Zainab is a police officer with a strong bond with her grandfather. She has strained relationships with her parents and struggles to balance her love life and career. Zizi becomes entangled in a romantic relationship with Kassim, Na’ima’s brother.
Surrayah is an expert in traditional medicine and herbal remedies. She is in love with Kassim and will do anything to make him fall for her. Besides frequently intruding into Na’ima’s life and desiring more than just being a worker, she develops a peculiar romantic interest in Kassim.
As these women navigate life together and individually, they each harbour secrets they don’t share with one another.
Vivian Nneka Nwajiaku, a film critic, writer and lawyer, currently writes from Lagos. “Beyond The Veil” follows the daily lives of modern Northern Nigerian women, addressing issues like polygamy, drug abuse, gender-based violence, forbidden relationships, and unstable family dynamics.
Kolapo Mustapha is a Writer, Director, Story Developer and Film Analyst. An Alumni and Best Directing Student of EbonyLife Creative Academy. He pioneer a unique African narrative/storytelling "SILENT FILM' which prioritizes the use of visual storytelling techniques to explore the complexities of African traditions, beliefs and experiences and also evokes emotions, rather than relying solely on exposition or dialogue to explain or describe things.
‘Beyond the Veil’ skilfully mixes traditional storytelling with Western influences, creating a rich depiction of life in the northern region.
In Beyond the Veil, there is a woman who will do despicable things to get a man she’s in love with to love her back. There is a woman whose husband is standing between her and her dreams, and another whose vanity leads her into an abusive relationship. And there are women who fall in love with good men who love them back. Yet, somehow, these women are never overshadowed. The screenplay never takes the women out of focal point. The camera does not see the women through the eyes of the men. And even when men become the source of conflict, they never take up more space than they need to in the women’s stories - at least not enough that the show loses track of what it wants to say about each woman.
The women of Beyond the Veil have individuality and audacity. They’re whole and nuanced. They are real and certainly familiar. And it’s not just the women.
What I appreciate about her character is how self-aware she is of her problems and knows she needs help to improve.
What I appreciate about her character is how self-aware she is of her problems and knows she needs help to improve.
It also showed that northern Muslim women are not monolithic; their peculiar experience doesn’t mean they interpret situations similarly.
How it doesn’t shy away from mental health is solid, particularly with the character Ni’iama.
Not shying away from the dynamics of money, secrets in marriage with Hanifa, and Ahmadu story in a difficult period.
It is conceivable how headstrong it chose to speak new nuances on young northern Muslim women in Nigeria on the topics it chose to address in the series.
Amazon Prime video is playing catch up with Nigerian television. It doesn’t help that their local marketing team is doing anything but a great job. And yet, if you’re lucky to discover any of the new Nigerian series that found their way to the platform during this first quarter of 2023, you just might have found a gem.
The Lead Cast of Beyond the Veil
