Gateway City, a documentary film that takes a close look at Badagry, a historic town in Nigeria has been nominated for a special screening at the 15th iREPRESENT (iREP) International Documentary Film Festival.
The director of the documentary, Mr Viyon Awhanse, disclosed the film goes beyond just talking about issues; it uses cool movie techniques to demonstrate how trade, diplomacy, and history all come together in this megacity.
The iREP International Documentary Film Festival is a leading platform for documentary cinema on the African continent. Awhanse is a big name in the film world.
He has won awards and worked on some of the most important African films.
“It asks a big question: How can big cities include their important gateways in future growth?,” he asked.
Awhanse said that the documentary film was sponsored by Samuel Mawuyàn Ajose (SMA) Movement with the story from Dr Babatunde Mesiwaku, the Chairman of the Movement in Lagos.
“SMA Movement is backing a super cool documentary called Gateway City, which is all about heritage, leadership, and the magic of movies.
This awesome film, directed and produced by the award-winning filmmaker, Awhanse and the story by Dr Babatunde Mesewaku has been picked for a special screening at the 15th iREPRESENT (iREP) International Documentary Film Festival.
He said that Samuel Mawuyon Ajose, a leading Governorship Aspirant of APC is showing how much he believes in the power of stories to make a difference in the world.
“The SMA Movement is known for helping young people and communities grow and now they’re diving into the world of creativity! By providing grant support to Viyon Awhanse,
“Working with the SMA Movement represents a significant advancement in the strategic use of film as a vehicle for community engagement, education, and social impact.
“It demonstrates a clear commitment to leveraging storytelling and audiovisual content to address community needs and foster positive, sustainable change,” he said.
He said the producer, Ajose is showing how much he believes in the power of stories to make a difference in the world.
According to Ajose, we want to make the future better, by supporting Gateway City, we’re not just backing this presentation; we’re keeping our history alive and showing the world how amazing Lagos is.
“Viyon’s film shows us that places like Badagry are actually super important gateway to the world,” he said.
He said working with the SMA Foundation represents a significant advancement in the strategic use of film as a vehicle for community engagement, education, and social impact.
It demonstrates a clear commitment to leveraging storytelling and audiovisual content to address community needs and foster positive, sustainable change.
He said the documentary film would be shown at the Ecobank Pan-African Centre (EPAC) in Victoria Island on Saturday, March 21, 2026, at 1:55 PM.
“The film goes beyond just talking about issues; it uses cool movie techniques to demonstrate how trade, diplomacy, and history all come together in this megacity.
“The selection of Gateway City for a special screening at EPAC underscores its significance to policymakers, institutions, and cultural enthusiasts around the world,” he said.
