The Zikoko Life universe is back, and this time, it is taking on one of the most relatable tensions in Nigerian homes: what does it mean to be the man of the house?

In Before We Fall Asleep, the second film in Zikoko Life 2, showrunner Blessing Uzzi wears multiple hats as writer, working alongside Kaelo Iyizoba, who directed the film. Starring Tobi Bakre and Onyinye Odokoro, the story follows Tola, a young father whose life suddenly changes which leads to a redefinition of a financial commitment in the home he shares with his partner (Odokoro) and their child. What begins as an ordinary domestic arrangement quickly becomes a pressure cooker of ego, expectation, and emotional strain.

Tola and Nazo sharing a quiet parenting moment with their child in the Zikoko Life production Before We Fall Asleep.

For Blessing, the film challenges one of the most common phrases in Nigerian relationships, which is men “helping” at home. “Why is the man ‘helping?’ We are partners. You’re not helping me; I’m not helping you. We are doing what we’re supposed to do,” she says. That idea sits at the centre of the film’s emotional core, which pushes back against the assumption that caregiving and domestic labour are naturally women’s work.

Kaelo says the film was designed to inspire reflection. “This is a story about a couple who have expectations about what society expects their relationship to be,” he says. “But they are also learning that what society expects won’t always work for them.” For him, the appeal was in making a film where the right answer is not obvious. “I wanted to make the kind of film where the right choice isn’t clear,” he adds.

Nazo…