Actress Scarlet Gomez, who plays Wura Amoo-Adeleke in Wura, a Showmax Original telenovela series, has opened up about the character’s transformation ahead of the fourth season.
The series, produced by Rogers Ofime, is set to return on 30 March. The producer confirmed the release date during a virtual press briefing attended by PREMIUM TIMES on Wednesday.
Speaking during the session, Ms Gomez explained that her once untouchable character would now appear more vulnerable, as shifting power dynamics begin to challenge her dominance.
The singer and video vixen said, “I think in this season, they get to see her in ways that they haven’t seen before. Now she becomes more emotional, more vulnerable. They’ve never seen her in a dire situation or anything like this before. Right now, it feels like she’s about to lose everything, and the challenges are different. There’s also the health issue there.
“There are layers to her now; people might have to, they will be able to connect to her on a more emotional level now. She feels more human than before. Before, it felt like she was untouchable, but now it feels like she can also go through things that normal people go through. And she’s not as high and mighty as everybody thinks.”
Relationship
Ms Gomez revealed that in the upcoming season, Wura discovers that Tumi, played by Martha Ehinome, is her daughter, forcing her to reassess everything in her life.
She added that she was thrilled about the new season and eagerly anticipated audiences seeing Wura take on this fresh chapter.
“She’s also having to channel through the realisation of our relationship with Tumi and finding out that Tumi is her daughter, and having to put all of that into perspective as well. You’re still going to get Wura. She’s Wura will forever be Wura. But there are going to be a lot of variations to her now.
“And she is even more mobile and dangerous now because she might lose everything. And you know what they say about people being backed into a corner, and they feel like they’re about to lose all that they’ve worked for. Anything can happen. Before, even when she wasn’t in a dire situation, she would still do anything to keep what she had. But now it feels like you can actually get to her. You can imagine how far she will go to keep what she has, the actress noted.
Richness
However, Atinuke Babatunde, executive head of content and channels, West Africa at MultiChoice, emphasised that the company’s priority was to consistently deliver premium content across its channels, with storytelling that reflects the richness of local culture and resonates deeply with audiences.
She noted that Wura was not new, explaining that the fourth season’s focus went beyond simply continuing the successful series, to what the show represents.
According to her, the previous season performed strongly, and there remains a sustained demand for more.
“So at its core, Wura is speaking to the things that we’re used to, the things that we as Africans are used to, you know, things like power, things like family, ambition, the consequences, you do good, you get good, you do bad, you get bad. Sometimes, in between getting the good and the bad, just those whole dynamics that play out in the things that we can relate to. That is what the audience wants to see, and because they can see themselves reflected in this story,” she says.
130 episodes
Ms Babatunde added that, in addition to producing a long-running series to engage a wider audience, the multi-choice platform is ensuring Wura is accessible to virtually everyone.
“I was saying from a strategic point of view, I mean, we can decide to do 26 episodes. We can decide to do 13 episodes like it’s a regular, but we’re doing 130 episodes and airing every day to reinforce consistency in programming and deepen our viewers’ connection. So when we launch or premiere on the 30th of March, you’ll see it on African Magic Showcase at eight o’clock, and then on African Magic Family at 8.30, for the whole 130 episodes.
“In fact, everybody on the platform. Before, we were thinking of leaving it on just as a showcase, so only the audience on the premium bouquet could see it. But at the end of the day, we said, you know what? Why not open it up for everybody? Because premium content should be viewed and enjoyed by everybody.”
She explained that the series would be accessible across all DSTV and GoTV packages, emphasising that its availability was intentionally broadened.
Ms Babatunde said, “It’s something we deliberately decided to do to expand the reach so that premium content is not limited, and is accessible to a broader spectrum of viewers. And this aligns with our ambition to make premium content available to many audiences. If you’ve watched Wura, you know that Wura is more than a series; it is more than returning. It deflects the strength of our content strategy.
High production
Speaking on behalf of Mr Ofime about what sets season four apart, and what viewers can expect in terms of teams and stakes, screenwriter Musa Jeffery said the new season will build on the qualities that made its predecessor a success.
He highlighted the high production values, Gomez’s captivating performance, a talented and well-balanced cast, and a storyline that resonates with audiences.
Filming on location in rural mining communities, he noted, adds an authentic touch to the series.
Mr Jeffery added that, from a writing perspective, the new season delves deeper into the characters, offering fresh insights and greater emotional depth
“So if the previous season explored or focused on the external, on the exterior of our characters, there’s more interiority this season. We’re looking at what makes a character tick, especially for our lead actress, Wura. It asks whether we become who we are because of how we’re born or how we’re raised. And for the audience, I would say they should expect to feel things.
“While the previous season made the audience, if you watch the previous season, you’re either thrilled or you’re afraid of Wura, by Scarlett, because she was a terrifying figure. And so this new season, we want them to feel something more complicated. We want them to understand her. We want them to understand where she’s coming from, a journey”, said Jeffery.
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Villain
Discussing the character of Wura in season four, he explained that the team aimed to shape her as a villain whom audiences could understand and even root for.
He also noted that, in the creative direction for the new season, Ego Ihenacho’s portrayal of Iyabo Kuti goes beyond that of a grieving mother, adding new depth and complexity to the role.
“She becomes a fighter and a leader. Tumi is no longer just a victim. She becomes an activist for seeking justice for Bami. The audience should expect the characters, the love, the Tumis, the Jejes, the Dimejis, and the Paulina to surprise them. And most especially, the audience should expect to show that they respect their intelligence. So I think that encapsulates what we, the creative direction for this new season of Wura season 4.
“Now, for the themes and stakes for the new season, our major theme is the theme of nature versus nurture. A lot of people have attributed the character of Wura Adeleke to being evil. So what this season 4 is exploring is the very nature of evil. Are we born evil? So it asks us a very important question: are we born evil? Or does a person become evil because of their upbringing? So we’re going to explore that theme through Wura Adeleke and Tumi Kuti.”
He added that the central focus of this season is Tumi’s pursuit of justice.
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