What If Nigeria Had Netflix in the 1960s? Shows We’d Have Watched

Streaming in the Era of Suya and Shilling

It’s the 1960s in Nigeria. Independence is still fresh, NEPA doesn’t exist yet (but ECN does, so lights still go off occasionally), and instead of arguing over which jollof is better, people are arguing about the best type of suya.

Now, imagine Netflix somehow existed in this era. What would Nigerians binge-watch between sips of freshly tapped palm wine and dances to highlife music? Spoiler: It would have been drama overload.

From political intrigue to epic cultural battles, here are the hilariously imagined shows that would’ve had everyone glued to their black-and-white TVs—assuming the TV antenna wasn’t acting like it had “village people” issues.

1. Real Housewives of the Western Region

Forget Atlanta or Beverly Hills—this reality TV series would have followed the daily lives of wealthy cocoa merchants’ wives in Ibadan, with plenty of shade and “ogboju.” Expect episodes featuring:

• Iyawo Ade: Throwing elaborate owambe parties and secretly gossiping about Iyawo Segun’s gele that looked like a “parachute.”
• Iyawo Segun: Accusing Iyawo Ade of sabotaging her pepper soup recipe with expired maggi.
• Special guest appearances by party crashers, including Mama Iyabo, who insists, “I no carry invitation, but na my right to chop!”

Twitter in 2025 would have captioned this: “Western Region housewives really giving us pre-colonial Realness.”

2. NEPA and Chill

This romantic comedy series would have followed couples navigating love during frequent power outages. Picture this:

• Dele and Ngozi trying to bond under candlelight, but Ngozi gets annoyed when Dele keeps blowing the candle to “save wax.”
• A hilarious subplot where ECN cuts the power during a wedding reception, forcing the DJ to sing all the highlife hits himself.
• Every episode ending with couples saying, “Shey NEPA no go give us light today?” even though NEPA doesn’t exist yet.

Instagram captions would’ve read: “Nigeria’s true love language: surviving power outages together.”

3. Keeping Up with the Colonialists

Before the Kardashians, there were the colonialists, living their best lives in Lagos. This mockumentary would have chronicled their over-the-top attempts to maintain British traditions in a rapidly decolonizing Nigeria.

• Lord Harrington tries to host a polo match in the middle of Obalende traffic, causing a market woman to yell, “Oyinbo, comot for road!”
• Lady Margaret attempts to make “English jollof” with boiled tomatoes and no spices. Nigerians revolt.
• The season finale: A dance-off between Harrington and Fela Kuti at a Lagos nightclub, where Fela wins by a landslide with the “Jollof Shake.”

TikTok remixes of the dance-off scene would’ve broken the internet.

4. Mission Impossible: Naira Edition

This action-packed series would have focused on a group of Nigerians plotting to smuggle pounds sterling from colonial vaults before the naira’s introduction.

• Chief Balogun, the mastermind, devises a plan to replace the stolen money with kola nuts to buy time.
• Their biggest obstacle? Inspector Ogundele, who’s always two steps ahead and has a weakness for bribery via amala.
• Plot twist: The pounds are hidden inside talking drums, leading to a musical showdown during the escape.

Viral meme: “When your getaway plan involves both juju and highlife beats.”

5. Independence Diaries

This political drama would have captured the chaos, hope, and backdoor deals surrounding Nigeria’s first post-independence elections.

• Prime Minister Balewa struggling to balance national unity with a secret addiction to amala.
• Opposition Leader Zik, secretly recording conversations with a hidden dictaphone disguised as a fan.
• One iconic scene where regional leaders argue over which dish should be Nigeria’s national food. (Spoiler: Jollof wins, but barely.)

Every episode would’ve ended with a narrator saying, “And that’s how Nigeria almost scattered—but didn’t.”

6. Tales by Moonlight: After Dark

This reboot of the beloved folklore series would have been a darker, edgier take. Think:

• Tortoise plotting to hack ECN’s power grid so he can charge his radio.
• A creepy episode where Lion starts a pyramid scheme with animal contributions but disappears with the funds.
• “Kokoro” (the worm) becoming a hacker and posting shady messages on village notice boards: “Beware of free akara.”

Social media caption: “Tortoise was always the original scammer, let’s not lie.”

Unexpected Twist: Viewer Complaints

Of course, this imagined 1960s Netflix would have come with its own share of wahala. Imagine:

• Complaints about buffering because Mama Amaka’s generator broke down mid-stream.
• Nigerians arguing over subscription prices: “Why should I pay one shilling for shows I can watch at my neighbor’s house?”
• ECN cutting power during Keeping Up with the Colonialists’ season finale, sparking nationwide protests.

Why This Would Slap

This reimagining isn’t just hilarious; it’s peak cultural relevance. It blends Nigeria’s rich history, humor, and modern meme culture into something that Gen Z would love—and older generations would find nostalgic. From jollof wars to suya scandals, it captures the essence of what makes Nigeria chaotic, loud, and utterly lovable.

Hey Luv, Wait. Feel More Crackko Vibe:

For more modern takes on historical events, dive into our History Reimagined stories.