Riona
{{Short description|Nigerian period drama}}
{{Use Nigerian English|date=January 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Infobox television
| camera =
| runtime = 30 minutes
| company = Feemo
| channel = Africa Magic
| first_aired = {{start date|2020|9|28|df=y}}
| editor = Jessica A.
| last_aired = {{end date|2021|9|24|df=y}}
| related =
| location =
| producer = Jemila Akinwale
| image = Riona_Poster.jpg
| voices =
| caption =
| alt_name =
| genre = Period Drama
| writer = Ifeanyi Barbara Chidi
| director = James Omokwe
| creative_director =
| starring = Frank Konwea
Elvina Ibru
Mimi Chaka
| narrated =
| executive_producer = James Omokwe
| theme_music_composer =
| opentheme =
| endtheme =
| composer =
| country = Nigeria
| num_seasons = 1
| num_episodes = 260
| list_episodes =
| screenplay =
| image_size = 270
}}
Riona (Riy-OW-Naa) is an Africa Magic original period drama set in a 12th-century Itsekiri kingdom.{{Cite web|date=2020-09-24|title=5 Reasons We Are Excited About Africa Magic's New Telenovelas|url=https://tns.ng/5-reasons-we-are-excited-about-africa-magic-new-telenovelas/|access-date=2021-02-10|website=TNS|language=en-US}} It was directed by James Omokwe. It stars Big Brother Naija season 1 housemate, Frank Konwea, Elvina Ibru, Najite Dede and Mimi Chaka. It premiered on September 28, 2020.{{Cite web|date=2020-09-30|title=Africa Magic's Riona Casts Spells, Charm & Drama on Its New Audience|url=https://tns.ng/africa-magics-riona-casts-spells-charm-drama-on-its-new-audience/|access-date=2021-02-09|website=TNS|language=en-US}} It airs on DStv channel 151 and streams on Showmax.
Plot summary
The kingdom of Oyomere is under siege when a prophecy about a child born under the rising of a dark moon is coming to destroy King Ofotonku and bring his reign to an end. This unsettles King Ofotonku and he orders the killing of children born under the dark moon to avert the prophecy, but four of the targeted children survive. Of the four, Tsema and Aghan (Ofotonku's heir) cross paths by chance, for they are children born under the dark moon and destined to bring down Ofotonku's dictatorship. Riona also tells the story of social classes; The highborn Omajaja and the low born Irale and their struggles for freedom.
Cast and characters
= Supporting characters =
- Faith Stanley (younger) and Uche Chika Elumelu (older) as Arubi
- Ginikachukwu Tagbo (younger) and Eric Didie (Older) as Edomi
- Chukwuebuka Ude (Younger) and Casey Edema (Older) as Abugewa
- Jeff Nweke as Toghanro
- Jide Alabi as Chief Ofoeyeno
- Tope Olowoniyan as Queen Abieyuwa
- Chukwu Martin as Agbeyegbe (the god)
- Steph Isuma as Queen Arioma
- Leo Oji as Tsegboritse
- Deborah Nwaohiri as Roli
- Preach Bassey as Amaju
Production and release
Riona is set in pre-colonial times of the Itsekiri Kingdom around the 12th century. The Itsekiri people live in the westernmost part of the Niger Delta bounded by the Bight of Benin on the west.
It was listed as one of the top 5 Nigerian TV series of 2020.{{Cite web|date=2020-12-30|title=5 Top TV/Web series of the year [Pulse picks 2020]|url=https://www.pulse.ng/entertainment/movies/5-top-tvweb-series-of-the-year-pulse-picks-2020/lvsndzn|access-date=2021-02-10|website=Pulse Nigeria|language=en-US}}
Awards and nominations
| class="wikitable"
!Year !Award !Category !Recipient !Result !Ref |
| 2022
|Africa Magic Viewers' Choice Awards |Best Africa Magic Original Drama Series |James Omokwe | {{nom}} |