Grammy-winning director Meji Alabi interviews his own grandfather, a former army commando in a landmark 75-minute documentary set for release June 1.
The BBC World Service is set to release Surviving Biafra, a sweeping new documentary on the Nigerian Civil War, on June 1, premiering on BBC iPlayer and YouTube. The 75-minute film is built around eyewitness testimonies and previously unseen archival material from the frontline.
At its helm is Grammy Award-winning Nigerian-British director Meji Alabi, co-founder of JM Films and Unbound Studios best known for directing music videos for Beyoncé, Burna Boy, Wizkid, and Davido. His Grammy win came for co-directing Brown Skin Girl as part of Beyoncé’s Black Is King visual album, which won Best Music Video. Surviving Biafra marks a significant departure from that world into deeply personal documentary territory.
The film explores the conflict through accounts from people on both sides of the war, alongside personal stories from civilians who lived through one of the deadliest conflicts in modern African history. Alabi interviews his grandfather, a former army commando involved in the conflict, as well as soldiers and civilians connected to the war.
The Nigerian Civil War, fought between 1967 and 1970 following the attempted secession of Biafra from Nigeria, is estimated to have claimed between 600,000 and three million lives. Many deaths were caused by starvation amid allegations of war crimes and genocide.
Speaking about the project, Alabi said the war shaped the lives of many Nigerian families, including his own. “Like so many Nigerians, my grandfather’s life was forever shaped by the Biafran War. With each passing year, fewer survivors remain but the memories of what they witnessed have never left them.”
According to the BBC, the documentary aims to preserve the experiences of survivors, many of whom are now in their 70s and 80s. Alabi said the project was driven by the need to record first-hand memories before they are lost.
Produced by the BBC Africa Eye team, the film presents differing perspectives on the war, bringing forward accounts from people on both sides of the conflict, including personal stories from soldiers and civilians who fought alongside and against each other.
The documentary arrives at a moment of renewed public interest in the conflict. With secessionist groups operating in the Eastern Region once again, hearing from those who witnessed the history firsthand carries fresh urgency.
Alabi, who made his feature film debut in 2024 with the Tiwa Savage-led Water and Garri, has described the documentary as a responsibility not just a creative project. “It is now the responsibility of younger generations to preserve these stories before they disappear forever,” he said.
