There are some Nollywood movies you remember because they were entertaining. Then there are those movies you remember because they scared you as a child.

For me, Issakaba was one of those movies.

I was very young when the original Issakaba came out about 25 years ago. I honestly didn’t understand everything that was happening in the movie at the time. I just knew that there was this group of men called Issakaba, there was a man called Ebube, evil people were everywhere, and somehow, these guys had powers that made them almost impossible to defeat.

And yes, the movie was scary.

Back then, the name Issakaba was everywhere. You heard people talking about it. You saw the movie being played. You heard adults discussing the story and the characters. Even when you didn’t completely understand what was going on, you knew there was something different about this particular movie.

But looking back now, I realise I was probably too young to truly enjoy it.

As a child, I was mostly watching the action, the frightening moments and the strange things happening on screen. I didn’t have the understanding to appreciate the bigger story or what the movie was saying about crime, insecurity, justice and the fear that existed in many communities at the time.

Now I’m older.

And suddenly, Issakaba is coming back.

25 Years Later, The Story Continues

Issakaba: The Return is bringing the world of the original movie back to cinemas nationwide on November 13, 2026.

And honestly, there is something exciting about that.

This isn’t just another new Nollywood movie for me. It is a return to something I remember from childhood.

The original Issakaba was deeply connected to the atmosphere of Nigeria at the time. It brought together crime, traditional beliefs, spirituality, action and the struggle of ordinary communities against people who made life difficult for everyone around them.

At the centre of that world was Ebube, the character played by Sam Dede.

For many people who grew up watching Nollywood in those days, Ebube became one of those characters you simply couldn’t forget.

And now, after 25 years, Sam Dede is returning as Ebube.

That alone is enough to make people who grew up with the original sit up.

What Made Issakaba So Different?

One thing I remember about Issakaba is that it didn’t feel like the usual movie.

There was something mysterious about it.

It had the familiar Nigerian setting, but then it mixed that reality with traditional powers, spiritual elements and characters who seemed almost larger than life.

For a young person watching at the time, it was easy to become completely absorbed in that world.

You weren’t thinking about filmmaking techniques. You weren’t analysing the story.

You were simply watching and wondering what would happen next.

And when you are a child, your imagination can make a movie ten times scarier than it actually is.

That was probably part of my experience with Issakaba.

Now I Want To Watch It Differently

This is the part that makes Issakaba: The Return interesting to me.

If I watched the original today, I would probably understand it in a completely different way.

I’m no longer that little boy who only sees the frightening parts.

I’m older now, and I can appreciate the story behind the action. I can understand why the idea of communities looking for their own form of protection resonated with people. I can recognise the social issues that were sitting underneath the entertainment.

And that makes me curious about what the new movie will do with the story.

Nigeria has changed dramatically since the original Issakaba.

The problems facing communities have changed. The way movies are made has changed. Nollywood itself has changed.

So bringing Issakaba back after 25 years comes with a very interesting opportunity.

It can give us the nostalgia we remember while telling a story that belongs to the Nigeria of today.

Ebube Is Back

Of course, one of the biggest reasons this return feels special is Ebube.

There are some characters that become bigger than the movies they came from.

Ebube is one of them.

For those of us who were around during the early Nollywood era, seeing Sam Dede return to that role after all these years is enough to bring back memories.

But this time, I don’t expect to watch him with the same eyes I had as a child.

I’m curious to see what this older Ebube looks like.

Has time changed him?

Has the world become more dangerous?

What kind of enemy could possibly bring him back after all these years?

And most importantly, will the new Issakaba still have that strange combination of action, fear, mystery and Nigerian cultural elements that made the original so memorable?

I Think This One Could Be Mad Fun

I don’t want to pretend that I fully appreciated Issakaba when I was younger.

I didn’t.

I was simply too young.

But perhaps that’s what makes this return even more interesting for me.

Sometimes, you need to grow up before you can truly appreciate something you experienced as a child.

The movie that once scared me may not scare me in the same way anymore. But I think watching Issakaba now, as an adult, could be a completely different experience.

I can finally understand the story.

I can appreciate the characters.

I can notice the filmmaking.

And most importantly, I can enjoy the madness without sitting there wondering what exactly is happening.

After 25 years, the world of Issakaba is opening its doors again.

The city is in trouble. Evil has returned. Communities are trembling.

And somewhere in the middle of all that chaos, Ebube is back.

For me, this is more than just another Nollywood sequel.

It is a childhood memory getting another chapter.

I was too young to fully enjoy Issakaba the first time.

This time, I’m ready.

Issakaba: The Return arrives in cinemas nationwide on November 13, 2026.

Let’s see if it can bring back even a little bit of that old Issakaba magic.