Teen drama series, “Journey to Bloom”, premieres in Lagos

“Journey to Bloom”, a Nigerian teen television drama series, aimed to educate teenage girls on the essence of financial inclusion and maintaining good sexual reproductive health, has premiered in Lagos.

The girl focused movement is produced by SKY Girls, a Pan African empowerment movement, funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

It was launched in Nigeria in 2022 to increase financial inclusion for teen girls between the ages of 12 and 19, as well as increase their resilience and confidence.

The initiative was first launched in 2014 in Botswana and is also active in Ghana, Kenya, Cote d’Ivoire and Zambia.

“Journey to Bloom” celebrates young female empowerment and personal growth, following a group of teenage girls as they navigate friendships and aspirations.

The drama series focuses on educating teenage girls on managing sexual pressure, mentrual flow, peer pressure, as well as being financially smart among other germane issues.

Shot in Ikeja, Agege and Maryland areas of Lagos State, the series enlightens girls on how to stay true to themselves and say no to early sex, while they continue to have positive relationships.

Journey to Bloom tells the story of two teenage girls, Tife and Naima, and their friends, as they navigate school, family and personal ambition.

Tife’s mysterious past and Naima’s pressure from her controlling parents set the stage for an epic journey. Can they overcome their differences to rewrite their destinies?

From viral dance challenges to financial struggles, each episode reflects the complexities of teenage life, they discover the importance of friendship, resilience and staying true to oneself.

Speaking at the premiere on Thursday, Adenike Odutola, Country Director, SKY Girls Nigeria, said viewers should expect drama around sexual reproductive health and some other interesting themes in the drama series.

“We are also encouraging parents and guardians generally to uphold such education with our girls.

“I am glad we have been able to discover new talents, the production process has been fun all the way.

“The drama series will be exhibited on Africa Magic Family, channel 154, at 6.30p.m every Saturday.

“Other distribution channels will be on the Pop Central and YouTube,” she said.

It was reported that the cast are: Ayomide Boluwatife who acted as Tife; Judith Ushi (Naima); Isoken Aruede (Jibs); Wonuola Akinremi (Yomi); Nadia Dutch (Bibi) and Samson Imanah (Kunle).