What is it about?
How can a screenplay tell the truth about politics without recreating real events exactly? This article explores that question through The 37th State, a feature-length docufiction screenplay inspired by Nigeria’s 2023 general elections. Rather than depicting actual politicians or specific incidents, the screenplay creates the fictional state of Zowabia, where electoral manipulation, media influence, judicial compromise and youth activism unfold through imagined characters and dramatic situations. By blending documentary elements—such as political broadcasts, radio programmes and recognizable public discourse—with fictional storytelling, the screenplay examines how democracy is experienced by ordinary citizens. The article argues that docufiction offers screenwriters an ethical way to engage with sensitive political issues. Using ideas from historiographic metafiction, narratology and Brechtian theatre, it shows how narrative structure, shifting perspectives and allegory can transform contested historical realities into compelling drama. Ultimately, the study demonstrates that screenwriting is not only an artistic practice but also a form of research and civic intervention capable of encouraging audiences to reflect on power, accountability and democratic participation.
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Why is it important?
This research expands the field of screenwriting by showing how creative writing can function as both scholarship and democratic engagement. It introduces a Nigerian model of political docufiction that responds to contemporary issues, including electoral malpractice, youth migration and media activism—without relying on direct historical reconstruction. For filmmakers, writers and researchers, the article provides a practical framework for adapting real sociopolitical events into ethical and dramatically effective narratives. It also contributes to broader discussions about how storytelling can foster critical public reflection, making screenplays valuable tools for civic dialogue, film education and politically conscious creative practice.
Perspectives
I wrote this article from the perspective of a screenwriter-researcher investigating how creative practice can respond to contemporary political realities. The 37th State began as my doctoral screenplay, and this study reflects on the artistic, ethical and structural decisions involved in transforming Nigeria’s 2023 electoral experience into fiction. My aim is to demonstrate that screenwriting can do more than entertain—it can create meaningful spaces for critical reflection on democracy, citizenship and social change.
Dr. Nicodemus Adai Patrick
Redeemer's University
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This page is a summary of: Interweaving sociopolitical realities and fiction: Adapting real events into dramatic structures in The 37th State, Journal of Screenwriting, July 2026, Intellect,
DOI: 10.1386/josc_00205_1.
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