Nigerian filmmaker and actress Stephanie Linus has honored the late Ochanya Ogbanje by releasing her award-winning movie Dry on YouTube. She took this step to raise awareness about child abuse, early marriage, and gender-based violence.
Stephanie shared a clip from the movie on Instagram, explaining that she released it “in memory of Ochanya and every girl whose voice has been silenced.” She stressed that Dry reminds society to protect children, strengthen support systems, and end the silence that allows abuse to thrive.
The 2014 film tells the story of a 13-year-old girl forced into early marriage, which leads to vesicovaginal fistula (VVF). It tackles sensitive issues such as sexual violence, child marriage, and women’s rights subjects that mirror Ochanya’s real-life tragedy.
Ochanya, a 13-year-old from Benue State, died in 2018 after enduring years of alleged sexual abuse by her aunt’s husband, Andrew Ogbuja, and his son, Victor. Although a Benue High Court acquitted Andrew in 2022, it convicted his wife, Felicia, for failing to protect the child. Meanwhile, Victor has remained at large since 2018.
Stephanie’s decision to share Dry publicly coincides with renewed social media calls for #JusticeForOchanya. The filmmaker urged viewers to go beyond watching the film and join efforts to protect children. “Let this not just be a movie; let it be a movement,” she declared.
By releasing Dry, Stephanie Linus also transforms storytelling into advocacy. Her powerful gesture not only honors Ochanya Ogbanje’s memory but also strengthens the ongoing fight against child abuse and gender injustice in Nigeria and beyond.
Click Here For More Post
