Inside Bolu Essien's Girls Hostel: Power, Vulnerability, and Life Behind the Hostel Walls

There’s something about boarding school that stays with you long after graduation. The unspoken rules. The hierarchy. The friendships. The quiet competition. The hunger for belonging. With Girls Hostel, Bolu Essien brings that world to the screen with striking honesty. In this exclusive conversation with PartyJollof Africa, the creator and cast open up about their characters, the realities behind the story, and the emotional layers that shape the series.

Bolu Essien as Lara in Girls’ Hostel, as both the creator of the series and the actress behind Lara, Bolu Essien carries the story from script to screen. Drawing from her experience in a girls-only Catholic boarding school, she builds a world that feels lived-in, layered, and deeply personal.

PartyJollof Africa: How would you describe Lara as a character?

Bolu Essien (Lara): Lara may come across as chatty and nosy at first, but she is actually very intelligent and well-liked. Beneath her confident exterior is a girl who lacks emotional attention at home, and that makes her crave love and validation elsewhere. This need for affection ultimately drives many of her actions in the story, as she becomes fiercely protective of anyone who shows her care.

PartyJollof Africa: What was it like embodying your character in Girls' Hostel?

Bolu Essien (Lara): It was an immersive experience because I created the world of the series and fully understood each character’s backstory. Having attended a girls-only boarding school also helped me bring authenticity to the role, as I have lived those dynamics firsthand. Overall, it was a mix of personal experience and creative intention.

PartyJollof Africa: With so many possible stories to tell, what drew you specifically to Girls Hostel, and was there a particular reason it’s coming out now?

Bolu Essien (Lara): I chose Girls' Hostel because it is very personal to me. I went to a girls-only Catholic boarding school, so this world is one I understand deeply. I wanted to create a setting that many people, especially women, could immediately recognize and relate to.

A lot of young adult shows are set in private, mixed schools, but I wanted to show life in a public girls' school because there is so much more happening there than just romance. In a girls' hostel, you see real power dynamics, class differences, competition, friendship, and survival. It’s almost like a mini version of the real world.

You can tell who is rich, who is struggling, who has privilege, and who doesn’t just by small things like what they eat or wear. I wanted to tell those layered stories. As for why now, it’s not really because of now. I actually started developing this idea in 2022, but it is simply being released now because this is when everything finally came together.

PartyJollof Africa: What do you hope Girls Hostel will change or shift in the way people perceive life in a girls’ hostel?

Bolu Essien (Lara): I believe Girls Hostel will inspire both nostalgia and reflection. For those who attended boarding school, it will validate their experiences by finally bringing those realities to the screen. At the same time, I hope it encourages parents, teachers, and society to pay closer attention to children at this stage of their lives, as secondary school is deeply formative and often shapes who they become as adults.

PartyJollof Africa: As the writer, how were you able to bring the world of Girls' Hostel to life?

Bolu Essien (Lara): As a writer, I was deeply involved in every aspect of bringing Girls Hostel to life. On the writing front, I have co-writer Ishola Akinlabi on season 1. On the producing front, I visited no less than 5 locations before we got the one we used, and we built an authentic hostel environment with real props and details. Although the story is fictional, it is rooted in real experiences. Ultimately, I want the film to both validate what many people went through in boarding school and encourage families to have more meaningful conversations about how young people are shaped during that critical stage of their lives.

PartyJollof Africa: Did you face any challenges during the shoot that made you question the process, and how did you overcome them?

Bolu Essien (Lara): I never questioned doing the project, even though there were challenges. Budget and time constraints forced us to adjust big scenes, and the weather added hurdles. But the actors were incredible. They committed fully, embraced authenticity, and helped bring a realistic boarding school world to life. Every detail, down to natural appearances and daily hostel activities, was important. It was intense, but I wouldn’t have had it any other way.

Aderonke Adepoju as Demurin in Girls’ Hostel. Aderonke steps into the role of Demurin with ease, describing the character as someone who mirrors her own personality: calm, peaceful, and grounded.

PartyJollof Africa: When you first received the script, what was your initial reaction?

Aderonke (Demurin): The moment I read the script, I thought, “Oh, this is actually me in real life.” I love peace, I hate chaos, and I try to bring calm wherever I am. That’s just how I function. Seeing those traits in the character made me excited. I thought, “Okay, I can play this.” It felt familiar, like I was stepping into a version of myself, which made it really fun and natural.

PartyJollof Africa: What was your experience working with the director and your co-actors on set?

Aderonke (Demurin): It was a warm and enjoyable experience. I even made friends on set that I keep in touch with. My co-actor, Darasimi, who plays Aisha, and I got a lot of comments that we look alike, and we even played along, pretending to be twins for fun. The producer and crew were incredibly supportive, making sure I was taken care of at all times. Overall, it was a joyful and collaborative environment with plenty of laughs.

PartyJollof Africa: If your character had a chance to speak honestly to younger students in boarding school, what advice would you give them?

Aderonke (Demurin): Honestly, I’d tell them to be kind and good. It always pays off. Help others when you can, but don’t be wicked or hurtful. Treat others the way you want to be treated. At the same time, kindness doesn’t mean letting people take advantage of you. Learn to set boundaries respectfully while staying true to yourself.

Miriam Peters as Labour Prefect in Girls’ Hostel. Miriam steps into authority as the Labour Prefect, exploring the discipline and structure that come with student leadership.

PartyJollof Africa: What does it feel like playing the role of Labour Prefect?

Miriam Peters (Labour Prefect): Playing a labour prefect was interesting because in real life, I wasn’t perfect at school. Acting gave me the chance to experience that sense of authority and responsibility I hadn’t before. It felt like coming full circle. I could do things on screen that I never got to do in school. Labour prefects are supposed to be strict, and I tried my best to reflect that in the role, showing discipline and leadership as authentically as possible.

PartyJollof Africa: Did you see your character as a bad person, or was it more about power dynamics and responsibility?

Miriam Peters (Labour Prefect): I don’t hate the player, I hate the game. It’s not really about my character being bad. It’s about the dynamics and responsibilities that come with the role. She’s doing what’s expected of her in that position.

PartyJollof Africa: What was your experience working with the director, producer, and co-actors?

Miriam Peters (Labour Prefect): I’m a team player and can work with anyone. I flow easily with people, and that energy carries on set and off camera. I give people the space to be themselves, but on camera, I bring the emotion needed for the scene. Overall, it was a smooth, collaborative experience, and I really enjoyed working with everyone.

PartyJollof Africa: What truth about boarding schools do you feel hasn’t been told honestly before?

Miriam Peters (Labour Prefect): A lot has been said about the challenges of boarding school, but not enough about the positives. In girls' hostels, for instance, you learn to be organised, clean, and resourceful. You develop skills like managing your space, helping others with their hair, or sharing food. These are lessons in independence, negotiation, and teamwork that aren’t taught elsewhere, and they stay with you.

Darasimi Ogbetah as Aisha in Girls’ Hostel, referenced by Aderonke (Demurin) as her twin Darasimi brings softness and vulnerability to Aisha, a character whose innocence shapes her journey in unexpected ways. Through careful observation and intentional performance, she leans fully into Aisha’s worldview.

PartyJollof Africa: You played Aisha in Girls Hostel. Would you say your character is a villain, a good person, or manipulative?

Darasimi (Aisha): I’ll say Aisha is very naive. She needs guidance and is somewhat delusional. In a boarding school setting, being naive means she’s easily taken advantage of, which is exactly what happens in the series. She’s a lovable character, but her innocence shapes her experiences and the challenges she faces.

PartyJollof Africa: How were you able to embody Aisha, knowing she’s so naive and not the kind of person you naturally are?

Darasimi (Aisha): It wasn’t difficult because I approached her as a character with her own world and mindset. I put myself in her shoes, understanding her naivety and how it influences her actions. Even though I don’t naturally behave that way, I focused on serving the character and the story. It was about stepping into her perspective and letting her experiences guide my performance.

PartyJollof Africa: What steps did you take to step into that kind of vulnerability for your character?

Darasimi (Aisha): It started with fully understanding the character. I read the script carefully and did research on how naive people behave, both in real life and in films. I observed their mannerisms, how they go with the flow, and how they often don’t think independently. By immersing myself in her world and mindset, I was able to step into her vulnerability and bring authenticity to the performance.

Inem King as Bola in the series Girls’ Hostel. Inem King steps into Bola’s world by intentionally softening her natural maturity. Drawing from her own secondary school memories, she reconnects with a younger version of herself to ground the role in truth.

PartyJollof Africa: How did you adjust yourself to portray Bola, given that she’s much younger than you?

Inem King (Bola): Playing Bola in Girls Hostel required me to deliberately scale back my natural maturity because she is a secondary school student and much younger than I am. I had to soften my reactions, gestures, and overall nuances so the character would not appear too grown. To ground the performance, I leaned on memories from my own time in secondary school, especially my experience as an assistant head girl. In many ways, portraying Bola felt like stepping back into that period of my life.

PartyJollof Africa: Did playing Bola give you power or make you afraid of power?

Inem King (Bola): It did not make me afraid of power. Instead, it reinforced my belief that power, when placed in the right hands, can create meaningful and positive change. At the same time, it reminded me that even good leaders are human and have weaknesses, which calls for greater compassion toward people in positions of authority.

Onyinye Odokoro as Ufoma in the Girls’ Hostel series. Onyinye approaches her character with a deep commitment to truth. For her, performance begins with asking the right questions and refusing to settle for surface-level motivations.

PartyJollof Africa: Do you see your character as a warning, a mirror, or an indictment, and which of these interpretations resonates with you?

Onyinye Odokoro (Ufoma): I see the film as a warning, a mirror, and an indictment. It actually depends on who is watching. And for me, what matters most is truth.

PartyJollof Africa: What was your process in inhabiting your character?

Onyinye Odokoro (Ufoma): Most times, I focus on asking a persistent “why.” Why am I playing this role? By continually asking why, I am able to uncover a character’s core motivations and strive to live truthfully. My approach to acting is to keep asking why until I reach the root of a character’s behaviour, then commit to living truthfully within those imagined circumstances.

Eva Ibiam takes on the role of Senior Jennifer in Girls’ Hostel. As Senior Jennifer, Eva Ibiam steps into a role defined by authority and emotional tension. It required her to access parts of herself that don’t come naturally.

PartyJollof Africa: If one viewer feels represented while another feels indicted, which response matters more, and why?

Eva Ibiam (Senior Jennifer): I’ll say both reactions to the film, feeling seen or feeling accused, are equally important because they prompt reflection for victims and for those who may have misused power.

PartyJollof Africa: What parts of your real personality did you suppress, and which did you heighten to bring this character to life?

Eva Ibiam (Senior Jennifer): To portray Senior Jennifer, I actually had to suppress my naturally empathetic and kind personality and instead draw out a harsher, more aggressive side that does not come naturally to me. In fact, after each scene, I would often reassure fellow actors to separate myself from the character, like, “It’s just a film.”

Girls Hostel explores power, identity, innocence, and survival in ways that feel both familiar and confronting. The stories shared here are only a glimpse into the layered world of Girls Hostel. From power struggles to emotional vulnerability, the series captures the intensity of growing up behind hostel walls.

Watch the full series now on BoluEssienTV on YouTube and experience the world for yourself.