Two of Baby Farm's biggest stars addressed the horrifying true story inspirations for the international Netflix hit. The Nigerian drama has been streaming on Netflix worldwide since March but has only just started making waves for its truly bone-chilling real-world plot. It follows a mother as she becomes embroiled in a large-scale child trafficking ring. The limited series, directed by acclaimed Nigerian filmmaker Kayode Kasum, spiked in popularity thanks to just how real its story feels (like Swedish series Breakthrough did earlier this year), hitting top 10s on the platform across the globe.
One of the biggest questions from the miniseries has been whether Baby Farm is based on a true story. Thankfully, actresses Onyinye Odokoro and Genoveva Umeh (who play Adanna and Ebun in the terrifying drama) addressed how real the harrowing adventure is.
Baby Farm follows a Nigerian mother, Adanna (Odokoro), who entrusts her soon-to-be-born baby to a clinic in her local community. However, she quickly uncovers that this maternity clinic is, in fact, a front for a child trafficking business that plans to take her baby and sell it to the highest bidder.
Along the way, Adanna becomes ensnared in the clinic's ranks, being taken prisoner by the business, coming to realize that she is nowhere near the first woman to be tricked into its nefarious scheme. This thrusts Odokoro's character into action, as she attempts to escape the clinic's criminal clutches while also bringing to light the atrocities being committed within its walls.
Is Baby Farm on Netflix Based on a True Story?
While Netflix's Baby Farm series may feel real, it is not based on any specific true story. Instead, it is influenced by horrific criminal enterprises present in parts of the world.
In a recent interview with Arise News, Baby Farm stars Onyinye Odokoro and Genoveva Umeh addressed these real-life influences head-on. Odokoro revealed that when she read the script, she did not know "about the prevalent cases of baby factories in Nigeria." Still, in doing her research, she came to understand the atrocities being committed by these black market businesses in parts of the world:
"Baby factories, I think when I even got the script, I don't know that I knew so much about the prevalent cases of baby factories in Nigeria. But then, when I started the research, it was very horrific… It was very eye-opening and very horrific, the horror that goes on behind these NGOs, facilities that disguise as NGOs and medical facilities, but behind that, there's a whole human trafficking, sex trafficking thing."
She added that she believes "film has to make comments on what's happening in society," so it was important that people's eyes were opened to the ghastly details of the real idea of Baby Farms/Factories:
"I believe that film has to make comments on what's happening in society to mirror society, and I think that Mo [Abudu] choosing to do that, it's very important."
Odokoro has since come to see first-hand the grisly details of these facilities as she has started volunteering for an organization attempting to stop their criminal practices.
"I volunteer with an NGO, it's called Nurses of Initiative Campaign," the Adanna actress explained, revealing she has heard voice notes from victims of various Baby Farms and how they remind her of the character she played in the hit streaming miniseries:
"No, I didn't get to do that. But you know I volunteer with an NGO, it's called Nurses of Initiative Campaign… and they handle cases like this, sexual trafficking, domestic violence, and there were stories. Because our leader will come on WhatsApp and play voice notes, and there were people that reminded me of Adanna, and I'm like, ‘Oh my God, look at what is happening.’ And so, no, I didn't go to a baby factory."
Umeh also discussed how true to life Baby Farm's story is. She mentioned that it is not just happening in the developing world, telling the outlet that she had just seen news of "a baby farm in California."
She said she came onto the project as she was drawn to its authentic story of "sisterhood" and hopes people will watch it, see what is happening right in their backyard, and then "see how they can help:"
"Well, one, it’s a challenge. I love a challenge as an actor. But two, it was just revealing to have to see that, 'Oh, this does exist in the world.' I mean, just today, they reported in a baby farm in California… So I was just like kind of really shocked about that. But it's also like the idea of women, the idea of girls. And like I was so excited to be working with young girls… to like really portray this idea of a sisterhood, and having to deal with trauma, and I feel like people all over Africa will get to watch this, and see what's actually going on, and maybe they really look into their communities, and see how they can help."
Baby Farms (the concept from which the series takes its name) are an ongoing issue in places like Nigeria, where newborn children are taken from their parents and sold into the illegal adoption market, often to buyers in the developed world.
Sometimes these babies are given up willingly by the parents (for financial reasons or others); however, these facilities have also become overrun with instances of human rights violations, with mothers unknowingly using their services for child delivery without knowledge of the true intent or getting captured and put into the sex trade.
