The year was 1996 and the show everybody in Nigeria was watching was the Brazilian soap opera Secrets of the Sands. It started the telenovela craze that has now become popular on terrestrial and satellite television programming in Nigeria.
20 years later, what do you remember about it? Let’s help you out.
1. Originally titled Mulheres de Areia (Women of the Sand) , the 90’s version was a remake of a 1973 series of the same name.
2. It tells the story of Marcos, a rich young man who falls in love with Ruth, the daughter of a poor fisherman.
When she has a boat accident it is believed that she’s dead and her badly behaved identical twin soon comes along to snatch Marcos.
3. Mr Virgilio is Marcos’ rich daddy, who of course does not approve of his son’s relationship.
4. Ms. Clarita is his long suffering wife.
5. Malu is their mischievous daughter.
She too falls in love with a cowboy and runs away from home.
6. Tonho da Lua is the mentally challenged friend of Ruth’s who makes sculptures with sand on the beach.
Raquel doesn’t like him and is always tormenting him.
7. Isaura is Ruth and Raquel’s mother.
She favours the bad twin and wants her to marry a rich man so they can get out of poverty.
8. Floriano is the twins’ father.
He’s poor but very principled and does not agree with his wife’s scheming.