Source: Courtesy / Disney
Nigerian owned media company Kugali team up with Disney Animation for their newest series, “Iwájú.” Disney recently released the official trailer. Watch and read more about the upcoming animated series inside.
The new coming-of-age story is something exciting Disney has never released before. “Iwájú” is an original animated series set in futuristic Lagos, Nigeria. The series written by director Olufikayo Ziki Adeola and Halima Hudson takes viewers on a unique journey into the world of Iwájú. The synopsis describes it as, “bursting with unique visual elements and technological advancements inspired by the spirit of Lagos.”
Official series description:
“Iwájú” is an original animated series set in a futuristic Lagos, Nigeria. The exciting coming-of-age story follows Tola, a young girl from the wealthy island, and her best friend, Kole, a self-taught tech expert, as they discover the secrets and dangers hidden in their different worlds. Kugali filmmakers—including director Olufikayo Ziki Adeola, production designer Hamid Ibrahim and cultural consultant Toluwalakin Olowofoyeku—take viewers on a unique journey into the world of “Iwájú,” bursting with unique visual elements and technological advancements inspired by the spirit of Lagos. The series is produced by Disney Animation’s Christina Chen with a screenplay by Adeola and Halima Hudson. “Iwájú” features the voices of Simisola Gbadamosi, Dayo Okeniyi, Femi Branch, Siji Soetan and Weruche Opia.
It’s a community effort as Nigerian creatives come together to tell this beautiful story. From the owners at entertainment company Kugali, Olowofoyeku and Ziki Nelson, to the production designer and composer, the series is a story brought to life from those living the culture.
“Iwájù” will feature music by renowned Nigerian composer Ré Olunuga.
“I rarely bring my own emotions into writing a score,” Olunuga said in a statement. “I tend to inhabit the emotions of the characters or subjects and then translate them into music. In this case, it couldn’t be avoided. In addition to Tola’s adventurous spirit, Kole’s ingenuity and the many other fun and beautiful emotional threads explored in ‘Iwájú’ – the score is steeped in my own very deep love for Lagos and its multiplicitous layers. It also includes many treats and winks for anyone familiar with or curious about the film music lexicon of Nollywood. Being invited by Ziki and the amazing teams at Disney and Kugali to help tell this beautiful coming-of-age story that explores themes of family, friendship and ingenuity has been an amazing adventure in itself.”
Kugali is an entertainment company focused on telling stories inspired by African Culture using comic books, art and augmented reality. Their stories respect the history, embrace the present and imagine the future of Africa.
All episodes of “Iwájù” will be available February 28 on Disney+.
Watch the official trailer below:
