Disney and Kugali's IWÁJÚ | Interview with the Creators of the Afrofuturistic Animated Series

POCculture.com interview with Olufikayo Ziki Adeola, Hamid Ibrahim & Tolu Olowofoyeku, the creators of the new African inspired animation series, Iwájú.
It all started with a BBC interview in 2019 when production designer Hamid Ibrahim said, "We're going to kick Disney's a** in Africa."
That led to a first-of-its-kind partnership with Disney Animation to create a groundbreaking animated series set in futuristic Lagos, Nigeria. We spoke with the founders of the African animation studio, Kugali, director Olufikayo Ziki Adeola, production designer Hamid Ibrahim and cultural consultant Toluwalakin Olowofoyeku, on the interview that changed their lives, their incredible new series and more.
Watch Iwájú on Disney+!
Synopsis:
In a first-of-its-kind collaboration, Walt Disney Animation Studios teams up with Pan-African entertainment company, Kugali, for 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. Featuring the voices of Simisola Gbadamosi, Dayo Okeniyi, Femi Branch, Siji Soetan and Weruche Opia, "Iwájú" streams exclusively on Disney+ Feb. 28, 2024, in a six-episode event.
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[@GaymerONE1]

Really great interview, extremely happy that Disney put support behind this movie and that it’s getting exposure.

[@POCCulture]

Thank you and agreed! It deserves a lot of love and hopefully we'll get to see more in this world!

[@GaymerONE1]

@@POCCulture we always deserve a lot more love, that’s why when we do things like you’ve done here for art that comes from us it’s so much more impactful. 🌹