Following the debut of Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pan-African Entertainment Company Kugali’s “Iwájú” on Disney+, the original animated series premieres on Disney Channel across Africa this April and May.
Set in a futuristic Lagos, “Iwájú” tells the exciting coming-of-age story of Tola, a young girl from a wealthy island, and her best friend, Kole, a self-taught tech expert, as they discover the secrets and dangers hidden in their different worlds.
“Iwájú” is a first-of-its-kind collaboration with Pan-African entertainment company Kugali Media. It’s written and directed by Olufikayo “Ziki” Adeola, with Hamid Ibrahim as the production designer and Tolu Olowofoyeku as the cultural consultant.
Christina Chen from Disney Animation was the producer of the series, with Jennifer Lee (chief creative officer for Walt Disney Animation Studios) as the executive producer, along with veteran Disney director Byron Howard (“Encanto,” “Zootopia,” “Tangled”). The screenplay is by Adeola and Halima Hudson from Disney Animation.
“We created ‘Iwájú’ as a love letter to Lagos, Nigeria, and an ode to the rich legacy of African storytelling,” said Writer and Director Olufikayo Ziki Adeola. “We’re proud to share this series and hope it inspires more Africans worldwide to share their stories and shape our collective narrative.”
Says Christine Service, Senior Vice President and General Manager of The Walt Disney Company Africa: “‘Iwájú’ is a true celebration of the creativity and storytelling excellence that is at the heart of Disney, bringing the immense talent and creative vision of home-grown filmmakers to the world. With the distribution of the series on Disney Channel, we are excited to give audiences across Africa a chance to experience this ambitious and uniquely innovative series.”
Kugali Media’s president and “Iwájú” cultural consultant Olowofoyeku explains: “The origin of “Iwájú” is part of a phrase in the Yoruba language that is actually ‘Ojó iwájú,’ which means ‘the day ahead’ or the future. Many of our main characters in the series are Yoruba (one of the main ethnic groups in Nigeria).”
