Disney & Kugali to release Nigerian animated series, Iwaju in 2023
The science fiction series, Iwaju, which is set in Lagos, Nigeria, and whose name roughly translates to “The Future” in Yoruba, examines important problems of class, innocence, and defying the established quo.
Disney Animation Studios signed a partnership with Pan-African entertainment business, Kugali and its founders Tolu Olowofoyeku, Ziki Nelson, and Hamid Ibrahim in 2020, in order to work together on the animated series.
Fans received a teaser image for the 2023-debuting series at the D23 Expo 2022 presentation in September.
The series’ teaser image shows a colourful, futuristic environment with flying cars and cute yet peculiar animals.
Ziki Nelson, a co-founder of Kugali, wrote and directed the film “Iwáju” which follows the story of two kids named Tola and Kole who grew up on separate sides of a city where the rich and the poor are very different.
Bode, the story’s villian, and a tech innovator whose future inventions conceal a criminal underworld he governs with an iron grip, puts the kids’ friendship to a test.
The Disney+ debate
Although the series is animated about Nigeria and is currently in production with an exclusive Disney+ debut scheduled for 2023, the Disney+ streaming service is not available in Nigeria.
In November 2019, Disney introduced the streaming service, but only 6 of the 54 countries in Africa have access — South Africa, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt, and Libya — introduced earlier this year.
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Since its inception, individuals in other African countries including Nigeria, have been forced to use virtual private networks (VPNs) and cards that permit overseas transactions.
However, following the announcement of Iwaju at the D23 Expo, there’s optimism around the possibility of including Nigeria in the streaming service as the primary target audience.
Source: News Agencies
Abeeb Lekan Sodiq is a Managing Editor & Writer at theafricandream.net. He is as well a Graphics Designer and also known as Arakunrin Lekan.
