Iwájú is an animated series set in futuristic Lagos, Nigeria that explores the relationship between best friends, Tola (voiced by Simisola Ghadamosi), a young, wealthy, intellectually curious girl and Kole (voiced by Siji Soetan), a technophile, who works at Tola’s family home and hails from an impoverished background. The series premiered on Disney+ on February 28, 2024 and consists of six episodes.
Tola, who is kept away from “the world,” is being raised by her father, a tech genius, who has created a lavish lifestyle for them. In addition to wanting to explore the world outside of her world, Tola wants a greater connection with her father Tunde (voiced by Dayo Okeniyi), who has buried himself under work, to escape his grief. Although he’s just a child, Kole must make heavy decisions based on the world in which he lives which includes a gangster named Bode (voiced by Femi Branch).
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 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. Watch the behind the scenes video of the creators working on the animated series:
The story explores themes of gender, class, access to resources and the ties that bind people separated by socially constructed walls. Technically strong, the series sufferers from some of the historical issues that plague Disney like colorism and how good and bad characters are visually represented and an absent mother figure in the main character’s life, used as a prop to explain away bad, male behavior. The importance of creating a series set-in futuristic Lagos, created by Nigerians, is a fête that outweighs these shortcomings. Iwájú reaches for the stars to deliver an enjoyable, family-friendly tome to be enjoyed for years to come.
Watch Iwájú on Disney+.
This article was written by Nsenga K. Burton, Ph.D., founder & editor-in-chief of The Burton Wire. Follow Nsenga on social media @Ntellectual.
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