Fix: Afrofuturism, Nigerian Culture, Class Differences, Friendship, Tasty Business, Robots, Suspense
Platforms: Disney+
Disney Plus Summary:
In a first-of-its-kind collaboration, Walt Disney Animation Studios teams up with the Pan-African comic book entertainment company, Kugali, for an original animated series set in a futuristic Lagos, Nigeria. This 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 Olufikayo Ziki Adeola, Hamid Ibrahim and 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.
FYA Summary:
Tola is a tech billionaire’s daughter. Kole is a gardener/mechanic on their island estate. The lonely little girl would like nothing better than to befriend the clever, hardworking boy, but it’s not easy when he calls her “my madam” and lives in fear of her overprotective father, Tunde. Meanwhile though, Tunde has his reasons for being overprotective: a mobster named Bode is making a fortune holding the children of wealthy families for ransom, and has his eye on Tola as his next target. Will ingenuity and compassion (plus one adorable robot lizard) be enough to protect the children and the future they represent, or will class prejudice and greed get in the way?
(Un)Familiar Voices:
Simisola Gbadamosi as Tola Martins
Tola is a sweet girl with an equally sweet voice, but not above using said voice to manipulate others. According to Kole, “at least she using her powers for good”. Her attempts to pepper the standardized English her father taught her with local Nigerian expressions (“God done buttered my bread!”) are charming, even if Kole finds them embarrassing.
Siji Soetan as Kole Adesola
Kole is a young boy with too much responsibility for his age (working a full-time job, caring for a sick mother and keeping Tola out of trouble) so it’s fitting for him to be cast as an almost adult-sounding tenor.
Dayo Okeniyi as Tunde Martins
Tola’s father, voiced by one of the leads of the sci-fi series Dark Matter, hides his love for his daughter and insecurity about his working-class origins under a mask of stern professionalism. Watching that mask begin to crack was one of my personal favorite things about this show.
Couch-Sharing Capability: All Ages
The writers of this series have the rare ability of dealing with complicated issues, like class conflict and organized crime, in a simple yet nuanced way both children and adults should understand. Bode the mob boss may be terrifying, and Tunde a snob (let the kids eat together, sir, for goodness’ sake), but flashbacks from their past and the things they say make it clear how they came to be this way. No one is purely good or bad; the protagonists make their share of mistakes, and even Bode might have redeeming qualities in the way he provides for his crew.
Recommended Drink: Zobo
Zobo is a drink made of hibiscus leaves, orange and pineapple, and one of many Nigerian things I had never heard of before watching this show.
Use of Your Streaming Subscription: Well Well
“Iwájú” means “future” in Yoruba; fittingly, as the futuristic elements fit perfectly into the story’s setting. Food vendor drones respond to bargaining, AI voice interfaces speak with Nigerian accents, and Tola has a helmet-like device that can braid her hair in seconds – not to mention the adorable robot lizard, which is full of surprises that would spoil the plot if described. Lagos is portrayed not as the disaster zone that Western media sometimes makes it out to be, but as a lively, flawed, dynamic city where tradition and progress collide. For some, this story provides much-needed, meaningful representation; for others (like me), an eye-opening perspective on an unfamiliar place and culture. Either way, it’s worth watching … unless you’re afraid of lizards (or mobsters), and even then, you may change your mind.
This sounds super cute!! I definitely need to put it on my TBW list! (Also Zobo sounds delicioussssss, I love hibiscus drinks.)