Kugali Media: Reimagining Folktales Through Animation | Feature Profile

Meet Kugali Media — founded by African creatives who are transforming folklore with futuristic animation, cultural detail, and global reach through their Disney-collaborated series Iwájú.

Introducing Kugali Media

Founded in 2017 by three creatives — Olufikayo “Ziki” Adeola, Hamid Ibrahim, and Tolu Olowofoyeku — Kugali Media set out on a mission to bring African imagination to immediate global visibility. Born from comics and graphic novels, the company has grown into one of the continent’s most exciting animation studios.

Their most high-profile piece so far is Iwájú, a futuristic animated series that premiered on Disney+ in February 2024. Set in a Lagos a century ahead, it places African culture, architecture, and voices front and center, while blending sci-fi visions and folklore-inspired motifs.

Folktales, Sci-Fi & the Heart of Lagos

Chief Creative Director Hamid Ibrahim, originally from Uganda and now based in London, has said that his vision draws heavily from childhood in Kenya and stories from East Africa. These shaped his sense of rhythm, architecture, and myth.

“We created ‘Iwájú’ as a love letter to Lagos … hope that it inspires more Africans across the world to share their stories and shape our collective narrative.”— Olufikayo “Ziki” Adeola 

The series’ design draws from Yoruba folklore, yet imagines technological skies, flying vehicles, neon glows, and cityscapes that feel both fantastic and rooted. Cultural consultant Tolu Olowofoyeku described how they kept Yoruba architecture and street culture in the visuals—hovering tricycles (keke) represent modern tradition, and markets still hum with chatter in native tongue even in this imagined future.

Craft & Collaboration

Iwájú’s production stretched across continents — remote teams from Nigeria, Uganda, London, Montreal, and the U.S. took part. Real voice actors from Lagos brought authenticity, and local music flavors blended traditional with electronic.

Hamid Ibrahim credits some of his technical grounding to the University of Hertfordshire, where he studied 3D animation and visual effects. That training helped him lead visual effects early in feature films before returning to help build Kugali.

Cultural Impact & Global Reception

One notable effect: Iwájú doesn’t just entertain; it expands what global viewers expect from African animation. Audiences across multiple countries report that its futuristic Lagos feels strikingly familiar, culturally resonant, yet refreshingly different. Critics praised Iwájú as both "uniquely African, and yet universal in its appeal".

Kugali has been honoured with awards such as the 2024 MIPAD Afrofuturism awards, recognizing them for innovation, storytelling, and pushing creative boundaries.

What This Means for African Animation

• Folklore is a foundation, not a relic: Kugali shows that roots can thrive in sci-fi and futurism.

• Global collaboration with authenticity: Disney's partnership didn’t strip cultural specificity — it helped amplify it.

• A pipeline for young creatives: The success of Iwájú is inspiring more African artists to study, animate, and tell traditional stories in new forms.

Closing Reflection

Kugali Media isn’t just making animated shorts or futuristic fantasy. They’re building bridges — between past and future, myth and tech, local lore and global screens. With founders like Adeola, Ibrahim, and Olowofoyeku leading the way, African folktales are no longer whispering from dusty books — they’re alive, vivid, and racing toward tomorrow.