Adapted from the YouNeek Studios comic “Iyanu: Child of Wonder” by Roye Okupe, Iyanu follows the journey of its teenage heroine, who discovers she has magical powers and must flee the evil Chancellor Nuro, who sees her as a threat to his authority. She’s joined by two companions: the wisecracking Biyi and the bookish Toye, son of military commander Kanfo.
Right out of the gate, the show grabs attention with its theme song, “You Are”, performed by Grammy nominee Yemi Alade. The song is a catchy Afro-fusion tune and an instant earworm.
The character designs and world-building are rooted in a stylized version of Ancient Yoruba civilization. Agbadas, bubas, dashikis, and aso-oke garments abound. Names and titles are locally grounded: “Kanfo” derives from Aare Ona Kakanfo, the historical general of Yorubaland, and the Elu Mesi mirrors the real-world Oyo Mesi council of the Old Oyo Empire.
The plot follows a familiar arc, a Hero’s Journey structure. Iyanu begins as an uninitiated youth reluctant to accept her destiny as a series of trials pushes her toward transformation and self-discovery. A colourful ensemble cast, including Adesua Etomi-Wellington and Shaffy Bello, makes the story engaging.
Iyanu is a solid international debut for Nigerian animation but it flattens the distinctiveness of Nigerian culture. Efiko Score: 6/10
There’s Olori, Iyanu’s guardian and trainer, the last of the mystical Agoni sect, who wields quips and martial arts, reclaiming the Yoruba roots of Capoeira. Biyi, sure to be a fan favorite, offers warmth, humour, and a signature catchphrase calling to mind Nigeria’s masked Afrobeat icon, Lagbaja. For viewers drawn to authority figures, Kanfo (Blossom Chukwujekwu) and Mama Sewa (Stella Damasus), Biyi’s mother, provide stoic gravitas. The voice performances, delivered by some of Nollywood’s finest, bring these vibrant characters to life.
So why, weeks after the end of its first season, has Iyanu made little impact in the country of its cultural origin?
It’s not due to a lack of appreciation for animation. Nigerians regularly engage in heated debates on X (formerly Twitter) about Avatar: The Last Airbender characters. Titles like Naruto, Chainsaw Man, One Piece, and Attack on Titan enjoy cult-like followings among Nigerian Zillennials. Nor was access the problem. Unlike Iwájú, the Lagos-set animated series on Disney+ that is unavailable in Nigeria, Iyanu is available on the readily accessible African streaming platform, Showmax.
Perhaps the problem lies in how the animated series was promoted? Or maybe Iyanu just isn’t iconic enough.
When Iyanu’s powers activate, markings light up on her forehead, which is strongly reminiscent of the character Aang from Avatar. Even if that goes unnoticed, Iyanu’s trio of adventurers calls themselves “Team Chosen,” another nod to Avatar where there’s a “Team Avatar”. Even the delightful character Biyi seems to be a carbon copy of Avatar‘s Sokka.
Perhaps these are attempts at universal recognition, a strategy to tap into a global familiarity. But it seems to have flattened the show’s distinctiveness. Avatar, with its linguistic and philosophical roots in Hinduism and Eastern spirituality, wears its influences boldly. The Life and Times of Juniper Lee has a Chinese-American lead titular character, who is the Te Xuan Ze. Why is the awaited hero of Yorubaland given a bland name, The Chosen?
The show leans into over-exposition, draining it of mystique. The protagonist seeks to master three powers on her journey but these are given the disappointingly generic labels Unnatural, Natural, and Supernatural. What results is an overly familiar tale. Strip off the garments, and what’s left looks like everything else.
The problems with Iyanu raise deeper questions: Must Nigerian culture be self-effacing to be successful internationally? Does Nigerian art have to be a version of something else to travel? Should it be enough for a work to originate from Nigeria or should it also feel unapologetically Nigerian? Words like chakra, sensei, and sifu have entered the global lexicon thanks, at least in part, to self-assured media exports from Asia; where are the Nigerian equivalents?
Iyanu is a welcome addition to the animation space, if only for putting the Nigerian child on screen. But one hopes that in its second season, Nigerian pidgin and its larger cultural features won’t remain in the background.
Iyanu (Season 1) is currently streaming on Showmax
