Nissi Ogulu, sister of Burna Boy, pioneers African animation with her Creele Studios’ 3D film SOPO, premiering in May. Yinka Olatunbosun writes
It takes grit to establish one’s self as a multifaceted professional—a recording artist, visual artist, engineer, and entrepreneur. That’s what makes Nissi Ogulu a phenomenon. From working at Jaguar Land Rover to co-founding Kemet Automotive, Nissi has embarked on entrepreneurship, breaking boundaries and widening the lens for African cinema.
Flashback to a few years ago: she started a career in the automotive industry, working as part of the Jaguar Land Rover engineering team that designed the fifth-generation Range Rover.
“This experience was invaluable, allowing me to cultivate knowledge, skills, and industry understanding,” she shares. “Transitioning from Jaguar Land Rover to co-founding Kemet Automotive was a natural progression of my dream to create impactful products with global appeal.”
Her time at Jaguar Land Rover expanded her knowledge, skills, and industry understanding. She gained valuable insights into leadership dynamics, teamwork, and the intricate phases of development and production.
Ogulu is on a mission to promote African excellence and showcase its potential on a global stage. Whether it’s through innovative automotive design, captivating animation, or her music, she is committed to putting Africa on the map in various industries. Would she be caged in an area of strength? Perhaps not. She is an epitome of a bundle of talents.
“It’s quite challenging for me to single out one talent as more defining than the others,” she says with a little smile. “All of these abilities—my music, visual art, engineering skills, and entrepreneurial ventures—are integral parts of who I am. They collectively shape my identity and form the various channels through which I express myself.”
For her, talents are the means through which she expresses herself and contributes to the world. Her core identity is rooted in her character, values, and relationships. “It’s the combination of all these elements—my skills, my passions, and my personal attributes—that truly defines who I am.”
Talking about her Creele Animation Studios, meanwhile. Creele Animation Studios tells African stories, showcasing the continent’s rich cultural heritage through animation. Its mission is to bring African narratives to the global stage, provide authentic representation for younger generations, and make African culture relatable and appealing worldwide. By sharing authentic African voices and experiences, they aim to promote global understanding, foster African pride and self-recognition, and inspire youth with relatable content that resonates deeply.
Take her upcoming project, SOPO, a 3D animated short, for instance. It exemplifies Creele Animation Studios’ commitment to telling uniquely African stories. Set to premiere in May, SOPO represents a significant step in establishing African animation on the global stage. This thought-provoking film explores the delicate balance between expectation and passion, highlighting the transformative power of parental support in a child’s development. Through its narrative, SOPO sheds light on crucial themes such as the impact of talent and education on personal growth, the importance of parental support in boosting a child’s confidence, and the profound influence of acknowledgement and praise on future performance.By advancing the mission of cultural representation and storytelling, SOPO aligns perfectly with the studio’s vision.
“Animation offers unique storytelling possibilities that transcend the limitations of reality,” she continues. “It allows us to visually express abstract concepts and imagination in ways that live-action films cannot. With SOPO, we wanted to explore the world of music and creativity in a way that’s both fantastical and emotionally resonant.”
Animation, she further explains, gives the artist the freedom to depict what exists in the mind’s eye.“We can create scenarios and characters that might be impossible or impractical in live-action, yet still evoke genuine emotions and connections with the audience. This flexibility is particularly valuable when telling stories rooted in imagination and artistic expression.”
Ogulu’s decision to use animation for SOPO allows her to craft a visual language that echoes the boundless creativity of music. By bringing the vivid imagery sparked by music to life on screen, she aims to create a shared visual experience that transcends the personal and intangible. As a passionate advocate for African animation, Nissi notes that Western and Asian cultures have long leveraged animation to tell their stories, resulting in a thriving industry. “In contrast, Africa’s vast potential in animation remains largely untapped,” she says. “This is striking, given our rich cultural heritage. By embracing animation, we can create content that resonates locally and globally, driving job growth, economic development, and a stronger African narrative on the world stage.”
SOPO is another adaptation of the book “This Fela Sef! The Legend(s) Untold” written by Benson Idonije and it essentially details his experience in the creation of Afrobeats. It tells his story as one of the pioneers of the genre. Idonije was Fela’s first band manager, a respected music critic and renowned broadcaster. He provides a wealth of knowledge about the creation of Afrobeat. He has a wealth of knowledge, experiences, and insights in the music space.
The title SOPO, a Yoruba word meaning connection and togetherness, beautifully encapsulates the film’s essence. At its core, SOPO explores the bonds between people, the relationships we form, and our universal desire for human connection. The story beautifully symbolises the connection between generations, particularly through the poignant relationship between a young musician and his father. “Music is a universal friend that comforts, uplifts, and supports us through life’s experiences,” Ogulu explains. “By naming our film SOPO, we emphasise the power of music to bridge gaps and foster connections across generations.”
As part of her mission to redefine African storytelling and elevate animation, SOPO showcases Africa’s potential for producing high-quality animation that resonates globally. By highlighting universal human experiences, the film bridges cultural divides, paving the way for global partnerships and collaborations.
Beyond storytelling, Ogulu highlights the animation industry’s economic potential and Nigeria’s opportunities for growth through collaborations, funding, and infrastructure development. The production of SOPO faced significant challenges, including developing local talent and an unreliable power supply. To address these issues, the team invested in extensive training programmes and advocated for infrastructure improvements while adapting their workflow. “Animation is a powerful economic driver,” Ogulu emphasises. “It’s like crude oil, holding potential for economic-shifting derivatives.”
She believes animation growth can catalyse industries like film, edtech, gaming, and healthcare, creating jobs and establishing Africa as a global storytelling hub.With Africa’s youth population driving mobile technology, gaming, and animation, the potential is vast. “Seventy per cent of Africa’s population is under 30, with 60% under 25,” she notes. “The gaming industry generated $1.8 billion in 2024, and trends indicate significant opportunities for animation-driven sectors.”
With support in funding, training, and partnerships, African animation can unlock billions in untapped creative value and become a global powerhouse in storytelling.
Leave a comment