Iyke Bede
Just five years ago, Adebisi Adetayo’s studio, 32ad Animations, delivered the well-received ‘Lady Buckit and the Motley Mopsters.’ Its 4K resolution and cinematic visuals set new benchmarks for Nigerian animated features. Today, he’s aiming higher: “We’ve been able to do that five years ago. Let’s see what we’re able to do now… at least six times bigger.”
His new film, ‘Secrets of the Multiverse,’ is an unusual sequel. It’s pulling all stops, stretching his creative limits, all in a bid to put Nigerian animation, Africa by extension, on the map. The crusade, unsurprisingly, has begun to quietly pave the way for the less explored but growing world of animation.
As fate would have it, Adetayo worked alongside producer Blessing Amidu on ‘Lady Buckit,’ where he served as animation director, a role he reprises on the new project. Although capital-intensive, figures like Amidu continue to blaze trails in this space. This second production, shaped by the creative imagination of Emmanuella Amidu, postures the Nigerian animation industry as one taking a bold leap into sci-fi, backed by a global ambition to lead through African narratives told by actual Africans, ensuring cultural elements are preserved.
Helping put this project together with Adetayo is US-based animator Robert Sledge. The pair come together in this rare Hollywood and Nollywood collaboration, one that signals a growing confidence in cross-continental partnerships and the international relevance of Nigerian animation.
Adetayo’s journey into animation began in 2000, not through cartoons, but through science textbooks, specifically the animated biology DVDs that accompanied them. Though he had seen animation before, that moment sparked something deeper. Without access to the internet or formal training in Nigeria at the time, he taught himself using books, including a crucial find at CMS Bookshop in Lagos. By 2003, while still a student, he was already lecturing in animation. After graduation, he gained experience abroad, working in Egypt and interning at Alpha Vision in South Africa, before returning to Nigeria.
Sledge is a seasoned artist whose passion lies deeply in traditional, hand-drawn 2D animation. While proficient in 3D workflows, his heart remains with drawing, as he still sketches on paper daily, preserving the tactile craft he first fell in love with.
His career spans major studios including Warner Bros. and Disney, where he wore multiple creative hats: storyboard artist, character designer, animator, and director, earning him the reputation as the go-to ‘utility guy.’
“Inclusion brings everything together as a whole. And honestly, the more inclusive your project is, the more reach and mileage it can get, especially in Africa. That’s one of the main reasons we pursued collaboration,” Adetayo noted of their collaboration.
He continued: “It’s not just about the storytelling being rooted in Africa, it’s about making sure the story is well-rounded enough to resonate globally. Since the story is meant to be consumed worldwide, why not make it with input from around the world?”
At the time Sledge was approached for his expertise on the project, he already had a full plate, with offers from other studios.
“The thing that appealed to me most about this, first of all, was the story. I was given a portion to read, and I was very intrigued by the storylines, the characters — so much so I was planning on taking another job at the time, and I actually turned down the job to take this one. I agree with Adebisi that it’s a story that can be told around the world. It’s not just a cultural fit into one country.
“This is a real story involving people who are actually from Africa. This isn’t something taken out of the culture and then recreated somewhere else. Although, to be fair, those efforts did try to keep some authenticity. But I feel this is different. This is coming from writers who are from this place. The culture is being exemplified in it — very much so. And as Adebisi was saying, it should fit with all cultures, with all different communities.”
To be sure, the magnitude of production carried out by 32ad Animation Studios isn’t done in isolation. It creates ripples, resonating with and sparking the ambitions of other creatives to build on. Especially in the video game space, where animators are in steady demand to retell African stories digitally, projects like this stir a quiet kind of consciousness.
“I’ve worked with many studios over the years, and this isn’t any lesser,” Sledge said. “32ad Animation Studios is doing what we all love to do: make films, tell stories. Adebisi comes across as very professional. I’ve seen his work, and I trust his direction. I’m confident he’ll take this to the level it deserves.
“That said, animation is always a team effort. Every team has its own rhythm, and as we move forward, this one will continue to find its own. Hopefully, the process stays smooth… though animation rarely is. It’s always uphill. Always demanding. But with the kind of direction Adebisi brings, and if I can lend my own experience to the mix, I believe we’ll create something the entire nation of Nigeria can be proud of.”
Blending African heritage, sci-fi, and creature design, ‘Secrets of the Multiverse’ is a bold reimagining of what animated stories from Nigeria can be. Amid the AI boom in entertainment, this project insists on real voice actors, real stories, and lived experience.
“The production is actually all human characters, all natural, not artificial intelligence. So the voiceovers actually cut across different cultures, within Nigeria and across the world,” Adetayo noted.
“AI hasn’t been involved in this project at all, not even at the research level. Not at all. These are all human-driven elements. That’s why I said we’re taking our time to build. And building it gradually, with full attention to research and every detail. We don’t want anything to do with IP (intellectual property) issues that come up when you use AI in a project,” Adetayo concluded.
The team took a traditional route, starting with the story as the foundation. From there, they moved into concept development backed by thorough research, covering characters, environments, and cultures across the globe. Every creative decision was shaped by the story, ensuring originality and a distinct IP. Once visual concepts were approved, they progressed to 3D asset development, followed by animation synced with studio-recorded voiceovers. The process also included storyboarding, animatics, rendering, and sound design, all carefully executed to maintain the project’s high production standard.
As ‘Secrets of the Multiverse’ advances in production, it’s become a declaration of sorts: Nigerian animation isn’t content with catching up, it is leading with original stories.
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