Recently, Cartoon Network and HBO Max announced that they were going to renew the Nigerian animated series ‘Iyanu’ by Roye Okupe for season 2 and produce two feature spin-offs. The news of the renewal was greeted with fanfare as it not only celebrates the success of the series based on the graphic novel ‘Iyanu: Child of Wonder,’ but the appeal of our stories on the global stage. ‘Iyanu’ premiered in the United States on April 25 and tells the story of a young African teen who discovered her magical power that hasn’t existed since the age of wonders. Ahead of its Showmax launch on June 13,spoke to Okupe about the success of the series.

How excited are you about the upcoming premiere of ‘Iyanu’ in Africa?

I’m beyond ecstatic.  As someone who was born and raised in this country and wanting to see something like this on TV, to be able to be part of the creative team that brings this show to Nigeria, is, to me, first of all a humbling experience to be put in this position. I’m very grateful. I’m very honored, and I don’t take the responsibility lightly at all. So for me, it’s a lot of excitement. I’m really excited for people to see the show, to see what we put together because it is very authentic to Nigerian and Yoruba culture.

Did you ever envision ‘Iyanu’ would have this level of global appeal when you first conceived it?

 Absolutely! Nigerians are one of the most talented people on this planet, and there’s proof. Look at Afrobeats. Look at Nollywood. You know, these are things that are all created by Nigerians and are very true to our culture. People from all over the world are listening to Afrobeats, watching Nollywood. I may be in a restaurant, having dinner with my family and a Wizkid or Burna Boy is playing in the background, and you see people from different cultures; white, black, Asian or whatever, singing along. To me, it’s still surreal to actually see something like that outside of Nigeria. So I never had a doubt. What I wanted was to give these people the opportunity to show their excellence, and the world would definitely, not only accept, but be thrilled at the performance. This is a show that’s very intentionally referencing Nigerian, and Yoruba culture in particular, but it’s for a global audience.

Are there major differences between the book and the animation?

Yes. You never want to make these things exact, right? Because there’s a reason why graphic novels or comic books work, and there’s a reason why animation does.  So for me and the rest of the team, including our producers at Lion Forge, we wanted to identify the things that worked very well in the comic books, the spirit of the story, what we all love, the reason why it’s even being adapted, we wanted to identify those pillars and bring those things to the animation, but we also wanted to give flexibility to everybody working, because it’s not just me doing everything. You have different other writers, storyboard artists. You have people that are doing the character designs. We wanted to give people room to also express themselves, not in a way that takes away from the story or the culture, but in a way that adds to it, that in an acceptable way that doesn’t water anything down. So yes, if you love the books, you’re definitely going to love the animated series.

Was the choice of a female superhero deliberate?

Yes, it was very intentional. First of all, there’s not a lot of female superheroes, not to talk of black female superheroes, not even talk of Nigerian black female superheroes. And throughout my life, I’ve been surrounded by very strong powerful black women, starting from my mom, my two older sisters now, my wife and even my daughter now, who is even just three, and she bosses me around in the house. So I’ve been surrounded by female superheroes my entire life, and being able to create one has been the ultimate privilege of my life.

Can you recall the first comic book or film that inspired your career choice?

There are many but Ninja turtles easily come to mind. It was one of the first animated series I was exposed to. One of the key things for me was the fact that you could do an action adventure show that was funny, but also had core values like the brotherhood between the different turtles. Being able to see something that was funny, action packed, but also at heart, not only inspired me to want to create my own stories but also do it from my cultural perspective and worldview.

What kind of impact do you hope ‘Iyanu’ will have on audiences across Africa as it streams on Showmax?

I hope it puts a smile on people’s faces and they are proud of Africa. I hope it also gives us a sense of unity as Africans because a lot of Africans work on this project including Nigerians. I hope this is something that brings families together. I hope it’s something that we can all rally behind as Africans, not just Nigeria, and say, ‘This is our thing.’ This is what Africans have done for a global audience. That we are able to promote and talk about it, because the show not only talks about the history and mythology of Yoruba culture, but also values such as  respect, how you talk to your elders, community, and loving one another. Things that are core to not just Yoruba culture, but also to African culture.