EWL 2023 Panel addresses ‘Reimagining the African Content Landscape’, professionals advocate collaboration

By Zion Rufus

During the second day of the week-long Entertainment Week Lagos initiative, industry professionals gathered for an insightful panel discussion, urging heightened focus on authenticity, with a shared understanding of the industry’s need for collaborative efforts, technical excellence, and a strategic focus on distribution to propel Nigerian creativity to even greater heights on the global stage.

The discussion, centered around “Creating a New Dialogue: Reimagining the African Content Landscape on a Global Stage,” featured prominent figures such as Dr. Busola Tejumola, Executive Head of Content & Channels at Multichoice West Africa; Nicole Asinugo, Founder, Write Good Stories; Ifeoluwapo Koleowo, Founder, Oak Media; and Susan Younis, Founder/Chief Visionary, SAY Visionaries; and FK Abudu, Co-Host ISWIS Podcast.

The panel, part of The Circle—a comprehensive series of masterclasses, workshops, think tanks, and panel sessions—serves as a platform for thought-provoking discussions, key insights, and fostering connections within the African entertainment market to drive sustainable progress.

In her submission, Dr. Busola Tejumola, Executive Head of Content & Channels at Multichoice West Africa, buttressed the crucial role of collaboration, upskilling, formal training, and increased investments in advancing growth and development both locally and internationally.

Echoing Dr. Busola’s sentiment, Nicole Asinugo, advocated for more dialogue and collaboration, drawing inspiration from notable endeavors.

Proposing the creation of similar channels within the creative industry to expedite progress toward common goals, Nicole said “I think that we should encourage more dialogue, more ways of collaboration. I love what Busola said about collaboration and also just working together because we all have a common goal. So I think there are ways that we can create groups of this kind of channel. When you were talking, I thought about Femgo and all that you were able to achieve in such a short time. I mean, can we have that for the creative industry? Because we’re all going to the same place, but if we come together, then we can get there faster.”

Highlighting the importance of breaking out of creative constraints and embracing authenticity, Susan Younis, Founder/Chief Visionary of SAY Visionaries, emphasized some key fundamentals of storytelling.

Encouraging content creators not to pigeonhole themselves but to focus on crafting quality stories with universal appeal, she stated “So if you are a content creator, whether that be music, film, TV, whatever, just don’t pigeon-hole yourself. Just think you’re making a good product. And again, I go back to the K-drama reference.

“They don’t make content for South Koreans, they make content for the world. So if you have a good story, tell it succinctly, just tell it well, have a good hook, have a challenge there, have some emotion there. Those are the basic fundamentals of storytelling. So don’t pigeon-hole yourself to think, ah, I have to create content for Nigeria, I have to create it for Africa. No, just focus on creating something good and it will be exported. I think that’s it. Don’t pigeonhole yourself. That’s my advice.”

On his part, Ifeoluwapo Koleowo, Founder of Oak Media, echoed the importance of authenticity and technical excellence as he brought to light the favorable position the industry currently enjoys.

“it’s important for us to think about authenticity in what we’re doing and technical excellence,” he said, noting the industry’s advantageous position for creative endeavors.

In his closing remarks, Wale Lawal, Founder of The Republic Journal, shared key takeaways, urging creatives to embrace their unique perspectives and consider themselves at the center.

Lawal also shared the significance of creating content that resonates personally and encouraged the industry to shift attention toward distribution strategies, meeting audiences where they are.