YABA, LAGOS STATE– In a tactical transfer to reposition Nigeria’s imaginative economy, Yaba College of Innovation (YABATECH), in partnership with Radioxity Stop Motion Academy and the TETFund Centre of Excellence (TETCoE), has actually released a significant effort to empower local animators.
Throughout a prominent seminar held at the Yusuf Grillo Auditorium, stakeholders released a compelling call to action for Nigerians to reclaim their cultural narratives through stop-motion animation.
The event, which blends scholastic theory with industry-ready technical training, aims to suppress the historic trend of African stories being infiltrated non-African lenses on worldwide platforms.
Reclaiming the African Story
The keynote speaker and CEO of Radioxity Media, Esther Gbadamosi, expressed issue over the “disgraceful” truth that numerous African stories included on international streaming platforms are produced and translated by foreigners.
She argued that without a coordinated cultural motion, Nigeria dangers long-term historic distortions.
“If we do not come out to tell our stories, others will tell them for us, and not necessarily the method they must be told,” Gbadamosi alerted, mentioning early European exploration narratives as examples of how external storytelling can improve a nation’s legacy.
The Director of TETCoE, Sherifdeen Ayodele-Oja, highlighted the initiative as a fulfilment of the centre’s 2021 required to foster development and entrepreneurship.
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He revealed that 120 shortlisted students have actually been selected for an extensive, hands-on training program using specialised animation devices.
The Rector of YABATECH, Dr Ibraheem Abdul (represented by Deputy Rector Ismail Badmus), declared that the college is moving beyond producing “employable graduates” to supporting “job creators” capable of competing in the multi-billion dollar global imaginative economy.
Strategic Partnerships and Rewards
To make sure the sustainability of the program, the workshop is backed by substantial institutional support. Gbadamosi revealed a series of incentives developed to shift students from learners to professionals:
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Paid Internships: A six-week internship program for leading performers.
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International Sponsorship: Professional training chances sponsored by the French Embassy.
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Financial backing: Entrepreneurial backing from Gain access to Bank to assist start-ups scale.
The seminar featured virtual contributions from international animation veterans, supplying trainees with a bird’s-eye view of the worldwide industry.
By integrating regional storytelling with worldwide best practices, YABATECH and its partners are setting the stage for a “New age” of Nigerian animation, one where the lion, not the hunter, lastly informs the story of the hunt.
As the workshop starts, the creative community in Lagos sees carefully, enthusiastic that this initiative will work as the foundation for a sustainable, native animation community.