By Juliet Ebirim

Veteran oil and gas professional turned filmmaker, Blessing Amidu, is set to debut a new animated series, ‘Secrets of the Multiverse’, a spin-off of her 2020 feature film, ‘Lady Buckit and the Motley Mopsters’. The series, written by her daughter Emmanuella Amidu, delves into leadership, morality and the value of life, marking a bold step in Nigeria’s emerging animation industry.

With over 20 years in the energy sector, Amidu’s pivot to animation was sparked by years of watching cartoons with her four children. Citing the scarcity of African stories in the animated space, she was inspired to create content that resonates with local and global audiences alike. The concept for her first film was born when her eldest daughter, began sketching characters, giving shape to the fictional world that would eventually become ‘Lady Buckit and the Motley Mopsters’.

The script for “Secrets of the Multiverse” came from an unexpected source: Amidu’s daughter, Emmanuella, a university student studying abroad. Initially deterred by the high cost of hiring a professional writer, Amidu asked her daughter to write a few short stories. After seeing her talent, she commissioned Emmanuella to write the first season. The director of the film, Adebisi Adetayo, was reportedly so impressed with the script’s quality that he wondered if it was generated by artificial intelligence.

Emmanuella, who hopes to become a full-time writer after completing her studies, said her work is inspired by personal experiences and focuses on themes of friendship, identity and courage.  “I like to write things that I’ve experienced” she said.

Emmanuella also noted the importance of telling stories rooted in African identity, especially for young people who move abroad. “This is to remind me of who I am back home and it’s also for people my age, both men and women, to remember what makes us proud Africans.”

The project is directed by Adetayo in collaboration with Hollywood filmmaker, Robert Sledge, a partnership Amidu believes will enable cross-cultural knowledge sharing and help take the series to a global audience.

Despite the creative momentum, Amidu points to several structural challenges in Nigeria’s animation sector, with funding and distribution as the two biggest hurdles. She believes stronger distribution infrastructure and greater investment are critical to unlocking the sector’s potential.

Blessing Amidu is the founder of Hot Ticket Productions and Group CEO of the Max Allegra Group. She also leads the Lady Buckit Foundation, which supports underprivileged children and girl-child development.