Sometimes in April.

Lagos. 2005.

The courage to learn.

I caressed the round belly of my father while he told yet another Edo folklore, "Otolo, Otolo, Otolo…"  he sang softly as I looked into his eyes with child-like attention, stacking up a myriad of questions in my head. I convinced myself to stay quiet as his baritone narrated a century-old message, "The battle commenced, and for seven long days, they fought. Their charms were invoked, and strategies employed, yet no clear victor emerged.” He took a deep breath.

We neared the climax.

“On the seventh day, they resorted to wielding nothing but their Ugan (translates to spear or spearhead. Ugan was an ancient warring tool of the Benin Kingdom). As a result of their efforts, both inflicted fatal injuries upon each other. Aiomoheghomen succumbed first, then Otolo followed," he shared after the brief intermission.

"To this day, the sacred grounds where these valiant Edo warriors clashed remain barren of any vegetation," my dad concluded.

You see, this wasn't the first time I'd heard such magical tales growing up.

He told me stories like How the Curious Dog Burnt His Nose, How the Cunning Tortoise Shattered His Back, The Battle Between the Lion and Elephant, and many others teaching moral lessons and championing the African narrative for hundreds of years!

The Main Africanism-Fiction Story for Kids, today [My Context]

Still on reflections of my childhood, the content I consumed was inherently Western. My afterschool entertainment included Megas XLR, the Justice League cartoon series, Samurai Jack, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Batman: Brave and the Bold, et al.

These visual art pieces broadcasted on television were a sharp contrast to the re-told folklore that induced and flourished during the times of many African Baby Boomers (circa 1946 to 1964), under trees and surrounding bonfires; a gathering termed Tales by Moonlight.

In recent years, the same misidentification which affected my creativity as a kid still strives today. Nonetheless, a huge addict to comics such as Supa Strikas – a widely publicized children’s book with action-packed football adventures - every single comic book character I scribbled in my 40-leave books answered a foreign name, had blonde hair, and displayed foreign mannerisms.

My wildly imaginative mind couldn’t fathom a black man, talk-less of a typical African man clearing a multi-story building, flying 7,790 miles above sea level, or shooting projectiles from his forearms.

No room for Ade, Musa, or Chika in my small world. Better still, Nigerian gods such as Yemoja, Olokun, or Ogun stood no chance in my creative outlet, coined erico comics at the time.

Only Donald, Clark, or Mark.

This was tragic! But wait, what’s the African tale, currently?

The Hollywood “BIG” Rescue: Expansions, Adaptations, and Setbacks in the African Storytelling Fiction-scape (circa 2018 to 2023)

Everyone has seen The Black Panther movie, right?

Directed by the delectable Ryan Coogler, the story follows an heir’s assent to the throne and rulership of a highly fictionalized Wakanda, shielded from the outside world. A utopia of some kind.

The Black Panther caused a cinematic earthquake across the seven continents.

While this epic character created by the legendary Stan Lee made a global stir, it was a mostly fictionalized African narrative. A good appeal to a black audience regardless, as kids of my descent could now picture themselves in such expressions and actions.

Again, Disney Plus and Netflix released two African-inspired animated series - Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire and Supa Team 4, as I mentioned in this LinkedIn post. The characters had African voice actors and featured “real” cultural gods such as Oduduwa and Moremi.

I was pleased when this broke a faction of the internet.

After everything, both are only slices of the advancing work actively inspiring African kids to see themselves as colossal gods, fantastic beasts, and superheroes.

“Everybody wants a solution. Solutions will not come without realizing the nature of the problem, nobody wants to look at the mechanics of how the mind functions. Once in a way something may work, that’s not the point. But those are accidental happenings. That is not a solution.” – Sadhguru

Kudos to all creatives fostering the African narrative in cinema!

Demonizing African Folklores and Super Stories: The Clerical Angle

While Colonialism shoulders some of the blame, it's essential to recognize that the colonizers themselves didn't completely abandon knowing their traditional gods and mythology.

Mythic figures like Zeus, Gaia, and Hercules continue to be celebrated in movies and stories, with prophets and preachers even finding inspiration in these art forms. The Holy Bible also acknowledges Greek gods in certain passages.

Embracing African folklore and stories doesn't diminish one's Christian faith, as it is commonly preached. Rather, it is merely a means of knowing and appreciating our heritage.

Reading tales of Sango, Queen Aisha, or Yemoja to Nigerian children or attending local festivals like the New Yam, Eyo, or Osun-Osogbo festival (a UNESCO world heritage site) does not compromise your spiritual beliefs.

There's a vast amount to learn and unlearn, and we should be more open-minded to the richness of our culture.

Just as attending Comic-Con donning a Thor costume doesn't make one an idol worshipper, exploring our African traditions and impacting children is a way to celebrate our roots.

African Storytellers and Fairytales Arising: Embracing Our Lost Identity

In our pursuit of modernity, we often distance ourselves from our cultural heritage, particularly in the context of mythic figures. This self-sabotaging behavior has eroded our connection to our roots and contributed to the loss of our identity as Africans.

Graciously, there’s a cultural shift or should I say, African folklore and fiction renaissance by Africans, for Africans, happening on the interweb.

Here’s a list of notable mentions in bullet points:  

1. Ronu Spirit: Themed; Authentic Edutainment on Black and African History. Ronu Spirit is a YouTube channel often hosted by the charismatic Doctor Cartel, exploring Nigerian pre-colonial and post-colonial events, and beyond.
2. Comic Republic: Nigerian children’s book powerhouse which Financial Times introduces as, “local publishers mining countries’ rich histories and mythologies, boosting global interest and challenging western narratives,” in a collective showcasing African comics.
3. Stories and Folktales by Ese: Joining YouTube in 2022, Ese describes her culture-rich channel as a platform for sharing folktales told by African parents, grandparents, and generations after.  
   
4. Garbage Boy & Trash Can: A cartoon series kicked off by uber-talented animator, Ridwan Moshood. This Nigerian super story premiered on the well-renowned kids’ channel, Cartoon Network after Ridwan amazingly won the Cartoon Network Creative Lab Initiative.
   
5. Luvuthando African Dolls: A Gugulethu woman, singer-turned-doll maker, Yolanda Yawa-Donkers from Cape Town innovated a "melanin" doll company because she couldn’t relate to the common fair-skinned and blonde Barbie dolls found on shelves.
   
6. Folklore of Edo Legends: Beautifully narrated and intriguingly dominant African stories, with a focus on the southern Nigerian state, Edo. Images are generated with trendy Artificial Intelligence services which makes it much more exciting. 
7. Art Galleries, Museums, and Cultural Centers: As an art aficionado myself, I can categorically mention that these destinations are a great pathway to decipher African myths and legends. Hung-up artworks often have a story tied to the culture around ‘em, and they make a great place to learn the roots. Particularly museums that may feature centuries-old Ife, Nok, and Benin Kingdom arts and crafts.
   
8. Aki and Paw Paw: Epic Run: Developed by the innovative Play Network Studios, this mobile game crystallizes the lives of Nollywood legends of the same moniker. Players - young and old - can witness what made the duo captivate our screens in the 90s and early 20s. Aki and Paw Paw accommodates Nigerian cityscapes with mannerisms such as, "eh," "ah," and "ewo!" 
9. Stories Mother Told: African Folktales: "Times are different now and these bedtime stories which were passed down through generations are not as popular as they once more," the podcast host aptly describes his Spotify channel. Beyond Nigeria, folktales from Morroco, Ghana, and Zambia are elaborated in this audio format.
10. Fill-in-the-Black: Designed by Funmi Oyatogun, Fill-in-the-Black is an impeccable game that celebrates black cultures around the world. The game exposes players to the lives and times of African juggernauts from Barack Obama to Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Also, locations, monuments, and activities are showcased in the card and mobile game. 
11. Marvel's Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur: This series by the top-notch production company follows the life of a teenage super-genius, Lunella, and her action adventures with a Tyrannosaurus Rex. Based in present-day New York, the animation is unapologetically black! Characters have kinky hair and other relatable African traits, for children.

Rounding Up: Where Can Africans Go from Here?

A new path.

We need to take progressive steps to reconnect with our past and honor the stories and traditions that make us uniquely African.

Embracing our heritage is not only a means of preserving our identity but also a path to understanding the diverse tapestry of our continent.

It's time to celebrate our history and rewrite the narrative of our lost identity, for ourselves, for our children.

If these stories continue to fade away under the shadow of complacency, the black generations to come will have every right to be unforgiving.