IWÁJÚ Series – Episode 1: “The future” of technology

Set in a futuristic Lagos, Nigeria, IWÁJÚ is the exciting coming-of-age story that follows Tola, a young girl from the wealthy island and her tech-savvy best friend, Kole from the mainland as they discover the secrets and dangers hidden in their different worlds.  The show begins with Tola’s tenth birthday. Tola starts off getting ready for her big day using a smart bonnet device to pick her hairstyle with no stress. Technology is becoming more popular in every area of life including beauty and cosmetics. Tola continues getting dressed with the help of her robot house help. On a trip to the airport in her father’s flying smart car, Tola notices a flying street vendor robots hovering in traffic selling various treats. The vendors have a video screen showing the vendor’s face and arms to assist in the goods exchange.

Once Tola reaches the airport, we meet Bode who is scanning various people with his smart glasses that show the person’s name and occupation. Imagine being able to wear a pair of glasses that can show you others’ information as well as cast live video chats and broadcast whenever! The closest we have today would be the virtual reality headsets. Bode sees Tola’s father Tunde and sets him up as a target. Once Tola and her father arrive home, Tola is feeling forgotten by her father and spends time with Kole taking pictures that she uploads to the internet. Later in the episode, she receives a “pet” lizard from her father Tunde not knowing it is a high tech robot meant to protect Tola at all costs. The series is not only visually stunning but also rich with cultural references and a thought-provoking narrative.