A musical about a strict father and his rebellious son, Sopo follows a young musician named Oyejo who yearns for the approval of his father, Dotun.
By Vivian Nneka Nwajiaku
Creele Animation Studios, a Nigerian animation outfit based in Lagos, has revealed plans for a new 3D animated short film titled Sopo.
Sopo is reported to be loosely inspired by Dis Fela Sef! The Legend(s) Untold, a 2016 memoir about the legendary Fela Kuti as recounted by Benson Idonije, a renowned Nigerian broadcaster and music critic who was also Kuti’s friend and first band manager.
A musical about a strict father and his rebellious son, Sopo follows as a young musician named Oyejo who yearns for the approval of his father, Dotun. While Oyejo is a passionate musician, Dotun has different expectations for his son, pushing Oyejo into rebellion.
Sopo is directed by Nissi Ogulu, who is a singer-songwriter, co-founder of Creele Animation Studios, and the 2025 winner of the Forbes Woman Africa Youth Icon Award, as well as grand-daughter to Idonije and sister to Nigerian music superstar, Burna Boy.
Bose Ogulu, Nissi Ogulu’s mother and talent manager, serves as executive producer. The short also features original music and score by Made Kuti, Afrobeat artiste and Fela Kuti’s grandson.
Production has been concluded on Sopo, and rollout plans for the animated short include a private screening in Lagos this May, screenings on the festival circuit, a limited theatrical release in Nigeria, and a possible international release. The studio also intends for the short to eventually serve as a prequel to a subsequent feature film.
The film marks Nissi Ogulu’s sophomore animated short, after The Satchel (2020), a 3D short film inspired by Yoruba creation mythology and the conflict between Oduduwa and Obatala. The Satchel is currently available to stream on YouTube.