Iyanu,
the West African —
the animated series from Lion Forge Entertainment and Youneek Studios — has
received its first major recognition, winning the MIP Africa Inclusive Lens
Award in the Older Kids category. The accolade celebrates the show’s daring
storytelling, cultural authenticity, and dedication to diverse representation.
The
production is spearheaded by Lion Forge Entertainment, under the guidance of
David Steward II (Founder & CEO) and Stephanie Sperber (President and Chief
Creative Officer). Created by Roye Okupe — who also acts as executive producer
and showrunner — Iyanu is distributed across more than 44 African
countries through Showmax, which has strongly supported the series’ growth and
reach on the continent.
The voice
cast is entirely African, headlined by award-winning actress Serah Johnson as
Iyanu. She is joined by African Movie Academy Award (AMAA) winner and Vogue US
cover star Adesua Etomi-Wellington, three-time AMAA nominee Stella Damasus,
multi-award-winning actor Blossom Chukwujekwu, and Shaffy Bello (The Black
Book).
This award
comes on the heels of the premiere of Iyanu: The Age of Wonders, the
first of two planned animated feature films. The movie debuted on August 30,
2025, on Cartoon Network, and is currently available on HBO Max and ITVx, with
a Showmax release set for September 26.
