‘I cleared my savings to begin Lagos Comic-Con’

Daily Trust: When did you decide to start the comic convention? Ayodele Elegba: An industry in its teething stages needs a platform that draws all players together to be inspired, challenged and celebrated. Comic conventions all over the world from Vancouver to Berlin have been about growing the comic and animation industries, and it always […]

Daily Trust: When did you decide to start the comic convention?
Ayodele Elegba: An industry in its teething stages needs a platform that draws all players together to be inspired, challenged and celebrated. Comic conventions all over the world from Vancouver to Berlin have been about growing the comic and animation industries, and it always works to that effect. So, years ago, I asked myself, ‘is there is any country in the world whose comic industry needs a comic convention more than Nigeria?’
I took a look at the stable of talent we have in the country, and it is generally pretty good. But what was missing was the platform on which they could be showcased, to Nigerians and possibly for the whole world to see. So I decided to begin this convention so that every creative person who loves the art can have a place to come and strut their geek stuff, so to speak.

DT: How did you put the first one together?
Elegba: Frankly? I cleared my savings account and the strain was on my family. So much that I never imagined I would have been able to afford it at that time. It was a novel idea to so many and the belief in its feasibility was in short supply, so I was left to carry it, at all cost, on my shoulders. I was fortunate to find some good-hearted fellows who helped, and of course when the sponsors and support came, I felt relieved.

DT: How well was it received?
Elegba: Very much so. After the event, many people were visibly happy we held it. Now every Nigerian creative is proud to boast of a Comic-Con they can call their own.
I will try to be modest in my evaluation, but it is hard not to mention that Lagos Comic-Con has been and will continue breathing new life to the comic and animation industries. It is like a shot of steroids every September to the creative industry. It challenges creators to do more, better.
The convention has a super-charged atmosphere that makes you fall in love with the art form, and be proud of what we as Nigerians can create independently.

DT: For this year’s outing, what do you hope to achieve?
Elegba: The objective is to open the eyes of local and international investors to the business potentials in the Nigerian creative industry. We need to sound it clear that if we get the right support from public and private assistance in form of grants and loans and outright equity investment in this creative industry of our, we can add immensely to the GDP. We will have the capacity to create millions of jobs to drastically drag down the unemployment rate that is currently over the roof right now.
Comics and animation jobs worth several billion dollars are currently being outsourced from Western countries to countries like India, Malaysia, Indonesia and China. If Nigerian comic and animation studios get government grants to upgrade facilities, soft loans or equity investment to launch and package top-notch standard products and varied contents, we will definitely hit the awareness of the global market and begin to attract foreign jobs.
This is a channel for the holy grail of foreign exchange away from oil. Strengthening the creative industry so as to make it pillar up our economy is the bull’s-eye this year at Lagos Comic-Con. This is why we are calling on investors to attend this year’s event and see where the next smart money is.

DT: How is this year’s event different from the previous ones?
Elegba: Attendance will be way more significant. We have made logistics elaborate enough to attract and hold over 5,000 attendees. The excitement and crazy geek spirit of the convention remains, but we’re also making sure it’s crystal-clear that even non-comic fans are welcome. There is standup comedy, stage drama, a dedicated movie screening room, and more. Also, this year we’re giving added focus on the business end of things. Artists need to make money from their trade, and they need to learn how. We have exclusive seminars for this purpose. And we are bringing some very big names to host them.
Attendees will find the coolest comics released in the past year, including animation, games and other geeky art forms. They will get to meet the creators and mix up in what is probably the biggest pop culture event in Africa.