CORA to Lead Storytelling Conversation at Lagos Comic Con 2026

CORA to Lead Storytelling Conversation at Lagos Comic Con 2026

By Rita Onyi

The Committee for Relevant Art (CORA) will lead a conversation on the transformative power of storytelling at the 2026 Lagos Comic Con, scheduled to hold on Saturday, September 12, 2026.

CORA’s participation in the convention will feature a panel discussion titled “The Power of Story: From Book to Comic to Screen,” bringing together practitioners from literature, visual arts, animation, technology, publishing, and creative production to examine how stories can evolve across different creative formats.

The discussion will form part of this year’s Lagos Comic Con, themed “Where Are The Superheroes?” and is expected to explore how stories move from the written page into comics, animation, and screen productions, as well as the creative opportunities and challenges that emerge during the adaptation process.

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The conversation will also examine the growing intersection between literature, visual storytelling, technology, and the wider creative economy, particularly as creators increasingly seek new platforms and formats through which African stories can reach diverse audiences.

Representing CORA on the panel are Mercy Timilehin Kelani, Tijani Usman, Olakunle Fadairo, Sandra Alabi, and Victor Ayobami Adedapo, with each bringing experience from different areas of Nigeria’s literary and creative ecosystem.

Kelani, who will moderate the session, is a writer, editor, literary professional, and communications practitioner with a background in English from the University of Lagos. Her experience cuts across writing, content development, social media management, literary programming and creative production, with a particular interest in African literature and the ways stories can be reimagined for different platforms and audiences.

Among the panellists is Tijani Usman, professionally known as TijayWebster, a multidisciplinary creative whose practice encompasses animation, comic illustration, poetry, and visual storytelling. His work spans 3D animation, comics, digital illustration, motion graphics, and performance, combining African cultural influences with contemporary visual storytelling and technology.

Usman has worked with organisations and brands including Search for Common Ground, Sankofa Pan African Series, Unchained Vibes Africa, CORA, Progressive Love Academy, Texas House District 65, Urbanized Music Chicago, Zuri 24 Media, and Providus Bank. His creative practice explores culture, identity, society, and the human experience, with particular interest in using comics and animation to create compelling African characters and narratives.

Also joining the conversation is **Olakunle Fadairo**, a writer, educator, researcher, media professional, and creative strategist. A graduate of English Language from the University of Lagos, Fadairo has worked across media and the creative sector as a news anchor, social media strategist, librarian, and project director.

His involvement with organisations and platforms, including CORA, LABAF, and the CORA Youth Creative Club, has also contributed to his engagement with literary and cultural development. As a poet, novelist, researcher, and cultural advocate, he has a strong interest in using education, storytelling, and media to empower young people and promote African creativity.

Sandra Alabi, a Technical Product Manager and community builder, will bring a technology perspective to the discussion. With more than three years of experience in digital product development, Alabi has a particular interest in artificial intelligence, technology, and the future of work. She is also a member of CORA’s media team, contributing to the organisation’s promotion of arts, culture, and creative conversations.

Completing the panel is Victor Ayobami Adedapo, a creative professional and graduate of English from the University of Lagos. With experience spanning publishing, printing, teaching, and creative production, Adedapo has developed a strong interest in the relationship between literature, art, and communication.

He is the founder and Executive Director of Devica Art Production, through which he promotes literary and artistic expression through publishing projects and cultural initiatives. His work reflects a sustained engagement with language, culture, and the human experience.

CORA’s participation comes as storytelling increasingly moves beyond traditional literary and theatrical forms into comics, animation, film, digital media, and other emerging creative platforms. The panel is expected to consider not only the possibilities created by such cross-platform storytelling but also questions around adaptation, audience, technology, creative ownership, and the preservation of cultural meaning.

For CORA, the Lagos Comic Con engagement is part of its broader commitment to creating and participating in platforms where literature, art, culture, and the creative economy can be examined through meaningful public conversation.

The organisation said the session would provide an opportunity to examine how powerful stories can transcend their original formats, reach new audiences, and acquire new creative lives through comics, animation, and screen.

The participation also highlights the increasing convergence between Nigeria’s literary community and the wider creative industries, while creating space for practitioners from different disciplines to exchange ideas and explore opportunities for collaboration.

As Lagos Comic Con brings together enthusiasts and practitioners across comics, gaming, film, animation, popular culture, and related creative fields, CORA’s storytelling conversation is expected to place the question of how African stories are created, transformed, and carried into the future at the centre of the discussion.