Nigeria risks having its cultural stories told by outsiders if homegrown creatives fail to step forward, animation and media experts have warned at a stop motion animation symposium held at Yaba College of Technology in Lagos.

The event, organised by the TETFund Centre of Excellence in Skills, Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Development in collaboration with Radioxity Stop Motion Academy, took place at the Yusuf Grillo Auditorium and drew academics, industry stakeholders and international animation professionals, some of whom joined virtually.

Esther Kemi Gbadamosi, Chief Executive Officer of Radioxity Media, raised the alarm over the continued absence of African voices in the production of African stories on global platforms.

"We have seen African stories on global platforms, but shockingly, they are not told by Africans. If we do not come out to tell our stories, others will tell them for us and not necessarily the way they should be told," Gbadamosi stated.

Gbadamosi pointed to historical distortions in narratives surrounding early European exploration of Africa as evidence of how storytelling shapes perception and legacy. She identified stop motion animation as a viable vehicle for young Nigerian creatives to project authentic cultural expressions to global audiences, and noted that children's programming remained an underdeveloped segment of the local creative industry.

"Stop motion is especially powerful for children's content. This is the future where our stories travel across the world and create new markets," she added.

Participants at the workshop were informed of available incentives, including access to startup classes, a six week paid internship programme and professional training opportunities sponsored by the French Embassy and Access Bank.

Arc. Sherifdeen Ayodele Oja, Director of the TETFund Centre for Excellence in Skills, Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Development, described the initiative as part of a strategy to bridge the gap between academia and industry. He noted that 120 shortlisted students would undergo intensive hands on training using specialised animation equipment.

"Stop motion animation is a fusion of art and engineering with global relevance. Our students already possess foundational creative skills. What they need is direction and exposure to transform these into viable enterprises," Ayodele Oja said.

The Rector of the College, Dr. Ibraheem Abdul, represented by Deputy Rector for Academics Dr. Ismail Badmus, urged students to embrace consistency as a pathway to excellence. "Stop motion animation teaches us that great things are built one small step at a time. It mirrors our academic journey: progress may seem slow, but consistency produces remarkable results," the rector stated.

The centre was established in 2021 as one of six polytechnic Centres of Excellence in Nigeria.