Children’s channel Cartoon Network Africa has selected Nigerian animator Ridwan Moshood as the winner of its Creative Lab competition.

Moshood’s project was selected from the Annecy International Animation Film Festival’s Animation du Monde pitches.

Moshood, who hails from Nigeria, is the creator of Garbage Boy & Trash Can. The judges were impressed by the project’s characters, graphic style and absurdity. It is the story about a garbage boy who assumes he has super powers he can use to fight for justice together, with his trash can.

“Ridwaan’s style is a perfect fit for the channel and shows fantastic graphism that makes the show instantly lovable, unique and full of energy,” said Ariane Suveg, programming director and head of kids’ content for Cartoon Network Africa.

In June this year, African creators, animation students, artists and writers were challenged to design innovative and local shortform content that reinforces the local importance of the brand. In September, 10 projects were shortlisted out of 250, which were then pitched to Cartoon Network Africa’s content team.

“We were pleasantly surprised by the wealth of animation talent on the continent and the selection panel had a tough task. The editorial guidelines for the channel were very specific, and yet we received many applications,” said Suveg.

The runners-up were Intergalactic Ice Cream, from South African toonist Andrew John Phillips, whose storyline centres on a delivery boy’s adventurous after-school job; and Majitu, a project by Kenyan Mark Kinuthia, which follows two characters on a mission to save the world from evil.

Along with the winner, both runners-up will be given the opportunity to get their project produced as a pilot with Cartoon Network Africa, and the pilot will then premiere on the broadcaster and its digital platforms in 2019.

“We are thrilled that the Creative Lab winner and runners-up reflect the vibrant nature of the continent and look forward to collaborating with each of them. We’re excited to have seen strong African inspiration and captivating proposals all around, with strong human stakes in characters and stories that go straight to the heart,” said Suveg.

tagged in: Andrew John Phillips, Ariane Suveg, Cartoon Network Africa, Garbage Boy & Trash Can, Intergalactic Ice Cream, Majitu, Mark Kinuthia, Ridwan Moshood