Orisha Wars launches Africa gaming revolution through mythology-rooted IP franchise and creator marketplace expansion.
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A shared vision of creating an African-wide entertainment revolution is one thing that Nigerian entrepreneur Bryan King Zella Uyanwune believes can turn into reality through his work. He has set out to build a massive, global intellectual property franchise based on true Africa Gaming, mythology, and tradition, similar to what Disney has accomplished. He has accomplished this by founding Kora Technologies, a payment processing B2B solution with over $1 billion in total transaction volume across 15 African countries, before moving on to his passion of developing compelling and engaging storytelling experiences through ZellaStudios. A multimedia company with the goal of creating the most significant, global intellectual property franchise in Africa by producing African comics, animation, music, and video games.
"We have so much to offer as an African continent when it comes to amazing stories and characters, so why don't we have a major IP in Africa?" asked Uyanwune in an interview with AFROTECH™. "In order for our franchise to succeed, our consumers must be able to develop relationships with our characters and stories and relate to their own heritage through our African mythology." Uyanwune's vision for ClubZella, a collaborative space for the creation of the "Orisha Wars," a sci-fi action-adventure story rooted in African mythology, was born out of this same belief.
The platform launched alongside Uyanwune's Afrobeats EP, Orisha Warz Soundtrack Vol. 1, creating what he describes as "a sanctuary where mythology and modern culture collide to reclaim our narrative." Currently, ClubZella offers free access to music—produced by Uyanwune and sound director Suka Sounds—alongside podcasts featuring influential figures like Chopstix, the producer of Burna Boy's hit "Last Last." The platform positions itself as essential for young Africans seeking connection to their heritage.
Uyanwune's timing is strategic. Africa's population is projected to exceed that of the United States by 2050, with 80 to 90 percent under age 35. He argues that this demographic must connect with compelling stories based on their culture. Just like the global audience embraced Marvel Characters instantaneously, he wishes for people from Africa to rally around their culture and beloved mythological figures that should be celebrated positively and with pride just like Thor and Dr. Strange do.
The expansion is happening rapidly. Trading cards will be out by summer 2026 and development of games has begun. Uyanwune sees Mario Kart-style racing games featuring characters from the Orisha Wars as well as Mortal Kombat-style fighting games with characters from the same franchise. Once the intellectual property has enough momentum, Uyanwune plans to license the properties to game developers, animation studios and film companies around the world. In addition, a 'ClubZella Marketplace' will enhance the accessibility of creativity. African artists can submit their designs for paintings, action figures, clothes, and sculptures to the marketplace all centralized around a common theme of Orisha Wars. Current vendors will be primarily from Lagos and will utilize print houses and fulfillment facilities to create products for sale. "I want to collaborate with everyone and anyone who will support this vision and to help create a positive impact in Africa," stated Uyanwune. His desire reflects a larger awakening to Africa's creative power that the global entertainment industry has previously ignored.
Business Honor is of the view that Bryan King Zella Uyanwune's ZellaStudios appointment represents strategic innovation in Pan-African entertainment and IP development capabilities.
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