Nollywood is bringing back one of its most recognisable action franchises as ‘Issakaba: The Return’ is set to arrive in cinemas nationwide on November 13, 2026.
The sequel to the 2001 Nollywood classic was announced by veteran filmmaker Lancelot Imasuen, who directed and produced the original film. The upcoming movie marks the franchise’s return to the big screen 25 years after the first instalment.
A major part of the film’s appeal is the return of Sam Dede, who reprises his iconic role as Ebube. Set 25 years after the events of the original, the new story sees Ebube confront a new and more sophisticated wave of crime, darkness and insecurity.
— Streamdorm | Film & TV News (@Streamdorm_) October 5, 2026
Imasuen also returns as director, with the sequel filmed in Asaba, Delta State. The cast combines familiar Nollywood veterans with a new generation of actors, including Chidi Mokeme, Iyabo Ojo, Regina Daniels, Alex Osifo, Charles Okafor, Nosa Rex, Mark Angel and Phyna.
The original Issakaba became a cult favourite for its blend of action, horror, traditional mysticism and social commentary. Inspired by the real-life Bakassi Boys, the film followed Ebube and the Issakaba Boys as they fought criminal elements terrorising their community.
The sequel arrives at a notable point in the franchise’s history, exactly 25 years after the original film’s theatrical era. It also continues a growing trend of Nollywood revisiting familiar titles and characters for a new generation of audiences.
With Sam Dede returning as Ebube and Lancelot Imasuen back behind the camera, ‘Issakaba: The Return’ is positioned as both a continuation of a beloved Nollywood story and a modern revisit of one of the industry’s most memorable action franchises.
‘Issakaba: The Return’ hits cinemas nationwide on November 13, 2026.
Blaqbonez and Asake have once again found the top spot with a collaboration, as “IKEBE 3000” rises to No. 1 on the Nigeria Apple Music Top Songs chart.
The achievement gives “IKEBE 3000” the same peak previously reached by the duo’s earlier collaboration, “Chanel,” establishing a notable pattern in the commercial performance of their records together.
Released on October 2, “IKEBE 3000” arrived as another link-up between Blaqbonez and Asake, following the success of “Chanel,” which became one of the standout Nigerian collaborations of 2026. The new single has quickly gained momentum across streaming platforms, with its official music video also generating strong attention since its release.
Blaqbonez & Asake’s “IKEBE 3000” rises to No.1 on the NG Apple Top Songs Chart 🤩🔥 pic.twitter.com/OG0glLITE0
“Chanel” set a particularly high benchmark for the pair. The song debuted at No. 1 on Nigeria’s Official Top 100 after recording 7.17 million on demand streams and 64.2 million radio impressions in its opening chart week. The performance made it Blaqbonez’s first No. 1 entry on the official singles chart, while extending Asake’s record to 19 No.1 entries at the time.
The record maintained its position the following week, registering another 4.57 million on demand streams and 86.4 million radio impressions to spend a second consecutive week at No.1.
Blaqbonez and Asake’s “Chanel” has climbed to No. 1 on the Ghana Apple Music Top Songs Chart pic.twitter.com/5iENDbV9OY
— Music on Streamdorm 🎧 (@Streamdorm) May 25, 2026
“Chanel” has also continued to perform strongly on streaming platforms, accumulating more than 30 million streams on Spotify in Nigeria according to Spotify chart tracking data.
Now, “IKEBE 3000” is following in its predecessor’s footsteps by reaching the summit of the Apple Music Nigeria Top Songs chart. The milestone further underlines the chemistry between Blaqbonez and Asake and the commercial appeal their collaborations have developed.
The milestone also means all of Asake’s released projects have now surpassed 50 million streams on Spotify. His catalogue includes Ololade Asake, Mr. Money With The Vibe, Work of Art, Lungu Boy, M$NEY, and M$NEY Live In London.
Asake’s studio albums have recorded particularly strong numbers on the platform. Mr. Money With The Vibe is nearing the billion-stream mark, while Work of Art has crossed 900 million streams. Lungu Boy has surpassed 560 million, and M$NEY has crossed 490 million streams.
The latest milestone further reinforces Asake’s position as one of the most consistent streaming artists to emerge from Nigeria’s current Afrobeats generation, with every major project in his catalogue now recording at least 50 million Spotify streams.
Today’s Nigerian youths of today find it difficult to be hopeful in the country; every four years we get what many describe as “the worst leaders yet”, but that doesn’t stop anyone from working for a better tomorrow. Writer and director Idiagi Ernest Eromosele is among many brave Nigerians fighting and sharing the message of hope, and he continues that mission with ‘Caged Bird’.
Caged Bird follows Odion, a young football enthusiast, and Pa Joel, an experienced barber whose story about Nigeria’s legendary Atlanta ’96 Dream Team sparks a conversation about dreams, hope, and believing in what seems impossible. Released on Nigeria’s independence day, with a runtime of 8 minutes 46 seconds, Caged Bird not only delivers visually but also delivers in writing.
We had an exclusive interview with Ernest, talking about the film, the inspiration, and the message:
Adedayo: Now more than ever, Nigerians are losing faith in the nation, its leaders and its system, but you decided to make a film about hope. Why?
Ernest:I think hope is important precisely because of the moment we’re in. There is a lot of frustration, disappointment and uncertainty around us, and it’s easy to become cynical. But I don’t think giving up is the answer.
For me, Caged Bird isn’t saying that everything is fine. It’s saying that despite the circumstances around us, we still have the right to dream and to believe that our lives can become something different.
That’s also at the heart of what Rebel Films represents. The name “Rebel” comes from the idea of refusing to give up on your vision simply because the circumstances make it difficult. We want to tell stories about people who keep moving, keep fighting and keep believing.
So Caged Bird is a story about hope, but more importantly, it’s a story about not giving up on the dream.
Adedayo: You wrote and directed Caged Bird. What was the inspiration that led you to develop this story?
Ernest:The starting point was actually very simple: I wanted to tell a story about a young person who has a dream and the people who influence the way he sees that dream.
Football felt like a natural language for that story because of what it means to Nigerians. Almost every generation has a football memory that connects them to something bigger than themselves.
That’s where Atlanta ’96 came in.
I was interested in the relationship between someone like Pa Joel, who experienced that generation and remembers what the Dream Team represented, and someone like Odion, who is still trying to figure out what his own dream means.
The barbershop also gave me an intimate setting. It isn’t a stadium or a huge football environment. It’s just two people having a conversation, but that conversation becomes much bigger than football.
And that’s what I wanted the film to be: a small story carrying a bigger idea.
Adedayo: It takes a lot of skill to compress such an incredible story into nine minutes. What challenges did you face in getting everything right, from cast to crew to visuals?
Ernest:The biggest challenge was probably knowing what to leave out.
When you’re making a nine-minute film, every scene has to earn its place. You don’t have the luxury of spending five minutes establishing something that could be communicated in thirty seconds.
We had to be very intentional about the relationship between Odion and Pa Joel, because their conversation carries almost the entire film. The performances had to feel natural, and visually, I wanted the barbershop to feel like a real place rather than a set.
We also had to make the Atlanta ’96 story feel important without allowing it to overshadow Odion’s own story.
From a production standpoint, it was also an independent production, so there were the usual limitations that come with working without a huge budget. You have to be creative with your locations, your equipment, your time and your people.
But I’ve always believed that limitations can also force you to become more inventive.
Caged Bird is part of that learning process for me and for Rebel Films. We’re building with what we have, learning from every project and trying to make the next one better.
Adedayo: What message do you hope viewers will receive after watching Caged Bird?
Ernest:I hope people leave with the feeling that their dreams are still worth pursuing.
That’s really the simplest message.
It doesn’t mean every dream will happen exactly the way you imagine it. It doesn’t mean there won’t be obstacles. But I think there’s something powerful about refusing to stop believing simply because the circumstances aren’t ideal.
And I hope people also think about the people who have encouraged them along the way.
Pa Joel is important because sometimes you don’t need someone to solve your problems. Sometimes you just need someone to tell you, “I believe you can do this.”
That’s what I want the film to leave people with.
And for the people who already know Rebel Films and identify as Rebels, I want Caged Bird to feel like a reflection of what that community stands for: keep dreaming, keep creating, keep moving. Don’t give up.
Adedayo: Do you see yourself tackling any other genre and visual style, and what are you working on?
Ernest:Definitely.
I don’t want to be restricted to one genre or one visual language. I enjoy drama, but I’m also very interested in crime, psychological stories, social commentary and stories with strong genre elements.
What I really care about is the story first. The visual style should come from the world of that particular story.
Caged Bird is intimate and restrained because the story requires that. Something else I’m working on might demand a completely different visual language.
At the moment, I’m developing several projects through Rebel Films, and I’m particularly interested in building stories that can grow beyond a single short film.
We’re also developing the feature-film version of the Caged Bird story.
Adedayo: Is there any feature film on the docket?
Ernest:Yes. We’re currently developing the feature film that expands on the world and themes introduced in Caged Bird.
The short is intentionally a small, contained story, but there is a much bigger story behind it that we’re developing for the feature.
We’ve already had conversations with football brands about the project, and those discussions are progressing. We’re working towards getting the project into production soon.
I don’t want to reveal too much about the feature yet, but the short film is essentially an introduction to the kind of story we’re trying to tell and the world we’re building.
For me, that’s one of the exciting things about Caged Bird. It’s not the end of the journey. It’s the beginning.
And that’s also what Rebel Films is about.
We’re rebels because we refuse to give up on the dream.
Caged Bird is one expression of that idea. The feature will take it much further.
Mike Bamiloye’s Agbara Nla: The Return is now showing in cinemas across Nigeria, bringing the iconic Christian story back to the big screen more than three decades after the original film was released.
The faith-based drama opened in cinemas on October 1, 2026, following its Abuja premiere in September. The new film reimagines Bamiloye’s 1993 classic Agbara Nla, which became one of the defining titles of Nigeria’s Christian film movement during the home video era.
The return has already recorded a strong reception at the box office. According to figures released by the film’s theatrical distributor, Nile Entertainment, Agbara Nla: The Return generated more than ₦71 million from over 12,100 admissions during its single day preview, with the distributor describing the performance as the biggest faith based opening and biggest first day gross for a Nollywood title.
The new production is directed by Damilola Mike Bamiloye and Joshua Bamiloye, the sons of Mike Bamiloye, while Mike reprises his iconic role as Isawuru, the powerful herbalist at the centre of the story. The film was produced by Chris Odeh in collaboration with Mount Zion Film Productions, Sozo Films and Circuits.
— Streamdorm | Film & TV News (@Streamdorm_) October 3, 2026
The original Agbara Nla was released in 1993 and was later followed by its English language adaptation, The Ultimate Power, in 1994. The story became widely recognised for its themes of faith, spiritual conflict, family and the power of Christianity.
The idea for the remake reportedly began about four years before its release, when Damilola and Joshua approached their father about revisiting some of Mount Zion’s classic stories. Damilola revealed that Mike Bamiloye initially rejected the idea of remaking Agbara Nla before eventually agreeing to the project.
Set in the community of Muwonleru, the film follows a village living under the influence of Isawuru, a powerful herbalist.
Olaboye and Olatomi leave their lives in the city to take the message of the Gospel to the community, setting up a confrontation between faith and spiritual darkness. Their mission ultimately places questions of obedience, sacrifice and deliverance at the centre of the story.
Agbara Nla: The Return is currently showing in selected cinemas across Nigeria, with additional showtimes reportedly being added following demand from moviegoers.
Veteran Nollywood actor and film executive Olu Jacobs has been laid to rest in Lagos, following a funeral service attended by his family, friends, colleagues, industry figures and dignitaries.
The celebrated actor, whose full name was Oludotun Baiyewun Jacobs (MFR), was buried on Friday, October 2, 2026, after a funeral service at This Present House, Freedom Way, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos. His private interment followed the service.
He died on September 16, 2026, at the age of 84. His family announced his passing in a statement that described him as the “Lion of Lufodo” and reflected on his life as one “well lived and fought.”
The funeral service brought together members of Olu Jacobs’ family, including his wife, veteran actress Joke Silva, and their sons, Olusoji and Olugbenga Jacobs.
One of the emotional moments of the ceremony came when singer and entertainment entrepreneur Dare Art Alade performed his song “Pray for Me,” which featured the late actor alongside Joke Silva.
Olu Jacobs’ son, Olugbenga, also presented his father’s biography during the proceedings as attendees reflected on the actor’s extraordinary career and contribution to the performing arts.
Among the dignitaries who attended were Lagos State First Lady Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, Lagos State Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat and his wife Oluremi Hamzat, and former Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun. Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy Hannatu Musawa was also reported among those present during the farewell events.
The funeral came two days after a Night of Tributes and Service of Songs held on September 30 at Glover Memorial Hall in Lagos Island. The gathering brought together numerous Nollywood figures who shared memories and tributes celebrating Jacobs’ life, mentorship and decades of work in the industry.
Among those associated with the tribute events were Richard Mofe-Damijo, Sola Sobowale, Funke Akindele, Jide Kosoko, Kate Henshaw, Hilda Dokubo, Segun Arinze, Rita Dominic, Keppy Ekpenyong, Norbert Young and several other figures from Nigeria’s entertainment industry.
Born on July 11, 1942, Olu Jacobs built a career spanning more than five decades across theatre, television and film, working in both Britain and Nigeria. He trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London before establishing himself as one of Nigeria’s most recognisable and respected actors.
Beyond acting, Jacobs and Joke Silva co-founded the Lufodo Group and Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts, contributing to film production, distribution and the training of young talents in the performing arts. He was also honoured with the national title of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR) in 2011.
With his burial now concluded, Nigeria’s entertainment industry has said its final public farewell to an actor whose career helped connect generations of Nigerian theatre, television and cinema.
Olu Jacobs leaves behind a legacy that extends far beyond the screen, through his performances, mentorship, institutions and influence on the Nigerian performing arts. May he continue to Rest in Peace.
A Deeply Emotional Moment As The Family Walks In With The Remains Of Olu Jacobs. Through The Pain Of Saying Goodbye, His wife, Joke Silva Stands Strong, Walking Beside Her Family To Honour Her Husband's Final Journey🥹 💐 🕊️ pic.twitter.com/kixSxG3lbX
Muyeez and Seyi Vibez’s hit collaboration, “Instagram,” has officially been certified 5× Platinum in Nigeria, marking another major milestone for the young singer.
TurnTable Charts announced the certification on October 2, 2026, revealing that the single has surpassed 500,000 units under the TurnTable Certification System of Nigeria (TCSN).
Released on April 30, 2024, “Instagram” served as the mainstream introduction of Muyeez, born Moshood Abdulmuiz, and featured a standout contribution from Seyi Vibez. The Afrobeats and street-pop record quickly gained traction following its release, reaching No. 1 on Apple Music Nigeria within 24 hours before later topping the official Nigeria singles chart.
At the time of its release, Muyeez was around 16 years old and was associated with Seyi Vibez’s Vibez Inc./NSNV Inc. camp. The song’s themes around love, social media and youthful experiences helped it connect strongly with younger listeners and establish Muyeez as one of the notable young voices emerging from Nigeria’s music scene.
MUYEEZ & SEYI VIBEZ’S “INSTAGRAM” IS NOW 5X PLATINUM-CERTIFIED IN NIGERIA 🇳🇬💿
Under the TCSN certification system, a Platinum certification for a single represents 100,000 units, with each additional Platinum level representing another 100,000 units.
As a result, 5× Platinum represents 500,000 units in Nigeria. TCSN’s methodology primarily considers on demand streaming and digital downloads, with different weights applied to paid and ad-supported streams.
“Instagram” had already accumulated multiple certifications before reaching the latest milestone, reflecting its sustained performance since its release.
The certification adds to Muyeez’s growing list of achievements. His catalog has also earned certifications for records including “Free,” “Mortal Kombat” and “247,” alongside recognition for his self-titled EP.
For Seyi Vibez, “Instagram” adds another multi-Platinum record to an already highly certified catalog.
Halle Berry is facing a new legal dispute with her former husband, Olivier Martinez, after the actor accused her of physically abusing their 12-year-old son, Maceo, and asked a Los Angeles County court to grant him sole legal custody.
Martinez, 60, filed a petition for a domestic violence restraining order against Berry, also 60, on October 1, according to court documents obtained by multiple outlets. He alleged that an incident occurred on September 26, when Maceo was at Berry’s home.
In his filing, Martinez alleged that Berry physically attacked Maceo during an argument, claiming she jumped on the child, put her hands around his neck and choked him.
Martinez described the alleged incident as the latest in what he characterized as a pattern of physical, verbal and emotional abuse. He also alleged that there had been previous incidents involving his son over the past several years.
The filing reportedly includes text messages exchanged between Berry and Martinez following the September 26 incident. According to PEOPLE, Berry allegedly told Martinez the following day that she felt terrible about what had happened.
Olivier Martinez Files Restraining Order against Ex-Wife Halle Berry, Accusing her of Physically Abusing their 12 Year Old Son. pic.twitter.com/078SSCoEJh
— Streamdorm | Film & TV News (@Streamdorm_) October 2, 2026
Martinez is seeking to replace the former couple’s existing shared custody arrangement with sole legal custody of Maceo. He also requested restrictions on Berry’s contact with both him and their son.
His attorney, Patrick Baghdaserians, said Martinez’s primary concern is Maceo’s health, welfare and safety, while also arguing that Berry should receive appropriate help.
Berry has denied the allegations through her attorney, Marina Beck, who described Martinez’s filing as “entirely meritless and deliberately misleading.”
In a statement, Beck argued that there is extensive evidence concerning Martinez’s own conduct during the couple’s long-running custody dispute, alleging that he has violated court orders and interfered with therapeutic and educational interventions involving their son.
Berry’s legal team said the actress remains focused on Maceo’s best interests and intends to continue fighting for him.
The allegations made by either side have not been finally determined by the court.
The legal dispute escalated on October 1 when a Los Angeles County judge granted Martinez a temporary restraining order covering him and Maceo, according to court records reviewed by PEOPLE.
The order temporarily changes Berry’s visitation schedule rather than completely cutting off contact between Berry and her son. She is permitted to see Maceo on specified days and during specified hours while the order remains in effect.
The judge declined Martinez’s request for monitoring of Berry’s sobriety, citing insufficient information, according to PEOPLE.
The court has also ordered Berry and Martinez to participate in confidential mediation concerning custody.
A hearing has been scheduled for October 16, when the court is expected to consider the matter further and determine whether the temporary restrictions should remain in place.
The latest dispute comes three years after Berry and Martinez finalized their divorce following years of legal proceedings.
The former couple married in 2013 and welcomed Maceo later that year. They separated in 2015, and their divorce was finalized in 2023.
Under their divorce agreement, Berry and Martinez shared joint legal custody of Maceo. Berry was also ordered to pay Martinez $8,000 per month in child support, along with an additional percentage of income above a specified threshold. She was also responsible for certain educational and extracurricular expenses.
Their co-parenting relationship has previously required court intervention. In 2024, the former couple agreed to participate in co-parenting therapy intended to help resolve disagreements and improve their ability to co-parent Maceo.
Streamdorm careful not to treat the allegations made by Martinez nor the counterclaims made by Berry’s legal team as findings of fact at this stage. The court proceedings will determine how the custody dispute develops and whether any longer-term orders are warranted.
When we talk about AI products, we often focus on what the technology can do. How intelligent is it? How accurate is it? How quickly can it respond? How much work can it automate?
But as AI becomes a more common interface between companies and their customers, I think we need to ask another question: what is it like to interact with the AI?
I am Amara Awana, a Conversational AI Designer. I design and build AI conversational systems. My work sits at the intersection of conversation design, AI product experience, branding and marketing. My background in English and Literary Studies, alongside my interests in scriptwriting, filmmaking and brand strategy, has shaped the way I think about conversations between people and machines.
Designing AI conversational systems is a branding and marketing decision not only a technical decision, not only a product decision, not only a UX decision.
Because when an AI becomes one of the ways people experience a company, the way that AI communicates becomes part of the experience. And the experience becomes part of the brand. That is where I think conversational AI gets particularly interesting.
I Think About AI Through Character
My interest in this started with storytelling. Think about a character in a film that you really love. You probably remember more than what happened in the story you remember the character: their personality, their mannerisms, their reactions and, especially, the way they speak. Sometimes you can recognise a character from a single line because you already know how that character talks. There is an identity there, and that identity makes the character both recognisable and memorable.
I started wondering what this could mean for AI. What happens when we deliberately design an AI conversational system with a recognisable identity? Not because we are pretending the AI is human, but because we have made intentional decisions about how it communicates: its voice, its tone, its personality, its conversational behaviour, its responses to different situations, its relationship with the user.
Imagine two AI products that can perform essentially the same task. Both are accurate, useful and fast. But one feels generic, while the other has a distinctive conversational identity that fits the product. You may use both, but you might remember one. You might even talk about it: “I love this AI.”
That interests me, because now the user is not remembering only what the product did they are remembering the experience of interacting with it. And that experience can become part of the brand.
The Conversation Is Part of the Brand
We often think about branding through visual elements: the logo, the colours, the typography, the website, the packaging, the social media presence. But people do not experience brands only through visual identity. They experience them through interactions.
If an AI is one of the ways a customer interacts with a company, then that conversation is part of the brand experience. Think about what happens when a customer asks an AI a question. The system has an opportunity to communicate something about the company through that interaction. It can feel warm or cold, playful or serious, formal or conversational, direct or overly cautious, distinctive or completely interchangeable. Those choices affect the interaction, and the interaction contributes to how the user experiences the product.
This is why I keep coming back to a simple idea: everything is brand. The conversation is part of the experience. The experience is part of how people perceive the product. And the personality of the AI can become part of what people remember about the product. That makes conversational design more than an interface decision it becomes a brand decision.
Duolingo Shows What This Can Look Like
One company that has understood the power of personality particularly well is Duolingo. Duolingo is not simply a language learning product with a green owl attached to it. The personality of Duo, the company’s mascot, has become deeply connected to the way people experience the brand: the humour, the exaggerated reactions, the playful threats, the tone of its notifications, the way the brand communicates on social media. These are not separate from the product’s identity they reinforce it.
Imagine extending that principle beyond a mascot or marketing campaign and into an AI interaction. If a user is talking to an AI tutor, the AI does not have to communicate like a generic educational chatbot. It could reflect the same personality principles that make the wider product recognisable. That does not mean every response needs to contain a joke, or that the AI should constantly perform a character. It means the interaction can have an intentional point of view: encouraging without sounding artificial, playful without becoming distracting, direct without becoming cold, supportive when the user struggles, celebratory when they make progress.
The important thing is consistency. The personality should feel like it belongs to the product. That is where branding and conversational design begin to overlap.
This Is Where Marketing Comes In
I think conversational AI can become one of the most interesting marketing touchpoints for an AI product. Not because the AI should constantly sell something that is not what I mean. I mean that every interaction is an opportunity to reinforce what the product represents.
If a company says its brand is friendly, but its AI communicates like a cold instruction manual, there is a disconnect. If a product is built around creativity, but every interaction feels robotic and generic, there is another disconnect. If a company has spent years developing a distinctive brand voice, but its AI sounds exactly like every other AI product, that is an opportunity being missed.
The AI is communicating with the customer. So why should that communication feel disconnected from the brand? For me, that is a marketing question. And it is a design question.
The interaction itself can carry the brand in the way a system welcomes someone, asks a question, or handles frustration.
The interesting part is that this does not require the AI to advertise anything. The interaction itself can carry the brand: the way the system welcomes someone, the way it asks questions, the way it explains something, the way it handles frustration, the way it responds when it does not know something, the way it guides someone through a task. All of these are moments in which the user is experiencing the product. That is why I think conversational design deserves a place in the marketing conversation.
Designing Personality Is Not Just Making AI Fun
There is a tendency to think that giving an AI personality means making it quirky: give it a funny name, add jokes, make it use emojis, give it an avatar. That is not what I mean by personality.
Personality needs to be designed intentionally. How does this AI speak? How direct is it? What does it value? How does it respond when the user is frustrated? How does it handle uncertainty? What does it do when it cannot fulfil a request? How does it disagree? How does it guide the user? What kinds of language does it repeatedly use? What should the interaction feel like? These are conversational design decisions, and they can influence the identity of the product.
A memorable AI does not necessarily have to be loud or entertaining. It can be quiet. It can be serious. It can be extremely direct. It can be warm. It can be sophisticated. The point is not to make every AI quirky the point is to make the AI recognisable, appropriate and intentional. Its personality should make sense for what the product is and the experience the company wants people to have.
Conversation Is More Than Generating a Response
This is another reason my background influences how I approach conversational AI. I studied English and Literary Studies, which gave me an interest in language, pragmatics, discourse and turn taking. I also write, work with scripts and have an interest in filmmaking. So when I look at a conversation between a person and an AI, I naturally think beyond the individual response.
I think about the interaction. What happens before the response? What does the user expect? What should happen next? When should the system ask a question? When should it stop talking? How should it recover when something goes wrong? How should one turn influence the next? How does the conversation feel as a whole?
In scriptwriting, dialogue is not simply a collection of sentences. Dialogue moves something forward. It reveals character. It communicates information. It creates tension. It establishes relationships. It changes the direction of a scene. I think there is something valuable in bringing that way of thinking into conversational AI design.
We are designing conversations. So we should care about how those conversations work. An AI response should not only be evaluated by whether it is correct. We should also ask whether it is appropriate for the moment, whether it moves the interaction forward and whether it contributes to a coherent experience.
What Makes an AI Product Feel Like Its Own?
This becomes increasingly important as AI products become more common. Many products will have access to powerful underlying models. Many will be able to answer questions, summarise, generate, recommend and automate. The technology behind them may become increasingly accessible. So I think another question becomes important: what makes your AI experience yours?
Part of the answer may be the technology. But part of it can also be the experience built around the technology: the personality, the conversational behaviour, the voice, the way the system interacts with people, the way it handles uncertainty, the way it responds to different situations, the way it represents the brand.
This is where I see conversational AI design becoming strategically important. The underlying model may not be what differentiates one product from another the experience built around that model might. Two companies could use similar AI models and still create completely different products, because the model is only one part of the experience. What happens around it matters too. The conversation matters. The interaction matters. The personality matters. The brand matters.
What I Am Interested in Designing
This is the space I am exploring through my work. I design and build AI conversational systems. I am interested in how we can design systems that understand their purpose, communicate intentionally and create experiences that people enjoy and remember.
I am interested in the relationship between conversation and product experience, between personality and brand, between dialogue and user experience, between AI systems and the people who interact with them. I am particularly interested in what happens when we stop thinking about conversational AI as simply a way for users to get answers and start thinking about it as a designed experience.
Because sometimes, the most memorable thing about a product may not be what the product did. It may be the experience of interacting with it. The way it spoke. The way it responded. The personality it consistently presented. The small details that made the interaction feel different from another product.
And that is why I believe conversational AI design deserves a place in conversations about product, branding and marketing. The future of AI products will not only be about what their systems can do. It will also be about how those systems communicate, how those interactions shape the product experience and what people remember after the interaction ends.
Not AI that simply works. AI that creates an experience worth remembering.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Amara Awana is a Conversational AI Designer who designs and builds AI conversational systems.
Her work sits at the intersection of conversation design, interaction design, AI product experience, branding and marketing. With a background in English and Literary Studies and interests spanning scriptwriting, filmmaking and brand strategy, she approaches conversational AI through the lens of language, dialogue, interaction and experience.
She is interested in designing AI systems that do more than provide information systems that communicate with intention, express a distinctive identity and create experiences people can remember.
Based in Africa and working at the intersection of AI, interaction design, marketing and branding, Amara is exploring what comes next for conversational interfaces, including embodied AI and conversational robotics. Her broader ambition is to help shape how people experience AI, not simply through what these systems can do, but through how they communicate, behave and interact with us.
For Mohzeez, entertainment has always been about more than what happens in front of the camera. It is about people, personalities, stories, and the conversations that reveal what exists beyond the public image.
Born in Surulere, Lagos, and raised in Badagry, Mohzeez’s journey has been shaped by experiences that taught him resilience, ambition, and the importance of building something of his own. Today, he is channeling those qualities into The Mohzeez Show, a podcast and entertainment platform built around authentic, entertaining, and often unpredictable conversations.
The name Mohzeez represents more than an identity. For him, it represents creativity, entertainment, authenticity, curiosity, and the person he is continuously becoming.
His long term ambition is to transform the name into a brand that extends beyond an individual, a platform and community built around creativity, storytelling, entertainment, and genuine human connection.
That ambition is rooted in a desire to create something he can truly call his own.
“I want to look back one day and be able to say, ‘I built this from nothing,’” Mohzeez says.
His upbringing in Badagry exposed him to different stages of life, including periods of difficulty and moments when things were going well. Those experiences helped shape his understanding of resilience, relationships, family, and the importance of appreciating opportunities.
They also strengthened one of his biggest motivations: building a future where he can take care of the people he loves while creating something meaningful for himself.
Mohzeez’s interest in entertainment developed alongside a natural curiosity about people.
He has always been drawn to different personalities, their stories, and the parts of their lives that audiences do not necessarily see. Over time, that curiosity evolved into something more.
Rather than simply consuming entertainment, he wanted to become part of the process of creating it.
His academic journey took him to the University of Benin (UNIBEN), where he studied Guidance and Counselling. While his university education provided an academic foundation, some of his most important development came from experiences outside the classroom.
Those experiences eventually led him toward content creation and podcasting, where his natural curiosity and interest in people could become part of his work.
The idea behind The Mohzeez Show goes beyond simply creating another podcast.
For Mohzeez, the platform is an opportunity to have conversations that feel natural, unpredictable, humorous, and honest.
Rather than limiting interviews to promotional conversations, he wants guests to be able to talk about their journeys, successes, failures, challenges, personalities, and experiences away from the public eye.
“I wanted to create a space where conversations could feel real,” he explains.
That philosophy also influences the type of guests he wants to feature. While entertainment remains a major part of the platform, Mohzeez does not want the show restricted to one industry.
Creatives, entrepreneurs, professionals, influencers, artists, entertainers, and people with compelling stories all have a place within his vision.
For him, being a major celebrity is not necessarily the most important qualification for a guest. Personality, experience, perspective, and the ability to tell a genuine story matter just as much.
Mohzeez describes himself as ambitious, curious, energetic, funny, and people oriented.
That personality plays an important role in the format of his show. He can move from a serious conversation to humour in a matter of seconds, while his natural curiosity keeps him asking questions that can take a conversation in unexpected directions.
It is also part of what he hopes viewers will connect with.
He wants audiences to feel as though they are sitting in the room with him and his guests rather than watching a rigid interview from a distance.
The goal is to create moments that can make viewers laugh, think, learn something new, or simply see a familiar personality differently.
The confidence and humour audiences see on screen only represent one part of Mohzeez’s journey.
Behind the finished content are the challenges that come with trying to build something independently, including financial setbacks, uncertainty, mistakes, sacrifices, and periods when progress did not happen as quickly as expected.
Those experiences have taught him patience, discipline, and resilience.
They have also reinforced his belief that meaningful success takes time.
One of the people who has influenced his perspective on entertainment is Nigerian media personality Isbae U, whose approach to conversations and entertainment has shown Mohzeez the power of personality, consistency, and audience connection.
For Mohzeez, talent is only one part of the equation. Discipline, courage, consistency, and a willingness to continue learning are equally important.
Mohzeez wants the show to become synonymous with real conversations, humour, curiosity, chaos, and authenticity.
Mohzeez and Reeguy Beatz on The Mohzeez Show
The unpredictability is intentional.
A conversation might move from serious discussions about a guest’s career to jokes, uncomfortable questions, unexpected stories, or revelations that were not necessarily planned.
That balance is central to the show’s identity.
The objective is not simply to entertain viewers, but to leave them with something after every episode. Whether that is a new perspective, a lesson from a guest’s journey, inspiration from their struggles, or simply a good laugh.
Mohzeez’s ambitions extend beyond becoming a successful podcaster.
Over the next three to five years, he wants The Mohzeez Show to develop into a recognized entertainment and conversation platform with a strong audience across YouTube, TikTok, and other digital platforms.
He envisions bigger guests, stronger production, deeper conversations, and a community that genuinely looks forward to each episode.
But the larger vision extends beyond the show itself.
Mohzeez intends to build businesses and creative projects around the wider Mohzeez brand, with the long term goal of becoming a creator, entrepreneur, and entertainment personality whose work exists beyond podcasting.
At the heart of Mohzeez’s journey is a simple ambition: to build something meaningful from his own vision.
He wants his story to demonstrate that people do not need to have everything figured out before they begin.
For him, the journey is still unfolding.
The goal is to create opportunities for others, tell stories that deserve to be heard, entertain audiences, and build a brand capable of outliving any single moment.
Ultimately, he wants the name Mohzeez to represent growth, creativity, resilience, authenticity, and the courage to start from wherever you are and keep building.
And with The Mohzeez Show, that journey is already underway.
