Original Story Published by: Ismail Akwei for Face2face Africa
(Above) Cast of 'Meet the Adebanjos'.
The hit UK-African sitcom “Meet the Adebanjos” has reached 50 episodes after three seasons of airing in Britain and all over Africa without support from mainstream media outlets.
The family-based sitcom produced by MTA Productions is about a British-Nigerian family living in Peckham, South London where they are struggling to balance old-fashioned African values against modern British values.
Producers Debra Odutuyo and Andrew Osayemi left their careers in 2010 to launch the production company to produce the sitcom which is UK’s most successful British-African series which is showing in South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Uganda and on Africa Magic/M-Net all over Africa.
Producers Debra Odutuyo and Andrew Osayemi
They self-financed the TV show which started as a web series in 2011 after unsuccessful attempts to get major TV deals.
“After months of feeling sorry for myself, a successful business friend pulled me aside and asked: ‘Why do you actually want to get a deal with a mainstream UK broadcaster?’ ‘Because I want to prove it’s possible to get a black show on TV’ I confidently stated. He replied ‘It’s your ego talking. You’re too focused on the bright lights, the glitz, glamour and adoration from your friends. You should find a market who want to buy your content’. And he was absolutely right,” said Andrew Osayemi.
They took the advice and after some few years, they generated enough revenue to finance three seasons, 50 episodes; and win several awards including Zaffa, NEL, Screen Nation, Beffta and UK Black Comedy Awards without a major mainstream broadcaster.
Debra and Andrew have devised a 5 step plan on how to succeed in the creative industry without mainstream support for creatives who have been struggling to achieve results in the industry. They believe that all creatives can and should follow their dreams and make a success of their work without traditional mainstream validation.
