Nigerian comedian Broda Shaggi has partnered with Google’s Gemini Project to use AI in preserving Nigerian folklore.
Nigerian folklore, once passed down through oral storytelling, faces the threat of fading relevance in a digital-first generation. Cultural experts have raised concerns about the gradual loss of indigenous stories, languages, and traditional narratives as younger audiences shift toward modern entertainment formats.
The collaboration between Broda Shaggi and the Gemini Project seeks to bridge this gap by using AI tools to digitize, recreate, and distribute traditional stories in engaging formats. From animated storytelling to voice-assisted narration in local languages, the initiative aims to make folklore more accessible and appealing. 
Broda Shaggi blends humor with cultural themes and will play a key role in adapting these stories into relatable, modern content. His strong influence among young Nigerians can also drive interest in traditional narratives that many people might otherwise overlook.AI in the Gemini Project will translate stories into multiple languages, generate visuals, and reconstruct lost tales using historical data, creating new opportunities in education, entertainment, and cultural preservation.
However, critics warn it may distort cultural nuances and stress collaboration with historians, linguists, and local communities to ensure authenticity.
As the Gemini Project explores the intersection of technology and tradition, the partnership with Broda Shaggi highlights a bold attempt to preserve Nigeria’s storytelling heritage. While challenges remain, the initiative could redefine how African folklore survives in the age of artificial intelligence.
