Nigerian cosplayer Lazeelolita, who creates anime-inspired costumes, has revealed that she was once called a “devil worshipper” for dressing as Yamato from One Piece, a character with horns. The incident highlights the misunderstandings cosplayers face in Nigeria, where anime was once stigmatized. Despite this, Lazeelolita has turned her passion into a career, developing skills in sewing, makeup, wig-making, carpentry, and prop design, and she now hopes to apply these skills to Nigeria’s film and music video industries.
From Improvisation to a Cosplay Career
Lazeelolita, who is also a mobile gamer, said her love for cosplay began when she was six years old, at a time when anime was not widely accepted in Nigeria. “Anime was like something to be ashamed of because people like to throw,” she said. The lack of available costumes in Lagos pushed her to create her own outfits.
“There weren't any stores that you could just walk into and say, oh, I want to buy a Batman costume, a Wonder Woman costume. So I had to improvise and that's how I started making cosplay costumes,” she explained. This improvisation led her to develop a range of creative skills over the years.
Facing Misunderstanding and Criticism
While cosplay has allowed Lazeelolita to express herself creatively, it has also exposed her to criticism. She recalled an experience where someone accused her of devil worship because of one of her costumes. “Someone called me devil worshipper because I did Yamato cosplay for One Piece and Yamato had horns,” she said.
She added that some people would see her content online and immediately make assumptions. “Someone will just come across your content and see you with a horn and this person is 666. She's into devil worshipping. You're a child of Satan or something like that.” This reaction underscores the lack of understanding that still surrounds cosplay culture in some parts of Nigeria.
Expanding Skills and Future Plans
Lazeelolita displayed some of the handmade costumes and props she created through years of cosplay. “Thanks to cosplay, I learned how to make hair, makeup, carpentry work, sew clothes,” she explained. She is now exploring technology to create more advanced costumes.
“I’m exploring mechatronics because I want to start making complicated costumes that start moving up and down or at a particular pace or method,” she said. Her long-term goal is to apply her skills beyond cosplay. “What I’m looking at is applying all of this costume prop making into the film industry or into the music video industry,” she added.
As anime continues to gain popularity among young Nigerians, creators like Lazeelolita are demonstrating that cosplay can be a serious creative skill, a business opportunity, and a viable career path.
