About Us
Our Story
illee is a cross-cultural creative agency connecting Sub-Saharan Africa with East and Southeast Asia. Rooted in music, we extend our reach across dance, content production, fashion, cuisine, beauty, and film.
Meet The Team
Ella Okunmwendia
Strategy & Business Development
Ella Okunmwendia is a culturepreneur and multihyphenate with over a decade of experience in media, working across music and public relations. From 2014 to 2025, Ella has worked across radio, television, podcast, online magazines, and publications, including Radio Univers, YFM, and Joy Prime, with writings published in Der Spiegel (Germany), GQ South Africa, KpopMag (South Korea), EnVi Media (USA), YEN Ghana, and KpopWorld (US).
Ella has also contributed to K-pop’s mainstream popularity in Ghana and Nigeria through Jaese Productions’ radio shows, where she served as lead producer, including Pop Central on YFM (Ghana) and The Kpop Hitlist (Nigeria).
As a writer, Ella has interviewed several K-pop acts including P1Harmony, B.I, Fatou, Kwon Eun Bi, and BM. Additionally, as a member of Jaese Productions, she spearheaded the release of essential data on K-pop in Africa from Spotify and the TurnTable Charts.
She also spearheaded West Africa’s first-ever Korean pop concert under Jaese Productions and managed media coverage that led to publications across Africa, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, the Philippines, and the United States.
Esi K.
Marketing & Communications
Esi K. is a multidisciplinary creative with interests spanning writing, languages, content strategy, and community engagement.
As a writer, she works across multiple formats including articles, blogs, scripts, and books. She is the writer behind the first and second seasons of Infatuations on YouTube and also publishes books privately under a pen name.
She has been self-studying languages since 2017, beginning with Korean and continuing at an upper-intermediate level. She is currently also studying Chinese and revisiting French, viewing language as a bridge for cultural understanding and human connection.
In content strategy, she served as the Content Strategist for “SURAN in Ghana,” Ghana and West Africa’s first K-pop concert. She has also contributed to projects such as KOICA WeKO, using content as a medium for expression and communication.
Her commitment to community is reflected in her volunteering work, inspired by her exposure to the Sustainable Development Goals during her undergraduate studies. She has participated in initiatives such as KOICA WeKO and programs led by the 360 Girl Foundation, among others, combining creativity with service.
She holds a degree in Public Relations, a diploma in Communication (Journalism), and certifications in Digital Marketing from Cadi Media, as well as Event Marketing and Promotion.
AyòÌféolúwa
Research & Editorial
AyòÌféolúwa (Joy Adeyemi) is a Nigerian writer and sociocultural commentator, focused on music, culture and sustainability. With a background in Chemical Engineering from the University of Ilorin, she brings analytical depth to music journalism and environmental communication, grounding her writing in research and critical observation.
AyòÌféolúwa writes at the intersection of African and Asian entertainment cultures, particularly Afrobeats and K-pop, exploring how African identity is perceived, expressed, and represented within global music spaces. Through this lens, she has interviewed K-pop acts like CIX, BLACKSWAN, and JUNHEE (A.C.E) for international media including GQ South Africa and Glamour South Africa.
Her long-form feature introspecting K-Afro collaborations for iMullar, included an exclusive conversation with Korean afrobeats artiste—Kohway, and was acknowledged by B.I and Fatou of BLACKSWAN. Currently, she is one of the few African journalists to interview multiple Asian artists.
Beyond entertainment, Joy’s writing extends into environmental research and communication, where she spotlights environmental challenges and climate action initiatives in Nigeria, contributing African perspectives to global conversations on advocacy and sustainability.
Her work is guided by a commitment to promoting cultural analysis on issues shaping African youth experiences.
Join our team!
Looking for opportunities in the creative industry? Join us to bridge Southeast and East Asia with Sub-Saharan Africa.