Next up in my celebration of art in Nigerian literature - the works of Alaba Onajin, an illustrator and graphic novel artist, whose work I love. Alaba Onajin has been working professionally since 2005, and has illustrated comic book strips on African Women's History for UNESCO, as well as children's books and his own graphic novels. Here's some of Onajin's illustrations.
Onajin illustrated two digital comic strips - one on Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti and the other on Taytu Betul - as part of UNESCO's Women in African History series. Here are some of the illustrations for Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti's story.
I especially like Onajin's cover for The Birth of the Pale Rider by Ifedayo Adigwe Akintomide. I just want to know what they are saying to each other (the turtle and the boy) and how they are communicating.
Onaji has also written and illustrated his own graphic novels, including The Elephants and the Grass and The Adventures of Atioro.
... as well as Anike Eleko - a children's graphic novel, written by Onajin and Sandra Joubealio about a young street seller who dreams of winning a scholarship so she is able to go to school.
 |
| Wale Walking by Alaba Onajin |
 |
| Images via UNESCO.org |
 |
| Before and after. Image via The Alaba Onajin Project |
Onaji has also written and illustrated his own graphic novels, including The Elephants and the Grass and The Adventures of Atioro.
 |
| Graphic novel about child soldiers |
 |
| Images via carbonmade |
 |
| Images via Facebook, Twitter and Pikore |
