Amidst the socio-political economic challenges in Nigeria in recent times, Georgina Duke’s children’s story book, Moona, rekindles the hope for a better Nigeria and ignites the people to remain steadfast to Project Nigeria.
With an illustration by her sister, Ella, the 48-page story which was unveiled to newsmen in Lagos did not only fulfil the objective of entertaining the children from age three and above, it reminds them to believe in themselves and love their country.
This is why the book was designed with 100 percent local content. Despite being born to a Nigerian father and French mum, the duo’s love for Nigeria propelled them to print the book in Nigeria.
- El-Rufai’s adviser launches book on democracy without development
- Rublev wins 5th ATP title of season to book Tour Finals spot
For two years, Georgina said she wanted to bring out the book which she wrote five years ago but the thought of where to publish it was a challenge. Thankfully, Happy Pikin, a Nigerian publishing firm came to the rescue.
Basically, Moona in the book with a hard cover with 19.5 cm x 14 cm, is the moon. She lived alone in the sky. She enjoyed looking at the Earth and often wished she could go and discover what was the wonderful smell tickling her nostrils and coming from Nigeria.
Georgina said, “The story is about finding love in Nigeria basically. I want an inclusive Nigeria. I want everybody to be happy.”
Asked if it resonates with the popular Moana, the popular children movies, she said she wrote the book before Moana was even out.
The message in the book, she said, is “love declaration for Nigeria,” depicting the moon as coming down in human form to show appreciation to Nigeria out of many countless countries around the world.
Georgina said, “Everything I have seen lately makes me believe in Nigeria like the EndSARS. For two years, I wanted to bring it out but the biggest struggle was the printing and this has been drawn, written two years ago but today we are going forward. Moona was a story written before COVID-19, before EndSARS and when #EndSARS came around, I live in Lekki Phase 1, I was one of the people that was blocked, I have a bicycle, I came out and what I saw is the love that I am talking about in my book.
“I saw people coming from different mindsets, we were meeting. There was love and trust. I lost my phone at Lekki Toll Gate and the phone came back to me, I couldn’t believe that.
I was even thinking, “You guys can’t be serious. We are trying to pass a message, yet you are stealing a phone but I was like let me keep quiet” and the phone came back to me 30 minutes later. Even when we came with our bicycle, we were lending it to anyone to ride it, they would come back. There was no way to get back the bike if anybody had gone with it but in 10 minutes, the bicycle would be back and that is love.”
Her sister also feels the same passion of love for Nigeria. According to Ella, she got to know part of her sister she never knew in doing the animation for the story. She said by targeting the children was a way to inspire them to believe in themselves.
“I think targeting the children is a great way to build them up to believe in themselves, dream bigger and plan bigger,” she said.
Join Daily Trust WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You.
