Funmi Iyanda

My friend is mad, it’s not her fault she was born that way. Now if she had had the good sense to request of the discharging angel, a posting to a different country, perhaps things would be a lot easier for her but she got posted to Nigeria consequence upon which she wears her madness like a protective glove to maintain her sanity. I love her dearly, I too am mad.

One of the smartest minds l have ever encountered. She has that irritating mathematician’s ability to break complex problems into simple component parts but an unfair additional creative gift and energy. These when added to a compulsive perfectionism and 6 feet of fierce femaleness does make for a rather formidable woman. But, the thing is, with her mad scientist’s mind, keen creative spirit and unbending perfectionism, she can produce near perfect solutions, products and services, a Steve jobs if you like.
Not that this is any use in an environment where only the most banal, puerile, ordinary, unimagined and down right cretinism thrive.

Why am l talking about her. Well, her latest lets find a solution to a societal need is her fabulously illustrated children’s book, a first step in an audacious, fun, engaging cultural confidence building multi media education project.

The story behind the production of the book is a book waiting to happen but l am a living witness too the toil, dedication, detailed research, attention to details and bull headed determination behind the production TENKA.

It is delightfully, richly illustrated and begins the odyssey of the mischievous TENKA whose character is derived from the famed Ijapa of Yoruba folklore.

I showed the shrimp the advance manuscript and she read it back to back asking to be taught the songs.

Although its beauty is tactile, TENKA is written in a way that requires that the parent read the book with younger children so its not a pacifier but a tool for involved parenting. It’s Tales by moonlight for the modern nuclear family.

I love it.