Sharing My Graphic Novel by Ayomide Solanke

The thing about winter in Austria for a newbie from a warm climate is how genuinely shocking it can be. I left my home in Lagos, Nigeria at 32°C and all my efforts to prepare for Salzburg’s -10°C weather could not rise up to the challenge.

I arrived on that very cold morning to a warm reception of people at the Schloss Leopoldskron, a magnificent hotel in Salzburg and the venue for the Salzburg Global Seminar. And just like the weather, I cannot say I was fully prepared for the quality of the experience and conversations we had over the next five days. It was mind-blowing. We were a diverse group from all corners of the worldfellows from every continent, feminists, queer activists, and many organizations that advocate for women and girls from underprivileged communities.

On the first day, I was intimidated by the sheer combined wisdom in that room. Our discussions were filled with insight and experiences I hadn’t been exposed to before. My nerves must have shown on my face because Anna Hall from Girl Rising came from the other corner of the room, gave me a hug, and affirmed that that my novels adapt to the relevant cultures of the societies whose stories are told. It is important that they educate the reader from the perspective of the protagonist(s). These may mean that these stories are not always feel-good, but they are accurate and present a correct picture of what happens to many girls and women in underprivileged societies.

I was also deserving to be there. People should be reminded more often that they belong. They belong to spaces they may have been excluded from, and can actively engage in conversations armed with their unique lived experiences to share.

The central theme of the seminar was transformative education: What are the most effective approaches we can adopt to ensure that the education we give translates to the future we want to create? We spoke extensively about creating a whole systems approach and fostering culturally responsive education, namely education systems that are inclusive, drive gender equity, and are decolonial in their approach.

I observed how the remnants of colonial educational systems promote harmful gender socialization in schools and enforce dangerous gender stereotypes through the images in their course textbooks. A key example of this is having young children unable to identify women in maledominated fields or girl students unable to see themselves represented in these positions. We spoke specifically about the STEM field which still has fewer female practitioners because of the obstacles that still exist for their participation.

In culturally-responsive education, we address language barriers to learning, especially for indigenous cultures. A participant mentioned that teaching children in their native language, Maori, made a huge difference in learning outcomes. Think of the many children who struggle to learn in English due to the language gap. What a world of difference this can make!

So why do we need gender equity?

One of the key takeaways from the seminar was that gender equity can transform education and not the other way around. Without gender equity, we create a hyper-male rigid society which forces males to display power so they are not seen as weak. This is the condition necessary for the rise of perpetrators of gender-based violence that terrorizes women and transgender persons; essentially an inequitable society creates victims of all genders.

Idara’s story highlights how drought increases rates of forced marriage and other violent acts against women and girls in Southern Nigeria. As I discovered, many similar practices of forced marriage exist in many regions today — a direct consequence of low-resource families looking to exchange their daughters for money and other resources. These practices hinder the education of many girls keeping them permanently out of the classroom as they tend to childbearing and wifely activities instead. This will truncate the course of their lives and may account for sustained poor socio-economic status of these women and girls.

The need to keep girls in schools cannot be overstated. An educated girl can contribute to her country’s economy and is a valuable asset to her family, her community, and to society at large.

In my own work as a graphic artist, culturally responsive education ensures

At the end of the seminar, I held my first ever book reading for my graphic novel, Idara’s Story. In a room full of people who were happy to listen to the book offer insights and explore the story of the protagonist; a young money wife based in the Southern region of Nigeria. For many in the room, the concept was new and also devastating . There I was able to educate people that many gender-based violence traditions exist for women and girls but we must continue to spotlight and campaign to see these practices end as Idara’s story seeks to do.

I reflect on the panel I shared with a professor of communication and an education advocate; the central theme explored how storytelling can transform how we approach issues. Until then, I thought that my book highlighted issues that only affect the African girl. It was an eye-opener to see the many forms that gender-based violence can take, even in Globally North nations. It helped me see Idara — the subject of my story — as a part of a larger network of girls whose lives and education are halted for reasons that many societies have tried to justify.

As I sit here reminiscing about my trip and setting my intentions for the year ahead, I am reminded that learning is lifelong. I can learn, I can evolve, and I can do more to transform my space and people around me by ridding myself of cultures and teachings that no longer serve today’s learner. It doesn’t matter how long these beliefs may have been held, but how soon we do away with beliefs that will hold us down if we hold onto them.

This lesson continues to shape my approach to education and I hope it can guide yours too.

Ayomide Solanke is an activist and visual artist from Lagos, Nigeria. She worked as an Urban Community Engagement Officer for sexual reproductive health education at the MTV Staying Alive Foundation, and then as a State Youth Ambassador for life planning amongst adolescents and youths in Lagos. Ayomide continues to work on community health projects that seek to improve the sexual health behaviors of young people in urban communities in Lagos.

To read Ayo’s graphic novel, download it here

the writer and creator of Idara's Story Ayomide Solanke, Future Rising Fellow, Nigeria

Photo by Tommy Agriodimas

Ayo reads from her graphic novel, "Idara's Story"