Robtel Neajai Pailey publishes new children’s anti-corruption book Jaadeh!
Leverhulme Early Career Fellow Robtel Neajai Pailey has published a new children’s anti-corruption book, Jaadeh!, a sequel to her highly successful first book, Gbagba, which has helped promote a national conversation about everyday corruption in Liberia.
Jaadeh!, which means truthfulness, honesty or integrity in Bassa, features the same eight-year-old twin protagonists from the first book, Sundaymah and Sundaygar, who this time explore the meaning of opposites and learn about the trappings of truthfulness.
The book, which is illustrated by Chase Walker and was published by One Moore Book in January 2019, is dual language, in English and Bassa. It was translated into Bassa by linguist Bishop Amos W Gbaa, Sr.
Gbagba, which was published in 2013, has since been placed on the supplemental list of readers for 3rd to 5th graders in Liberia as well as for Primary 3 in Ghana, and is currently under review by ministries of education or education boards in Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Niger and Rwanda.
Gbagba has also been adapted into a five-minute radio drama which aired on 64 community and commercial radio stations across Liberia as well as on West Africa Democracy Radio. A stage play adaptation of the book debuted at Monrovia City Hall Theatre with an all-child cast on 28 September 2017.
Both books have been adapted into songs, ‘Gbagba is Corruption’ and 'Jaadeh is Integrity,' written and produced by Liberian Hip-Co musician Takun J. ‘Jaadeh is integrity’ also features vocalist Ella Mankon Pailey.