A new children’s book, written and illustrated by two local men, is based on the life of Olaudah Equiano, whose slave narrative became a best seller in the 18th century.
The children’s book focuses on Olaudah Equiano, who was kidnapped from his home in Nigeria at the age of 11 and sold as a slave.
Equiano survived a transatlantic journey to Barbados, where he was bought and sold several times. During this time, he came to London under enslavement of an officer of the Royal Navy.
Equiano lived briefly in Deptford and in a house on Maze Hill, Greenwich, in 1767 after buying his freedom. Today, a Blue Plaque marks 111 Maze Hill, where he stayed.
His autobiography, The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano sold so well that nine editions were published during his life and helped secure passage of the British Slave Trade Act 1807, which abolished the slave trade in Britain
Hugh Closs, a Surrey Quays local, was inspired by Equiano’s story on his visit to the Royal Naval Museum in Greenwich, where they have a bust sculpture of him.
Using his writing skills and knowledge of children’s fiction, Hugh read Equiano’s memoir and did a talk at Peckham Library.
Hugh asked his artist friend, Tayo Fatunla, a Nigerian cartoonist, to make some illustrations for the powerpoint.
He said: “I believed more people should know his story than a dozen people in Peckham on a random Tuesday, so I decided to write a book and asked Tayo to do the illustrations for it.”
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The book features Greenwich, Deptford and Bermondsey, as well as other parts of the world Equiano would have visited. There are now tributes to Equiano dotted around South East London.
In Deptford Park, there is a bench dedicated to him and on the Pepys Estate next to the Thames, he featured on the ‘Wall of Ancestors’ alongside Elizabeth I.
On Telegraph Hill, there is an eye-catching tribute to Equiano. It stands on a ceramic plinth with three sides, which symbolises both the triangular route of the Atlantic slave trade, as well as the three phases of Equiano’s life (child in Africa, slave and free man).
The inspiration for the book sits in the National Maritime museum in Greenwich has a sculpture by Christy Smyingtom which is based on the only known accurate portrait of Equiano, from the front of his autobiography.
The book costs £9.99 and you can get a copy by emailing [email protected].
