Storytelling
Robtel is author of Gbagba, an anti-corruption children’s book illustrated by Chase Walker and published by One Moore Book to critical acclaim in 2013. Gbagba was subsequently placed on the list of supplemental readers for 3rd to 5th grades in Liberia and for Primary 3 in Ghana. In 2014, Robtel applied for and secured a grant from the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA) to pilot Gbagba in 10 schools across Montserrado County, Liberia, as well as commissioned a song and video adaptation of the book entitled ‘Gbagba Is Corruption’. In 2016, she applied for and secured a second grant from OSIWA to pilot Gbagba in 20 schools in Grand Bassa County, Liberia, and convert the book into a radio drama--which aired on 64 commercial and community radio stations across Liberia--and stage play--which debuted with an all-child cast at Monrovia City Hall on September 28, 2017.
With its broad appeal as a Pan-African and universal children’s narrative about ethics, integrity and accountability, Gbagba is currently under review by ministries of education/education boards in Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, The Gambia, Mauritius, Niger, Rwanda and South Africa. A dual language sequel, Jaadeh!, was translated into Bassa by Amos W. Gbaa, Sr., published in January 2019, and endorsed in June 2019 by Liberia’s ministry of education as a supplemental reader for 3rd to 5th grades. The book has already been adapted into a song and music video entitled ‘Jaadeh Is Integrity’.
Gbagba and Jaadeh! follow a few days in the lives of twin Liberian protagonists Sundaymah and Sundaygar who have a series of experiences and encounters that remind them of the Bassa words gbagba and jaadeh, which loosely translated mean corruption and integrity, respectively. In essence, the two books are about opposites and the contrast between dishonesty and honesty.
Robtel has conducted Gbagba and Jaadeh! workshops for children in Barbados, Brazil, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Mozambique, Qatar, Saint Lucia, Sierra Leone, South Africa, United Kingdom, United States and Uzbekistan. During a ceremony in Putrajaya, Malaysia, on December 7, 2018, she was recognised with an International Anti-Corruption Excellence (ACE) Award in the category ‘academic research and education’ by the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Centre (ROLACC). Funded by Robtel’s ACE Award and adapted by Flomo Theatre, Inc, Gbagba and Jaadeh!: The Stage Play debuted on August 5, 2021 at Paynesville City Hall in Paynesville, Liberia, with an all-child cast.
