Written by Rosemary Shimite Erazua-Oniha
'Omachonu' tells the story of a young boy sold into forced labour by a relative and without his mother's knowledge. He struggles to cope with his plight and eventually escapes. He is discovered by an old war veteran, now security guard, who shelters and mentors him.
'Omachonu' means 'a child is a king' in one of the native languages of the Niger Delta region in Nigeria, West Africa.
The story was tentatively titled 'The Load Boy'- the local name for a load bearer at the market. Below is a compilation of the line art before they were painted in Adobe Photoshop. The pencil sketches were loosely done hence the inks are not too detailed. It is interesting placing the different stages of each illustration side by side.
Two cover concepts were tendered. The one below was chosen.
