Mary Nnah
Folktales are stories told in different traditional versions with the sole aim of teaching a vital lesson, especially to children. It can be told in the form of fables, ghost stories and tall tales. From the 1980s to late 1990, there was a show on Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) titled ‘Tales by Moonlight’, anchored by Auntie Nkem Orakwe as she was popularly called.
The story was targeted at young children teaching them important lessons through folktale stories. This made folktale stories a channel through which children can learn good morals.
Children can grow to become more responsible adults and make their parents and society proud if more attention is given to folktale stories as a way of educating your children. Happily, there are several media currently using folktale stories to better the lives of our young ones. This includes:
My Nigerian Folktales – YouTube channel
The first is a platform anchored by Bisola Olorunfemi the content creator of My Nigerian Folktales, she is a voice-over artist, a scriptwriter, a graphics designer, a 2D motion animator and an editor. Bisola started her YouTube channel, My Nigerian Folktales as a result of her passion for animation and the culture of Folktale storytelling. Her channel has over 6 million lifetime views with over 100,000 subscribers. She recently received a YouTube award for this significant subscription milestone. Inene is her most popular video with about 1.3 million views.
Story Time with Kody -YouTube channel
Story Time with Kody, also known as Onu-Etim Cynthia, Kody is a media entrepreneur, PR manager, Children’s entertainer and founder of the popular Kody And The Kids. She has been in the children’s “edutainment” industry for nearly a decade. She started as an on-air personality with the prestigious indigenous radio station, Wazobia FM, and was arguably one of the first radio personalities to promote the culture of folktale storytelling on a radio station in Lagos state, reaching hundreds of thousands of listeners each time. She is the content creator of Story Time with Kody, a YouTube channel with over 50,000 subscribers and over 4 million lifetime views. Her most popular story is The Fisherman And The Princess Fish with over 800,000 views. Kody believes that folktales serve as a foundational tool for building integrity, empathy and a child wholesome child.
Grandma Wura Brand
Bola Edwards: Simply known as Grandma Wura, Bola is an actor, dancer, voice talent, writer, producer and social entrepreneur. She is a graduate of Performing Arts, co-founder of a children’s content creation company known as Proud African Roots and the personality behind the Grandma Wura brand. Since starting the Grandma Wura brand in 2015, Bola has promoted the culture of Folktale storytelling through performances in theatres, schools, and most recently, on TV with Grandma Wura’s Story Hut. She focuses on using storytelling, entertainment and arts as educational tools that help develop children while raising a new generation of leaders who will erase the leadership challenges of Africa. Bola’s ”grandmother” personality endears her to the children she reaches out to. No
Nne’s Folktale – YouTube channel
Nina Onya, is a food content creator, storyteller, voice-over artist and content creator of NNe’s Folktale a YouTube channel that has garnered nearly 70k subscribers. Nina started her YouTube channel in 2022 and came prepared, putting up interesting animated folktale videos every other day. She so far has about 130 videos and over 6 million lifetime views. Her most popular video is Aku The Blind Girl with over 400, 000 views.
Defunct Tales by MoonLight -NTA
From the 1980s to late 1990, there was a show on Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) titled, ‘Tales by Moonlight’, anchored by Auntie Nkem Orakwe as she was popularly called. The story was targeted at young children teaching them important lessons through folktale stories. This made folktale stories a channel through which children can learn good morals. The defunct Tales by Moonlight was a household name in those good old days that shaped some of our responsible charismatic leaders and citizens today.
In conclusion, folktale stories are essential channels for educating our children so they to learn vital lessons and cherish good morals which will make them well-behaved both at home and in public.
