In Nigeria Queens of Africa dolls outsell Mattel's Barbie. The product line, created by 43-year-old Taofick Okoya, offers girls inspiring alternative to the white dolls that have long dominated worldwide markets. Now Okoya says he sells more than 6,000 of the dolls each month.
The dolls wear traditional African apparel and represent Nigeria's three biggest ethnic groups: Hausa, Yoruba, and Igbo. Nneka is Igbo and represents love, Azeezah is Hausa and is the queen of peace, and Wuraola is Yoruba and represents endurance.
The line now publishes Queens of Africa books which feature the Wuraola, Nneka, and Azeezah learning about a few of the continent's most remarkable queens. Here are the books in the series.
Queen Amina of Zaria: Queens of Africa Book 1
In this story Wuraola, Nneka and Azeezah learn how sixteen year old Queen Amina protected her land from jealous neighbours by building walls around it and riding around them on her horse, called Demon, shooting the enemy with her bow and arrow. You can still see evidence of Amina's walls today if you look very carefully in the sand.
Queen Makeda: Queens of Africa Book 2
It is the Annual Show at Dreamland International and this year it is about the Queen of Sheba herself, Queen Makeda of Ethiopia. The student who finds out most about her will be given the starring role so Wuraola, Nneka and Azeezah are keen to do their research. They find out lots of interesting and romantic aspects of her life with King Solomon but you will have to read the story to find out who wins the part in the show.
Queen Moremi: Queens of Africa Book 3
It is the Annual Show at Dreamland International and this year it is about the Queen of Sheba herself, Queen Makeda of Ethiopia. The student who finds out most about her will be given the starring role so Wuraola, Nneka and Azeezah are keen to do their research. They find out lots of interesting and romantic aspects of her life with King Solomon but you will have to read the story to find out who wins the part in the show.
Queen Esther: Queens of Africa Book 4
Mrs Hope, Principal of Dreamland International School tasks the girls to find out the meaning of their names. Wuraola, Nneka and Azeezah enjoy learning what their name means and Mrs Hope tells them about her own name, Ester, who was an ancient Queen of Persia. King Ahasuerus chose her as his wife because of her beauty but it was her clever wit that he loved her for at the end of the story.
Queen Idia: Queens of Africa Book 5
Wuraola, Nneka and Azeezah learn the story of a Queen Mother in Nigeria who brought peace to her lands and peoples using herbal remedies. From that time the mother of the first born son of the King was always known as the Queen Mother and was given her own house and servants.
Madam Tinubu: Queens of Africa Book 6
It is Enterprise Week at Dreamland International School and Mrs Hope has asked the children to make things to sell to raise money to buy books for the school library. Wuraola, Nneka and Azeezah are inspired by the statue in Lagos of Madam Tinubu who was a successful businesswoman and became the first Queen of Abeokuta. Read the story to find out what they make and whether they were successful.
Photo Credit: QueensofAfrica.com
Kimberly Foster is the founder and editor of For Harriet. Email or Follow @KimberlyNFoster