In Daddy, Don’t Strike the Match, Umuada Productions brings new life to Flora Nwapa’s unforgettable short story, reimagining it as a visually compelling graphic novel that captures the quiet, intimate terrors of war through the eyes of a child. Six-year-old Ifeoma drifts between dreams and waking life as her family fights to maintain a sense of normalcy in a world collapsing around them. Air raids punctuate the nights, hunger echoes through their days, and the looming threat of conscription hangs heavily over the household. Within these walls, love becomes both a refuge and a reminder of all that stands to be lost.

Through expressive illustrations and restrained, powerful dialogue, this adaptation distills the tension, tenderness, and emotional complexity of Nwapa’s original text. It is a story about survival—not only of bodies, but of memory, innocence, and family bonds stretched thin by circumstance. Each page invites readers to sit with the silence, the fear, and the flickers of hope that define life on the edge of war.

Daddy, Don’t Strike the Match stands as the first-ever graphic novel adaptation of Flora Nwapa’s work, marking a significant step in preserving and reintroducing the legacy of one of Africa’s most influential writers. Accessible, poignant, and deeply human, it is both a tribute and an educational resource, offering new audiences an entry point into Nwapa’s world and the histories she illuminated.

Author / Original Story By: Flora Nwapa

Adapted By:  AA Okwuosa

Illustrator: Gabriel Moneke

Edited By: Uzo Okoroma

Letterer: Gabriel Eye

Publisher: Umuada Productions