Meet the Illustrator: Oboh Moses on creating Freedom Braids and Black Representation

In the previous episode of our ‘Meet the Creator’ series, Clara Dackenberg gave us a glimpse into the creative process behind the Carnegie-shortlisted The Playdate. Today, we are joined by Oboh Moses, illustrator of Freedom Braids, our award-winning and best-selling picture book. We are thrilled to congratulate Freedom Braids for also being shortlisted by the prestigious Carnegie Medal for Illustration 2026—we are so proud of Oboh! 

Freedom Braids, written by Monique Duncan, is a picture book of love, liberation and legacy inspired by the true story of enslaved African women in Colombia braiding maps to freedom. Featured in The New York Times, endorsed by Amnesty International, and nominated by numerous awards, Monique’s poetic writing with Oboh’s beautiful digital illustrations has brought a wrongfully neglected piece of history to the world and to critical acclaim. 

In this interview, Oboh shares the creative process behind creating Freedom Braids, gives us a tour of his workspace, and reflects on his growth as an illustrator. Finally, Oboh leaves with us a poignant final message about what history and representation mean to Black creatives and Black children.

What was your process for creating the characters in Freedom Braids? How did you make them feel authentic and relatable to children?

Oboh: When I first read the manuscript, I could already picture the characters clearly, so the process felt quite natural. It wasn’t so much about figuring them out from scratch, but about bringing what I saw in my head to life. I also had good support from the team at Lantana and Monique Duncan.

I think many children will connect with them because they feel natural - not overly perfect or exaggerated. A big shoutout to Dr Katrina Gutierrez, the Commissioning Editor. She was very helpful throughout the whole process.

What was your favorite moment while working on Freedom Braids? 

Oboh: My favorite moment was learning about the history itself! Braids is such a common hairstyle here in Nigeria, but not many people really understand the depth and meaning behind it.

I am glad I got to work on this book, Truly!

What was the most challenging part of illustrating a picture book—or what surprised you most during the process?

Oboh: As at the time I was working on Freedom Braids, I was in my third year of university and had just started an internship. So, my days were spent interning, and my nights were spent drawing. There wasn't much in between. It was kind of challenging trying to balance things and there were moments when it felt overwhelming trying to keep up with everything at once. However, that period became a significant learning experience for me.

Pick one of your favourite spreads from Freedom Braids and walk us through how it came together. What did your early sketches look like? How did you shape the storytelling on the page, and what changed along the way?

Oboh: This one right here is my favourite spread. It's the night scene with the women sitting around a campfire, braiding each other's hair the night before the great escape. 

My early sketches were quite repetitive. I kept drawing the same setup - women seated, children tucked between their legs, everyone braiding in the same kind of arrangement. It had a nice rhythm but it started to feel too similar, especially when I imagined it across different spreads.

So, we had to switch things up, and changed the composition. Instead of repeating the same grouping, I spread the figures out, introduced a focal point with the fire, and used the environment to support the scene. That shift made the storytelling feel more natural and less predictable.

There's something about this scene that gets me every time I look at it. You can feel the togetherness, the quiet bond between these women.

If I could go back, I'd probably go a bit lighter with the palette. A lot of the illustrations came out darker than intended, and I think a bit more colour in the characters would have brought even more warmth to the page.

Where do you work? What are some essentials in your workspace?

Oboh: This is where all the magic happens! I work from my studio in Lagos, Nigeria. It's a small setup. My window is 3 feet away from a 9 feet high wall so natural light is pretty much non-existent, lol.  Most of my work is digital anyway, so I've made peace with my little cave!

The two things I never work without are my iPad and a sketchbook. The iPad is where most of the final work lives, but the sketchbook is where my messy ideas are kept.

If you are like me and you spend long hours working, make sure to step out and go for walks guys, it genuinely helps you know.

What mediums and styles do you enjoy working with the most.

Oboh: All my work is done digitally, but I also love working in traditional media. Both have pros and cons depending on ones’s personally. If you are not careful it’s easy for one to  disconnect when working digitally, something you less likely to experience with the other medium. Being able to undo and redo, adjust, tweak endlessly on a digital format is convenient. I like to completely be in control.

My style tends to be detailed but loose. 

Why did you love drawing as a child?

Oboh: I was that reserved kid who was obsessed with cartoons. Completely hooked on the characters I'd see in films - the way they were designed, the way they moved…

There was this friend of mine at school then who could draw. He'd sketch out these characters just from memory, just with a pencil and I'd sit there completely amazed. Mind you these drawings were not fancy, but to younger me, it was the best thing I had ever seen. I think my love for drawing started there, in that mix of curiosity and admiration. I wanted to understand how he did it. And I guess that followed me into adulthood.

What inspires you as an illustrator?

Oboh: Life, Pinterest, my experience over the years as an illustrator, you know. The growth, the lessons, the projects that pushed me. And the love and support I have received from people who just love what I do. That kind of love is something I never take for granted. It's overwhelming in the best possible way, and on the hard days it's genuinely what keeps me going. 

What do you hope children feel and learn when they see your illustrations in Freedom Braids?

Oboh: More than anything, I hope they feel represented and learn about history. That is at the core of why this book exists and why it was created.

I remember speaking with Monique Duncan, the author, and emphasising just how important it is for Black creatives - writers, illustrators, storytellers, to tell our own stories. Because when we don't, someone else will. And they won't always get it right. We are actively shaping culture. We are shaping how young readers see themselves, how they understand their history, and what they believe is possible for people who look like them.

History has a way of being forgotten or distorted when it isn't preserved and retold. Freedom Braids is rooted in a real history - the resilience and the quiet courage of African women who used something as intimate as braiding hair to reclaim their freedom. I want children to sit with that. To feel proud of it. To understand that their ancestors were brilliant and brave long before the world acknowledged it.