Water Get Enemy is a graphic novel about governance in the developing world. It illustrates the battles that must be waged inside the bureaucracy to deliver public services, and the threats that create government failure.
The story is based on the experiences of many government offices, and takes place in the fictional 'Zanzarim'. The issues are real, and every episode dealt with in the novel has been documented somewhere (frequently in many places). The story is a window into the politics, conflicts and heroes of government in the developing world.
Have you ever wondered why developing countries can't provide basic services to their people? Why is it so difficult to implement government projects in the developing world? Is it just down to a lack of money, to bad politics, or to corruption? Or is the answer more complex? Then this novel is for you.
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The Title 'Water Get Enemy'
The title is based on the Fela Kuti song, 'Water No Get Enemy'. Whilst water is indispensable for life, Fela's songs highlight the many enemies water has within the public sector.
The Authors
Daniel Rogger is a development economist whose work revolves around studying the bureaucracies of the developing world. Albert Ohams is a Nigerian cartoonist and artist. He is the cartoon editor at Nigeria's 'The Sun' newspaper.
Make Your Own Story
If you feel like there is a different story in these images, and you'd like to write it, we invite you to do so. All the cartoons used in 'Water Get Enemy' have been made available under a Creative Commons licence here. The images are also available to be used for other purposes that fit within the licence.
Related work
There are vast numbers of comics from developing countries. There are also plenty of cartoons and graphic novels that describe other aspects of governance in the developing world. Rather than highlighting one or two, we'd recommend you explore the world through the cartoons it produces.