Political Cartooning is No Laughing Matter as Nigerian Cartoonists Learn New Skills (February 6, 2013)

Lagos participants at the Political Cartooning DVC in Lagos. U.S. Consulate Photo by Ayo Durodola

What makes cartoons persuasive? Matthew Wuerker, Political Cartoonist and 2012 Pulitzer Prize winner for editorial cartooning provided answers to this question and others to a group of working political cartoonists in Abuja and Lagos via digital video conference (DVC) on February 6    

In the last 25 years, Matt’s work has appeared in publications ranging from POLITICO, The Los Angeles Times and The New York Times to magazines Smithsonian and the Nation.  Some of these experiences formed what he shared with participants.

In today’s editorial cartooning, causing controversy through them works according to Matt.  Public comments to his works are not all positive though.  He emphasized cartooning is not just about drawing, “it is about the ideas you pass across and the humor you create that matters.”

Political cartooning has a long history in Nigeria and it continues to be one of the main means cartoonists use to express otherwise sensitive and controversial topics such as corruption and insecurity within the political arena.

In addressing some of the challenges cartoonists face generally, the Pulitzer Prize winner identified the emergence of new media as a major threat.  He said new media has given rise to several alternatives to the general public.  He mentioned Internet Meme, blogs, Facebook, flickr and other medium of expression as competitors.

Asked what cartoonists could do to improve their earnings; he suggested hosting cartoon galleries and road shows where the works of the political cartoonists are displayed for viewing and for sale as a way out.

At the end of the program, the moderator of the DVC and U.S. Embassy Information Officer Deb MacLean stunned the participants with the news that the U.S. Embassy is a “big fan” of political