A NIGERIAN children’s TV presenter studying in Teesside has published her first book.

Patience Ezinwoke, 42, wrote Flowers In The Ghetto about class divide and the plight of poverty stricken children in her home country.

Ms Ezinwoke, who moved to the region to study at Teesside University in 2011, was inspired to pen her children’s book after visiting ghettos in the Ajegunle area of Nigeria.

She said: “I did not know about this kind of poverty even though I am from the same country. The book is a way of raising awareness and sparking discussion. It’s a children’s book because when it comes to learning it is best to send out a message to children when they are young.

“Anyone growing up in the North East would struggle to understand the kind of poverty being described here and may realise how fortunate they are.”

Throughout the writing process, PhD student Ms Ezinwoke was mentored by Teesside University creative writing lecturers Andy Willoughby and Bob Beagrie, who have since released the book through their publishing house Ek Zuban.

Mr Willoughby said: “Ek Zuban is about representing many voices. We publish poetry but we are interested in diversity and this book sends out a strong message to everyone. This is an exciting departure for us.”

Flowers in the Ghetto is available from ekzuban.org.uk.