Akada Children’s Book Festival Promotes Reading Culture, Celebrates African Storytelling, ,
Funmi Ogundare
Over 1,500 children, parents, educators and book enthusiasts recently converged on the UPBEAT Recreation Centre, Lekki, Lagos for the seventh edition of the Akada Children’s Book Festival (ACBF), Nigeria’s first and largest book festival dedicated exclusively to children.
This year’s edition, themed ‘Book an Adventure,’ recorded the festival’s highest attendance since its inception, featuring 34 authors and speakers, 27 featured books, 14 workshops, 11 storytime sessions, eight book readings, five book chats, and several other interactive activities that inspired curiosity, creativity, and a love for reading among children.
Speaking at the event, the convener and renowned author, Mrs. Olubunmi Aboderin Talabi, described the festival as a platform designed to celebrate storytelling and ignite children’s imagination through books.
“The theme ‘Book an Adventure’ reminds us that every story opens a new door of discovery. Books give children the courage to imagine, to dream, and to explore worlds beyond their own,” she said.
“At the Akada Children’s book festival, we want every child to experience that sense of wonder and possibility, to see reading not as a task, but as an adventure waiting to unfold. Our goal is to keep building a generation that reads, creates, and tells the African story with pride.”
The festival also recognised outstanding contributions to children’s literature with the presentation of three major awards. ‘Komtu, the Grumpy Chameleon’, won Picture Book of the Year; ‘The Water School’ by Ogbu Eme was named Early Reader Book of the Year; while K.R. Onimole received the Children’s Book of the Year award for his biography of chess champion Tunde Onakoya.
An award recipient, Tayo Oyetayo, noted that the festival continues to elevate authentic African narratives, adding that his works aim to help every child see themselves reflected in the pages of a book.
Since its debut in 2019, the Akada Children’s Book Festival has attracted over 10,160 attendees and donated more than 5,118 books, providing greater access to quality reading materials for children. Beyond celebrating African stories and authors, the festival empowers parents and educators to nurture a culture of reading, embrace shared learning practices, and inspire the next generation of African storytellers.
, Education – THISDAYLIVE, November 5, 2025, 9:07 am
