Steal Her Look
The blazer is one of those key items that can be found on every runway, each and every season no matter the year. Making any outfit – from jeans and a T-shirt to a midi dress or skirt – look instantly more polished. So if you need some positive vibes to brighten up your day then the bright, bold blazers should be your first pick. Festival and what gap do you believe it fills?
I started the Akada Children’s Book Festival to encourage the concept of reading for pleasure; to provide children and their carers with an opportunity for a fun yet productive day out; to create a space for children’s authors and illustrators to network, and to provide a platform for indigenous content creators to showcase their work to the world. I saw the need to have a literary festival within Nigeria for children’s books because I looked around and could not find a gathering dedicated to children’s books, those who create them and those who read them. I noticed that many countries around the world have children’s book festivals, some have several in different parts of the same country. These events help to bring books alive in the minds of young readers, inspire a love of reading and expand the boundaries of learning beyond the four walls of a school. Reading is important because it is the basis for literacy. It is foundational for formal education, a useful tool for gaining knowledge and an effective method for developing understanding.
What has been the highlight of your career so far?
There have been many highlights but the ones that always stand out the most are the readers. Meeting the readers, seeing them read the books, hearing what they and their parents have to say about the books are constant highlights and fuel the drive to keep going. The Akada Children’s Book Festival is also a major highlight. The festival has grown steadily since it started both in reach and impact. It is a lot of work but it is fulfilling and of good use to bibliophiles near and far.
What do you hope kids learn from your books?
The primary purpose of my books is to encourage a love of reading. My focus is to nurture the concept of reading for pleasure and make reading a fun recreational option for today’s children. My books are deliberately not over-didactic but there is always a purpose, always a message.
What do you think about the reading culture of children in Nigeria and what can be done to improve literacy in children generally?
Nigerians love to read, what we need is better access to well-written books. It would be great if we could have several well-stocked, well-maintained public libraries in each and every single one of our 774 local governments across the country. That would be a dream come true. Before the pandemic, I did book readings at different places in Nigeria. During those events, I am almost always asked if I write for teenagers or young adults as well. Children want to read. They love to read. They just need better access to good quality, situationally relevant books.
There are comparatively very few authors who write specifically for children in Nigeria. The children’s book industry is decidedly in its infancy here but it is growing and to help it develop we are seeing cooperation and collaboration between children’s book authors and illustrators. So much so that we have formed the Association of Children’s Authors and Illustrators of Nigerian (ACAIN).
What is the most important business discovery you have made in the last few years?
COVID has taught all of us the swiftness with which, and the profundity by which, things can change drastically. The most important business discovery I have made in the past year is the need to pivot quickly when the economic and social landscape changes. I have also learnt that e-commerce is not such a far-flung, difficult concept to grasp or apply and you don’t need vast sums of money to get your business online. I should also mention the treasure trove of business tutorials and testimonials I found on YouTube particularly a podcast called How I Built This. It is full of practical as well as inspiring examples of entrepreneurs who started usually with very little money but a lot of passion applied intelligently and steadfastly. These intrepid business owners ended up 10, 20, 30 years later with global brands that change the way we do things, mostly for the better.