Clever Clogs Opens Registration for Third Edition of ACBF

Mary Nnah

The annual Akada Children’s Book Festival (ACBF) is making its return for its third edition scheduled to take place from July 1-3, 2021 with registration commencing on May 27, 2021.

Reckoned as the first children’s book festival in Nigeria, the Akada Children’s Book Festival is an event that highlights children’s books written by African writers or books written by authors from around the world for a diverse audience of children, and most importantly reiterates and fosters healthy reading and literary habits in children.

According to the World Culture Score Index, Nigeria has one of the lowest reading cultures in the world, with figures from the National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-Formal Education indicating that four out of ten primary school students are unable to read for comprehension..

The Akada Children’s Book Festival was set up to bridge this gap and encourage active participation, story time and bonding sessions between parents and children, as well as improve their cognitive development.

The festival is organised by Clever Clogs Books, a niche publishing house focusing on the development of Nigerian-themed children’s picture books for early readers, with the desire to see Nigeria achieve a 100 per cent literacy rate within their lifetime.

Announcing plans for this year’s edition, the convener of the festival, Mrs Olubunmi Aboderin Talabi explained that the #AkadaChildrensBookFestival 2021 will comprise a three-day programme of virtual activities featuring professional workshops for children’s book writers, illustrators, publishers, author-led book readings, book chats, fun mini-workshops for children, theatre, music, dance and insightful sessions for parents and teachers.

“With a line-up of the country’s most revered and best-selling children’s authors and illustrators, this year’s virtual festival promises to be educative, inspiring, and entertaining to children and adults alike”, she noted.

Since its inception in April, 2019, the Akada Children’s Book Festival has attracted over 1400 attendees.

Subsequently, in 2020, the festival adapted to a virtual convergence bringing #Akada2020AtHome to audiences across the world with over 1600 participants.

The third edition of the Akada Children’s Book festival is supported by British Council and Stanbic IBTC Bank.

Interested people can visit akadafestival.org to register and for more information. The festival is to encourage a perfect story time and bonding session between parents and children, as well as assist their cognitive development.

The Akada Children Book Festival is organised by Clever Clogs Books, a publishing house founded by Mrs Olubunmi Aboderin Talabi.