The Creative Director of Purplebloom Publishers, Bodija, Ibadan, Mrs. Adejoke Adepoju Oyekan, has urged the government to see writers as partners in national development and create an enabling environment for young authors to thrive.

Oyekan, who spoke on the need to strengthen Nigeria’s literary culture, said empowering emerging writers would help preserve the country’s intellectual and cultural heritage while giving young people a platform to document their ideas, experiences and perspectives.

The publisher made the call on Monday while speaking on the forthcoming second edition of its Authors’ Conference scheduled to hold on August 27, 2026, at the IACD Library/American Corner, Leventis Building, Magazine Road, Jericho, Ibadan, Oyo State.

She stressed that writing should not be viewed merely as a creative activity, but as an important instrument for communicating ideas, addressing social issues and contributing to national development.

According to her, writers have the capacity to draw attention to social problems that may otherwise remain unnoticed, while their works can educate, inspire and promote positive change.

“We highlight the moral lessons contained in written works and also bring certain social problems to the attention of the public. There are issues happening in the background that people may not be aware of, and we felt that writing could give such issues visibility,” she said.

Oyekan, who studied Mass Communication and has worked with several media houses and publishing outfits, said government support was important in creating sustainable platforms through which young writers could develop their skills and contribute to the literary sector. She called for greater encouragement of reading and writing among young Nigerians, arguing that the decline in reading culture should not be used to discourage aspiring authors.

“I usually disagree with the assertion that young people no longer read”, she said, adding that changing reading habits should instead encourage stakeholders to find new ways of engaging younger generations.

She urged aspiring authors to cultivate the habit of reading widely, thinking deeply and documenting their thoughts.

“If you want to become a writer, you must start reading. Read widely, think deeply and put your thoughts down,” she said.

Oyekan said young writers should also understand that becoming an author did not require perfection, urging them to overcome the fear of putting their ideas into writing.

“You don’t have to be perfect to become an author or write a book,” she said.

She explained that aspiring authors could explore different genres, including fiction and personal essays, rather than limiting themselves to autobiographical works.

According to her, the ultimate goal should be to communicate ideas effectively and leave behind a body of work that could serve as a legacy.

“Before writing, they should look forward to putting down a legacy. It doesn’t have to be an autobiography. You can write fiction. You can write personal essays,” she said.

Oyekan also spoke about the Authors’ Conference, which she established with her team as a platform for writers to interact, discuss their works and learn from one another.

She said the conference was conceived to go beyond book launches and readings by creating conversations around writing, publishing, branding, media and social issues.

“There are several literary programmes where people come together to discuss books. We have writers’ workshops, book readings and book launches. But there is something unique about the Authors’ Conference because it brings authors together, allows writers to talk about their work and gives others the opportunity to learn from them,” she said.

She recalled that the first edition attracted almost 80 participants and featured two panel sessions, while students from different schools also participated in the activities.

Oyekan said the initiative was initially intended to become an annual programme, but funding and competing professional commitments made it difficult to sustain annually.

The publisher said the visibility generated by the conference subsequently created other opportunities and projects, which made it necessary to temporarily suspend the initiative.

She, however, expressed optimism that the Authors’ Conference would continue, noting that participants and supporters had encouraged her to revive the platform.

Oyekan maintained that strengthening Nigeria’s literary ecosystem would require collaboration among government, publishers, writers, educational institutions and other stakeholders.

She said empowering young authors would not only promote literary creativity but also ensure that the experiences, ideas and perspectives of a new generation were documented for posterity.