Clever Clogs to host 2nd edition of Akada Children’s Book Festival

After a successful first edition in 2019, Clever Clogs Books has concluded plans to host the second edition of the Akada Children’s Book Festival (ACBF) from Friday 30th through Saturday 31st October 2020, online.

Participants can register for the free and paid activities online.

Last year’s event which was held in partnership with the British Council took place at the council’s premises in Lagos with over 1400 attendees participating in what is now recognized as Nigeria’s first book festival specially dedicated to children.

This year, the ACBF will welcome children, children’s book authors, illustrators, parents, teachers as well as other key stakeholders in children literature and education to what is now recognized as Nigeria’s largest children’s book festival.

The ACBF features books written for readers from infancy to teenage years. The festival is a showcase of children’s books written by African authors, or books written by authors from around the world for a diverse audience of children.

The 2020 event which will be held online this year, will educate, inspire, and entertain children and adults alike. Ample opportunities for reading along; singing along and dancing along have been created for young and old. With book readings, mini workshops, information sessions for parents; pop quizzes; comedy for children and HappyTunes, the whole family is catered for during the festival.

Day 1 of the festival will feature professional workshops for children’s book writers, illustrators, aspiring writers and publishers. On Day 2, Saturday October 31st, there will be author book readings; Book Chats; Giggle Box; Happy Tunes; Story Time; Pop Quizzes and Prizes; fun workshops for children and insightful sessions for parents and teachers.

The logistics of organizing an entirely digital event is now becoming the trend due to public health concerns, and the convener of the ACBF and Publisher of Clever Clogs Books, Olubunmi Aboderin Talabi believes that the virtual book festival really has the potential to fill a growing need in the children’s literary community.

“Literacy is very important. Finding creative ways to inspire a love of reading, improve the ability to reason and enhance knowledge in children, keeps me on my toes. Early development of a constant reading habit will help children improve their chances of becoming the best version of themselves” she said.

According to Talabi, “there’s a real opportunity here to change the way people connect with authors and interact with books. We can support parents and educators looking for distance-learning options. This festival is needed now more than ever, and we’re grateful to partners who are supporting the festival to help make this happen,” Talabi added.

Workshop speakers to be featured are children and thought leaders from the publishing, entertainment, digital media, fitness, parenting and education space in Nigeria including Lola Shoneyin, Chigul, Zainab Balogun, Chiomah Momah, Aduke Gomez, Sope Martins, Abiola Ayeni-Seriki, Vese Aladewolu, Elizabeth Osho, Olayemi Ejemai among others.