9-Year-Old Authors Shine at Lagos Children's Book Festival
Nine to eleven-year-old Nigerian authors celebrated their books at the 2026 Annual Children's Book Festival in Lagos on Saturday. The eighth edition of 'Acada' featured young writers like Oluwatoke Aduradola, whose book 'Up and Down' she proudly showcased at age nine. The festival with theme 'Big Dreams, Brave Stories' aims to improve access to age-appropriate indigenous story books.
Most Nigerian picture books currently available are foreign, according to founder Olubunmi Aboderin-Talabi. This festival addresses that gap by featuring books with Nigerian children and cultural elements like 'A is for Amala' instead of 'A is for apple,' helping children value their own culture. The event also demystifies picture books as valuable learning tools beyond comics.
This matters because reading culture starts early, and indigenous representation helps children see themselves in stories. With nine-year-olds already publishing books, what story would you encourage the child in your life to write? Acada Festival returns next year—mark your calendar.