On Friday, April 25th, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie held a book signing in Lagos for the Nigerian release of Dream Count. The event was hosted by the Nigerian bookstore chain Roving Heights at their Landmark venue and drew a large, mostly young group of attendees. The crowd of happy fans gathered at the pavilion to meet Adichie.

The Dream Count sold out its initial release in Nigeria and became an instant bestseller. But what stood out at the Lagos event was the mood of the day: easy, joyful, celebratory. Readers danced, hugged, cried, and posed for photos. There was a live painting of Adichie by artist @mayordid_it happening in real time, and the energy in the room came across in the many video clips posted on social media. In one clip shared with us via text message by Adichie’s publisher Narrative Landscape, Adichie smiled at the cheering audience and said, “You people are better dressed than all my audiences everywhere,” a moment that carries the playful warmth of the gathering. [Also, see here and here for more moments of lighthearted exchange between Adichie and her readers as she signed their books.]

Adichie shared her reflections in an Instagram caption, writing: “Meeting my readers always makes me happy. But this Lagos signing was extra special. So many (mostly young) women and men, full of genuine enthusiasm. Their excitement about reading. Their respectfulness and sweetness. A truly lovely day that filled me with such hope and pride.”

On an Instagram caption, Rovingheights described the day as a “huge celebration of literature” and thanked Adichie and her Nigerian publisher, Narrative Landscape, for making it possible. For co-founder Tobi Eyinade, the moment was deeply personal. “It was a true honor to host Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie—a literary icon of global repute—at our Victoria Island store in Lagos,” she shared in a whatsapp message to us. “When we started Roving Heights in a small dining room in Shomolu, we could only dream of hosting a global icon like her. Friday’s event reaffirmed my belief in the power of literature and the importance of daring to dream big and make a difference, one book at a time.”

The turnout of over 600 attendees, many of whom waited patiently in line, speaks not only to Adichie’s influence but to the thriving reading culture in Nigeria. “The overwhelming reception stands as a testament to the growing appreciation of literature,” Eyinade added, “and to our mission of creating a space for meaningful interaction between authors and readers.”

A reminder that literature has powerful place in African public life, and that African readers continue to show up for books and the people who write them.

[All photos courtesy of Rovingheights Books.]