Nigerian children’s author, publisher, and Akada Children’s Book Festival convener Olubunmi Aboderin Talabi was recently featured in an extensive interview with HER Network, where she discusses representation in children’s literature, the evolution of Nigeria’s first and largest children’s book festival, and her vision for literacy across Africa.

Talabi, author of numerous children’s books including the UN Africa SDG Book Club honorary pick Why Do You Wash Your Hands?, spoke candidly about the importance of culturally relevant content for young readers. “It is important for children to see themselves reflected in the books they read because of their self-esteem and because of the way it affects their development,” she explained. “If you constantly don’t see yourself in books or in creative productions, it can give the impression that perhaps other people are more important or that somehow their own culture or their own language or their own environment are more important than your own.”

In the interview, Talabi traces her literary journey from childhood reader of Cyprian Ekwensi, Chinua Achebe, and Jane Austen to becoming a champion for indigenous children’s literature. She reveals that her family discouraged her from studying English Literature at university in the 1980s and 90s, pushing her toward Economics instead, a common story for many African writers of her generation. Yet her passion for storytelling persisted, evolving from newspaper publishing to creating beautifully illustrated children’s picture books designed to make reading attractive and inspire innovation.

The Akada Children’s Book Festival, which Talabi founded seven years ago, has become what she calls “a cultural cornerstone” supported by families, reading clubs, and schools across Nigeria. The festival addresses a critical gap: while Nigeria has long been blessed with talented authors, the majority historically wrote for adults, leaving children’s storybooks scarce. The festival provides a platform for self-published children’s authors to meet their audiences directly and overcome distribution challenges.

This year’s festival theme is “Book An Adventure,” a playful phrase that captures curiosity and learning. Talabi hopes every child attending walks away with expanded creativity, improved vocabulary and communication skills, and the sense of “travelling for an adventure through reading a book, seeing what life is like for others and developing empathy and emotional intelligence.”

Looking ahead, Talabi dreams of 100% literacy across Nigeria and Africa within the next decade, with well-stocked, fully-powered libraries in every local government area so that “nobody is more than a few minutes away from a library.” While acknowledging the digital age, she emphasizes that books still have a vital role: “Not everybody has data, not everybody has a device. Books still have a role to play.”

Read the full interview at HER Network.