Author Olumide Adekanmi leads interactive reading session at Valuecrest International School to promote reading culture among students
The Literary Authors Cooperative Multipurpose Society of Nigeria (LITACO) has commenced its Literary Read-Aloud Project in secondary schools across Lagos State, with a session at Valuecrest International School, Coker Estate, Shasha, Lagos, featuring author Olumide Adekanmi and his book, Archive of Scars.
The initiative, under the leadership of LITACO President, Dr (Mrs) Awele Ilusanmi, FANA, seeks to promote a reading culture among secondary school students and encourage young people to engage more actively with literature.
Adekanmi anchored the session, which brought together senior secondary school students for an interactive morning of reading, reflection and discussion. He began by reading selected passages from Archive of Scars before inviting the students to take turns reading from their own copies of the book.
The students participated enthusiastically, reading aloud before their classmates, who listened attentively. The exercise provided an opportunity for the young readers to engage directly with the book’s language and themes while developing their confidence and reading skills.
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Speaking on the initiative, Dr (Mrs) Ilusanmi emphasised the importance of nurturing a reading culture among young Nigerians and exposing students to literary works beyond their regular classroom activities.
She said LITACO’s Read-Aloud Project was designed to bring authors closer to students, create opportunities for meaningful engagement with books and help young people develop a lasting interest in reading.
According to her, reading aloud offers benefits beyond literacy development, as it can strengthen students’ confidence, improve listening skills and make literature a more engaging and shared experience.
The proprietor of Valuecrest International School, Mrs Valentina Okose, welcomed Adekanmi to the school and expressed delight at hosting a writer committed to promoting reading among young people.
Her presence underscored the school’s support for educational activities that enrich students’ learning experiences beyond the classroom.
The session was coordinated with the assistance of the class teacher, Mrs Antonia Chukwuma, who organised the students for the exercise. Assistant class teachers, Ms Kalu and Me Faith Obi, were also present.
The project reflects LITACO’s commitment to making literature more accessible to young readers by taking authors and their works directly into schools. Through interactive reading sessions, the organisation aims to inspire students to read more, express themselves confidently and appreciate the value of books.
The visit left the students inspired and reinforced the importance of collaboration between literary organisations, authors and schools in building a stronger reading culture among Nigerian youths.
Dr (Mrs) Awele Ilusanmi, popularly known as the Queen of Books, is the president of the Literary Authors Cooperative Multipurpose Society of Nigeria (LITACO), an organisation dedicated to promoting literary engagement and encouraging reading among young people.
