Kevbe’s Book Haven celebrates community literacy festival with Amuwo Reads 2026
By Editor
KEVBE’S Book Haven Limited successfully concluded Amuwo Reads 2026, a community book and literacy festival held last Friday, 28, August at 512 Roundabout, Amuwo-Odofin, Lagos. The event brought together children, families, educators, authors, community leaders, creatives and literary enthusiasts in a celebration of books and literacy.
Held with the theme ‘Where Books Come Alive,’ the event was curated to make reading exciting, accessible and relevant to children while encouraging families and the wider community to embrace a stronger reading habit. The festival featured mass reading, young readers and authors’ sessions, poetry, drama, music, dance, comedy, goodwill messages, book giving and interactive literary activities.
The event received notable support and representation from leaders and stakeholders within Amuwo-Odofin and the wider literacy community. Among those present was a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly representing Amuwo 1, Hon. Folake Osafile Stella, who joined other stakeholders in supporting the literacy initiative.
Two Supervisors representing the Executive Chairman of Amuwo-Odofin Local Government Area were also present, demonstrating the importance of government and community participation in initiatives tailored to promote literacy and education. Celebrated writer and book enthusiast, Mrs. Ngozi Ebubedike, joined other stakeholders in celebrating the children and supporting the vision of Amuwo Reads. The Secretary of the Nigerian Library Association (NLA), Lagos State Chapter, Mrs. Yetunde Modinat, was also in attendance, further strengthening the connection between Amuwo Reads and the professional library and literacy community.
The presence of these leaders and stakeholders reinforced the importance of collaboration among government, community leaders, educators, libraries, authors, parents and private organisations in building a stronger reading culture. She spoke on the success of the event, founder of Kevbes Book Haven Limited and Amuwo Reads, Dr. Josephine Oghenekevbe Ogufere, describing the festival as the beginning of something much bigger.
According to her, “Amuwo Reads is a seed. We are building a movement where children can encounter books, discover their imagination and begin to see themselves as readers, writers and future leaders.”
The initiative forms part of the organisation’s broader Teaching Kids to Read Project, a nationwide literacy project designed to promote reading and put books directly into the hands of Nigerian children.
In 2026, Ogufere made a commitment to work towards giving two million books to children in Lagos. Despite limited external support, the project has already begun, with approximately 3,400 books printed for children.
“We may have started with thousands, but we are thinking in millions. Amuwo is our springboard, but the vision is Nigeria,” she said.
She further emphasised that while government and institutional support would be welcomed, the mission would continue regardless, noting, “Whether the government supports us or not, we are getting it done. We believe every child deserves access to a book, and we will continue to do our part to make that possible.”
The founder of Kevbes Book Haven Limited and Amuwo Reads, Dr. Josephine Oghenekevbe Ogufere (in white attire) with some of the children displaying books
For Kevbes Book Haven, Amuwo Reads is not simply a one-day community event. It is part of a larger vision to build sustainable reading habits among Nigerian children. The Teaching Kids to Read Project is envisioned as a nationwide initiative that will take literacy activities, reading resources and books to children across Nigeria. Amuwo-Odofin merely serves as the springboard for this larger ambition, Ogufere stated.
The organisation believes that meaningful change can begin at community level and grow through collaboration, commitment and consistent action.
The success of Amuwo Reads 2026 was made possible through the collective efforts of the organising team, volunteers, children, parents, schools, authors, performers, community leaders, government representatives, literacy stakeholders and supporters.
Kevbes Book Haven Limited expressed its appreciation to everyone who contributed to making the event a memorable experience for the children. The organisation reaffirmed its commitment to continuing to create opportunities for children to read, write, create and celebrate, while expanding its literacy work beyond Amuwo-Odofin.
Kevbes Book Haven Limited is a Nigerian publishing and literacy organisation committed to promoting reading, writing, creativity and learning, particularly among children. Through its books, literacy programmes, children’s initiatives and community projects, the organisation seeks to help raise a generation of confident readers, writers, creative thinkers and future leaders.
