Much ado about the English alphabet - Nigerians react to A is for akara
Happy New Month!
A year ago, if someone told me writing a children’s book would be the most fulfilling thing I’ve done to date, I would not believe them—and yet here I am.
Publishing Adama Loves Akara has been a gift. Every week, I connect with parents and educators who have bought the book for their little ones to much delight.
As if that wasn’t enough, last month I got to share it with Bola Mosuro on BBC Focus on Africa! I’ve been on several BBC programs before but this was the first time that it was about something I created! It was validating to say the least. All it took was a Facebook post to go viral and reach the attention of a producer at the BBC. Yup! That’s how I got a book featured on BBC, good ‘ole FB (read as a great image, and excellent copywriting).
Things got really interesting when the story made it over to BBC Pidgin. I didn’t realise that replacing “A for apple” with “A for akara” would be a revolutionary act but the comments section which you must go read tell me otherwise (They’re laugh out loud funny).
Below are some of the LOLs in the comments!
Getting a self-published book into distribution on the continent takes creativity and community!
Freetown, my hometown doesn’t have bookstores. We have small stationary shops and book vendors but no major book distributors. To sell Adama Loves Akara I’ve had to get creative and develop a custom distribution network that includes restaurants, pharmacies, and an okada delivery service.
In Ghana, myBooksie box an online African children’s book subscription service is helping us get the book to local readers. They have a wide variety of stories for kids of all ages and they deliver books across the continent.
Go to EPP Books (Ghana’s largest book retailer) in Legon, Labadi, or Makola and you’ll find Adama Loves Akara in the children’s section. Also, we are stocked at Dominion Bookshop in Tema and on the Spintex Road. You can also find the book at my favorite cafe, Kwae Terrace.
Adama Loves Akara may soon be in Kenya. Friends in Nairobi have connected me with two of the leading book retailers via Twitter! I’ve sent them details of the book and I’m hoping to hear back.
If you have a favorite bookstore or library in your city I invite you to walk in there and introduce them to Adama Loves Akara. Small independent bookstores and libraries are the bread and butter of the book industry. Do get in touch to connect me.
What NOW and what NEXT?
I’ve finished my next book! Yes, another! A print for Ami will be available for pre-order on May 16 with a publication date of June 16 (Day Of The African Child).
I haven’t quit my day job :)
While, I’m giving the writing my whole heart I’ve not quit my day job. Ha! I’m still leading a team of multimedia creatives in Accra and Freetown to support entrepreneurs and institutions with communications and content marketing. The writing happens in between client press releases, posts and documentaries. We just completed a project for the Agricultural Value Chain Development Project funded by IFAD.
If you’re in need of a communications and content marketing specialist, I’m available. Let’s have a call!
For more details about Adama Loves Akara on paperback or kindle including how to donate 100 books to deserving but underserved school children in Sierra Leone click here
