YouTube has activated hashtag #AfricaReads for its month-long online reading marathon Africa Reading Challenge.
The virtual month-long event will feature seven Kenyan artists among them writer Muthoni Garland and storyteller James Murua, creative writers Anne Moraa and Aleya Kassam, actor-journalist John Sibi-Okumu, poet-actress Laura Ekumbo as well as actor-cum-writer Mugambi Nthiga.
The Kenyans will be joined by selected authors, influencers and key opinion leaders from Kenya and across Africa in reading out aloud extracts from Nigerian poet Lola Shoneyi’s novel ‘The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives’ Shoneyi’s novel.
“We are extremely excited about the YouTube Africa Reading Challenge. Reading novels is such a critical skill and we hope this event will help fuel a reading culture on the continent, while also highlighting some of the exceptional literary works by African writers,” says Nitin Gajria, Google’s Managing Director for Africa.
Mr Gajria also invited African readers to record themselves reading extracts of Shoneyi’s novel by allowing a one month no-cost window for them to access the novel by downloading the OneRead App from from the Play or Apple Stores via subscription code ‘AFRICAREADS’.
“Prospective bookworms can also join the challenge by sharing a 10-second video on their social channels, reading the same book, and nominating their friends to do the same,” said Mr Gajria.
#AfricaReads launch coincides with the global commemoration of the World Book day created by Uneco (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) on 23rd April 1995 to celebrate books and authors while encouraging young people to discover the pleasure of reading.
Shoneyi’s novel was selected in a Google Africa survey conducted last July where African social media followers were asked to choose a novel by an African author they would like to see read live on YouTube.
The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives is an entertaining, perceptive and enlightening portrayal of polygamy in modern-day Nigeria that reveals the struggles, rivalries, intricate family politics and the interplay of personalities as well as relationships within the complex private world of a polygamous union.
Among the notable names joining the reading challenge include Nigeria’s media entrepreneur-cum-talk show host Agatha Amatha, motivational speaker Olujimi Tewe, philanthropist-cum-writer Betty Irabor as well as performance coach-cum-strategist Steve Harris, and career-cum-business coach Muyiwa Afolabi.
South Africa’s TV presenter-cum-philanthropist Maps Mapoyane, media personality Penny Lebyane, actress-cum-model Pearl Thusi, storyteller-cum-sociologist Uphile Chisala, and award-winning marketer Khaya Dlanga have also confirmed participation.
