• Extracts from Nigerian poet Lola Shoneyi’s novel ‘The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives’ will be read out aloud after its selection by Africans in a Google Africa survey.
• 40 authors, influencers and key opinion leaders from across Africa have since been selected to read the extracts as a way of encouraging others to join them too.
Image: REUTERS
YouTube has launched its first Africa Reading Challenge, an online reading marathon featuring authors, influencers and key opinion leaders across Africa.
Seven Kenyan artists are participating in the challenge aimed at popularising creative works by African authors among local readers.
The month-long challenge, that will be held virtually, will see Kenya’s writer Muthoni Garland and storyteller James Murua, creative writers Anne Moraa and Aleya Kassam, actor and journalist John Sibi-Okumu, poet and actress Laura Ekumbo as well as actor-cum-writer Mugambi Nthiga participate in this challenge.
“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,” Google’s Managing Director for Africa Nitin Gajria said.
Extracts from Nigerian poet Lola Shoneyi’s novel ‘The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives’ will be read out aloud after its selection by Africans in a Google Africa survey conducted last July where social media followers were asked to choose a novel by an African author they would like to see read live on YouTube.
To kick off the YouTube Africa Challenge, 40 authors, influencers and key opinion leaders from across Africa have since been selected to read the extracts as a way of encouraging others to join them too.
YouTube said prospective bookworms can 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.
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.
Under the hashtag #AfricaReadingChallenge, readers wishing to read Shoneyi’s novel online, have also been given a one month free window.
With this, they will be expected to download the OneRead App from from the Play or Apple Stores to access the online copy by subscribing using the code, ‘AFRICAREADS’.