Foundation deepens literacy drive with intellectual curiosity award in Ijero Ekiti

She stressed that reading goes beyond academic requirements. “Reading is not just about passing exams; it is about exposure. It opens your mind and helps you see possibilities beyond your current environment… Even from Ijero-Ekiti, you can learn about what is happening in places like the United States and the United Kingdom,” she said.

Omotola also reiterated the Foundation’s guiding pillars—women, education, and faith—explaining that its interventions span literacy promotion, women’s empowerment through skills and mentorship, and support for health and well-being in underserved communities. According to her, the late Alice Ajisafe believed that educating a child creates a ripple effect that transforms families and future generations.

Unlike conventional academic prizes that prioritise examination scores, the Alice Ajisafe Award evaluates students based on reading volume, comprehension, and demonstrated curiosity. Participants were grouped into four categories—Junior Elementary, Senior Elementary, Junior High School, and Senior High School—to encourage age-appropriate engagement with books while fostering discipline and consistency.

Winners included Afolabi Inioluwa Oluwatosin (SS1), who emerged best in the Senior High category after reading 13 books, while Daramola Precious Oluwanifemi (JSS2) led the Junior High category with 14 books. Victor Ighouorghor Godwin (Primary 6) and Akinwale Mimisola Juliet (Primary 3) won in the Senior and Junior Elementary categories with 11 and 12 books, respectively.

Winners received plaques, a curated set of books, and ₦50,000 in cash prizes each. Beyond the top performers, the Foundation ensured broader inclusion by providing gifts to other participants, with every child going home with at least one literature text—an approach that organisers say reinforces reading as a shared culture rather than a winner-takes-all pursuit.

Tolulope Folorunso, Administrator of the Dzuels Foundation Library, noted that the one-week reading challenge produced behavioural shifts beyond academics. “It builds reading discipline… They now know how best to read, when to read, what to read, and even how to read,” he said, adding that parents have observed children transferring the same level of commitment to household responsibilities. “Readers are leaders; if you must lead, you must read.”

Reinforcing the 2026 World Book Day theme, “Go All In,” educationist Kehinde Oluwarotimi urged students to pursue knowledge with depth and intentionality. “You do not get gold by just scratching the surface of the earth… You cannot become outstanding in any profession unless you go all in, reading into it,” she said, encouraging them to explore books aligned with their interests and future careers.

She also cautioned against indiscriminate reading, reminding students that “you become what you read,” and urging them to engage with books that build both character and intellect.

World Book Day, designated by UNESCO, is a global celebration of books and literacy. In Nigeria, however, literacy advocates continue to raise concerns over declining reading habits, with national assessments showing that many pupils complete basic education without functional reading proficiency. The rise of smartphones and short-form content has further reduced the time young people spend on sustained reading.

Against this backdrop, the Alice Ajisafe Foundation’s intervention offers a structured, community-driven response, one that celebrates reading as a cultural practice rather than a classroom obligation.

As the event closed with student presentations, the Foundation reaffirmed its long-term vision of nurturing a generation of critical thinkers by encouraging children to read more, think more, and ask more questions,