To celebrate Children’s Day 2025, REEL Foundation, in collaboration with the Journal of African Youth Literature (JAY Lit), is proud to announce the release of the second edition of Anthology of COVID-19 Chronicles, a collection of the winning stories from the Foundation’s Young Writers Challenge which was organized in 2020. Like the first edition which was published by Artmosterrific, the second edition is edited by JAY Lit Managing Editor, Ibrahim Babátúndé Ibrahim, with a foreword written by Nigerian writer Suyi Okungbowa Davies.
The Young Writers Challenge is a special writing programme organised for children within the ages of 7 to 13 years, with the aim of celebrating them, their imagination and creativity, irrespective of where they live. There were two categories, the first being for ages 7 to 9, and the other being for ages 10 to 13. The competition received entries from 345 children from over 20 states in Nigeria. Judged by Ibrahim Babátúndé Ibrahim, Funmi Ilori, and Rebecca Ebenezer-Abiola, five winners were selected in the 7 to 9 category, while 10 best children emerged from that of ages 10 to 13 category.
In the 10 to 13 years category, Miss Ramlah Ibrahim emerged winner of first place position with a cash price of 50,000 Naira and a Tablet, Miss Ola Inioluwa came second and a cash price of 30,000 Naira and a tablet, Miss Chidera Michelle Duru came third and received a cash prize of 15,000 Naira and a tablet. The remaining seven finalists received cash prizes of 10,000 Naira each as well as 9ja Kids activity books.
For the 7 to 9 years category, Oluwademilade Vidose Eli came first and received a cash prize of 20,000 Naira, 9ja Kids activity books and a scholarship to attend iRead Story Writers Academy. David Khalid came second and won a cash prize of 15,000 Naira, 9ja Kids activity books, and a scholarship to attend iRead Story Writers Academy while Grace Oluwadarasimi Ogunrotimi came third and received a cash prize of 10,000 Naira, 9ja Kids activity books, and a scholarship to attend iRead Story Writers Academy.
The fifteen winners whose stories appear in the anthology are:
- Anuoluwapo Adriane Aina
- Chideraa Duru
- Gabriella Adie
- Kelechi Onuobia
- Makayla Roberts
- Modebola Oluwasona
- Ola Inioluwa
- Onu Oghenejuvie Davina
- Osose Onisomamovie Vidose-Eli
- Ramlah Ibrahim
- Maigari David
- Khalid Grace
- Oluwadarasimi Ogunrotimi
- Monjolaoluwa Ayomide Ajiboye
- Oluwademilade Emmanuel Esho
- Oluwayonusimi Temidayo Adeniyi
In the words of Ajoke Omawore, the founder of REEL Foundation:
“In the lockdown of 2020, we thought about how we could reach out to children irrespective of their background, to engage them, make sure they were learning, and that was why we decided to do the challenge and focus on children telling stories about COVID-19. We want other people to also enjoy the stories that these brilliant children wrote. Beyond that, we want this to be an ongoing exercise. Subsequently, we also want to reach out to corporate organisations who can continue to sponsor us.”
REEL Foundation is a registered community based Non-Profit Organisation that seeks to promote equitable access to quality learning for children from low income/undeserved communities. The Foundation’s goal is to ensure that children irrespective of their socio-economic background have access to quality learning privileges that will enhance their knowledge and skills and put them at par with their peers globally.
To read the anthology, please click here.
Bakare Oluwatobiloba
I write to educate, motivate and define history with literature. Just being me!
