History
Since we kicked off our reading campaign with Chimamanda Adichie in 2005, in Port Harcourt, our interventions have benefitted 100,000+ people, 164+ schools across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
Rainbow Book Club Over The Years
Kicked off the Get Nigeria Reading Again! campaign in Port Harcourt with Chimamanda Adichie. Over the years the campaign train moved through Lagos, Abuja, Calabar. Prominent citizens who have participated include Wole Soyinka, Oby Ezekwesili, Emeka Anyaoku.
Kicked off the Leaders Read with Governor Fashola of Lagos where we get prominent citizens to read to children. Over the years readers have included Grammy Award winner Burna Boy, former Minister for Petroleum (State) Odein Ajumogobia, Civil Rights activist Jesse Jackson and Vice President Osinbajo.
Began the Garden City Literary Festival renamed the Port Harcourt Book Festival in 2012. Keynote speakers have included Chinua Achebe, Wole Soyinka, JP Clark, Ngugu Wa Thiongo, Amma Atta Aidoo and Matthew Kukah.
Published an anthology of 50 important Nigerian writers (Nigeria Literature: A Coat of Many Colours) to mark Nigeria's 50th Independence Anniversary.
Port Harcourt is named UNESCO World Book Capital 2014.
Published a collection of children's stories. 100 Years Around Port Harcourt is a book of stories by children from the 23 Local Government Areas of Rivers State about their communities, to mark the centenary of the city.
Bangkok (Thailand) World Book Capital 2013 formally hands over to Port Harcourt.
Managed the African 39 project, a collaboration between the Rainbow Book Club and Hay Festival that selected and celebrated 39 of the most important African writers under the age of 40 leading to the publishing of an anthology - Africa 39 by Bloomsbury publishers.
Port Harcourt officially handed over to Incheon (South Korea) World Book Capital 2015 after a year of over 12 major initiatives promoting books and reading.
Established the Rainbow Prize for Literature for the best graduating student in the subject at the West African School Certificate exams in 3 schools - Federal Government Girls College Abuloma, Port Harcourt, Kings College Lagos and Loyola College, Abuja.
Under the ROAR Africa project we began publishing biographies of outstanding Africans for young readers.
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