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By Damiete Braide
Akanni Festus Olaniyi occupies a rare space in Nigeria’s creative landscape. A medical doctor and surgeon by training, he is also a poet, playwright, and children’s author whose works have earned national recognition, including a longlisting for the Beeta Playwriting Competition in 2023 and The Nigeria Prize for Literature in 2024.
Yet beyond accolades and professional distinctions lies a deeper story, one of a man who sees storytelling not merely as art, but as intervention.
For Olaniyi, writing did not begin after medicine. It came long before. He often jokes that he was a writer before he became a doctor, a statement that reflects how deeply rooted storytelling is in his identity. Even during the rigours of medical school, he continued to write, sometimes, he admits, at the expense of preparing for examinations.
It was a deliberate choice. He feared losing that creative flame more than he feared academic pressure. Today, despite the demands of his profession, he maintains a daily writing routine. Writing, he says, is how he recharges. It revives his passion and keeps him grounded amid the intensity of surgical practice.
His debut publication, Bode’s Birthday Party, marks a significant milestone in a writing journey that began as far back as 2006. Although there were quiet years, particularly between 2017 and 2023, when little seemed to come creatively, he describes that period as a kind of “writing holiday,” likely shaped by the demands of his medical career. Since returning fully to the page, however, ideas have flowed steadily.
The inspiration behind Bode’s Birthday Party is rooted in his medical experience. Olaniyi recounts meeting a young adult patient struggling with drug addiction. In conversations with the patient’s father, he learned that the warning signs had appeared much earlier in the child’s life, at a time when parental guidance and presence might have altered the course of events. The father admitted that he had not been consistently available during his son’s formative years. That revelation stayed with Olaniyi.
He began to question the common perception that drug abuse begins in the late teenage years. What if the seeds are sown much earlier?
What if intervention could happen before experimentation even begins? From these reflections emerged the central theme of Bode’s Birthday Party: early sensitization. The book follows a young Nigerian boy who believes he is born to solve big problems. Through a tender and engaging narrative, Olaniyi addresses the complex issue of drug abuse, not with fear-driven rhetoric, but with warmth, courage, and hope.
Recommended for readers aged eight to twelve, the 117-page illustrated novel captures childhood innocence while confronting family struggles, addiction, and resilience. It is both heartwarming and sobering. Through Bode’s eyes, readers encounter the reality that children are often more perceptive than adults assume. They see more, understand more, and sometimes carry burdens quietly. The book reminds parents and teachers that vigilance and communication must begin early.
Olaniyi’s second children’s book, Tara and Treasure, published recently, is a picture book for younger readers. He is currently working on another story centred on sibling rivalry.
The upcoming book explores the emotional turmoil of a young girl who feels abandoned after the arrival of a baby sister. Through this narrative, Olaniyi hopes to help families communicate love and reassurance to older children adjusting to new family dynamics. His stories consistently return to one core purpose: addressing social realities through the lens of childhood.
Children’s literature, he believes, is one of the most powerful tools for shaping society. Literature, in his words, is a tool for social construction. It moulds minds and influences values. If children are educated early about issues such as drug abuse, empathy, and family relationships, the ripple effects can transform communities. For Olaniyi, children’s books are not simplistic tales; they are instruments of moral formation and social change.
His decision to self-publish reflects the evolving realities of the publishing industry. With traditional publishing often slowed by long timelines, independent publishing has become a viable and empowering alternative. It allows authors greater control and speed in bringing stories to readers.
Olaniyi also acknowledges the critical role of literary prizes in preserving and promoting culture. He describes NLNG’s Nigeria Prize for Literature as a beacon of hope in the nation’s literary space. Such initiatives, he argues, not only reward excellence but also elevate standards, encouraging writers to produce better work and stimulating reading culture. While some lament that reading habits are declining in Nigeria, he remains optimistic. Excellence, he believes, will always attract readers.
Though widely read across genres, poetry, drama, and children’s literature, Olaniyi finds children’s writing the most challenging. Writing for adults, he explains, allows him to express ideas from his own perspective. Writing for children demands something more complex. It requires entering the psychology of a specific age group, thinking as they think, and balancing education with entertainment. Children, he notes, will not tolerate boredom. If a story fails to engage them, they simply close the book. For that reason, children’s literature demands precision, empathy, and imaginative discipline.
Among the writers who have influenced him are literary giants such as Chinua Achebe, Akachi Ezeigbo-Adimora , late Mabel Segun, Prof Niyi Osundare, and Prof Remi Raji. Their works shaped his reading habits and deepened his appreciation for storytelling across genres.
