The maiden edition of the National Dyslexia Awareness Carnival held in Abuja has drawn attention to one of Nigeria’s least understood learning disorders — dyslexia.
Organised by the Voice for Dyslexia Foundation, the event, which coincided with International Dyslexia Awareness Month, featured an advocacy walk, interactive sessions, and awareness campaigns aimed at dispelling misconceptions and promoting early intervention for people living with the condition.
Founder of the Foundation, Chiaka Kelechi Franklin, popularly known as Mr. Dyslexia, said the carnival was designed to start conversations and promote understanding.
“This carnival is designed to make people ask questions,” Franklin said. “We want Nigerians to know that dyslexia is real, it is not laziness, stubbornness, or a spiritual problem.”
Franklin, who was labelled “slow” as a child due to undiagnosed dyslexia, said the experience motivated his advocacy work. “I grew up being misunderstood. Nobody knew what was wrong with me. Once I discovered dyslexia, I knew I had to make sure other children don’t go through what I went through,” he said.
He identified lack of teacher training and poor awareness as key barriers for neurodiverse learners. “Our teachers are not trained to identify dyslexic children. Many parents still believe their children are possessed or lazy when they can’t read early,” he noted.
Franklin also disclosed that a Dyslexia Inclusion bill had been proposed through the House of Representatives to promote inclusive education nationwide. “When the law is passed, teachers will be compelled to act right and provide proper learning support,” he said.
Among attendees was Eunice Adams, a special needs educator and mother of a dyslexic child, who shared her personal experience navigating Nigeria’s education system. “My son was seen as intelligent but couldn’t identify letters. I realised he might be dyslexic and started teaching him at home using magnetic letters,” she said.
Adams called for more inclusive policies in schools. “My son tops the oral tests but struggles in written exams. The system doesn’t allow him to express what he knows,” she said. “In other countries, dyslexic learners get extra time, scribes, or computers during exams. We need that level playing field here.”
The event also featured Kanyeyachukwu Tagbo-Okeke, the autistic child artist who holds the Guinness World Record for the world’s largest art canvas, and his mother, who praised the carnival for giving hope to families raising neurodiverse children.
Franklin urged parents to embrace awareness rather than denial. “Dyslexia doesn’t define you,” he said. “Discover your strength and build on it. We are creative and intelligent, we just learn differently.”
As participants dispersed, their placards bore a unifying message: “Dyslexia is not stupidity, it’s a different way of learning.”
