By Bilesanmi Abayomi
Nigerian siblings Zahra and Zayyan Bilesanmi have recorded outstanding performances at the regional and national levels of the 2026 Annual National Read-Aloud Challenge in England, earning top positions in their respective age categories.
Their achievement has attracted commendation from the Ta’awun Humanitarian Forum, Lagos, which described the feat as evidence of the importance of investing in children and nurturing their talents from an early age.
2025 Edition During Presentation of an Award at Amazon Headquarters, London
At the Northwest Regional level, Zahra emerged first in the 9–10 age category with 333,457 points, while her younger brother, Zayyan, secured first position in the 5–6 age category.
The siblings maintained their strong performance on the national stage. Zayyan emerged first nationally in the 5–6 age category, while Zahra finished second nationally in the 9–10 category.
The results gave the Bilesanmi family a notable double victory across both regional and national rankings.
Reacting to the achievement, the President of Ta’awun Humanitarian Forum, Lagos, Taiwo Lasisi, congratulated the children and their parents, describing their performance as a reflection of resilience, discipline and academic excellence.
Speaking through the Ta’awun Tutorial Initiative Mentorship Programme, Lasisi said investing in young minds was essential to building a stronger future.
“Marvelous! Invest in young minds today and you secure the nation tomorrow,” Lasisi said.
He congratulated Zahra and Zayyan on their performance and expressed confidence that they would achieve greater success in future competitions.
Lasisi also commended their parents for supporting the children’s development, while wishing the siblings continued growth and success in their academic pursuits.