My Day With The Raising African Leader Community.

Hello, my name is Ola, and today was my day—our day. It was the day the African Leader Teens got together for a special adventure. Unlike all the other activities we’ve done, this one was peaceful. It was great. It was beautiful.

I woke up—well, actually, my mom woke me up because I was dreaming of candy and food. I was tired, because i normally sleep in on weekends, but I got up, did my morning routine, and got ready. Turns out, we were running late. And not just a little late. My mom is one of the main mentors and the founder of Raising African Leaders, so we couldn’t afford to be late. But even with the rush, we made it just in time.

If it wasn’t clear, we were supposed to go for breakfast first, then visit the Mohammed Bin Rashid Library in Al Jaddaf, we’ll did you know The Mohammed Bin Rashid Library in Dubai is a cultural and architectural marvel, officially inaugurated on June 16, 2022. The idea for the library was launched in 2016 by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. It was developed as part of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives to promote knowledge, culture, and reading in the Arab world. The library was designed by the architectural firm Aedas, and its structure is uniquely shaped like a traditional Islamic lectern, known as a rehal, symbolizing the importance of knowledge and education in Islamic and Arabic culture.

The building itself consists of seven main floors, along with rooftop and basement levels for additional facilities like parking and utilities. It spans an area of over 54,000 square meters, making it one of the largest libraries in the Arab region. The library is equipped with advanced technology, digital services, and reading spaces, making it both a modern and timeless place for learning and research.

Within the library, there are nine specialized sub-libraries, each dedicated to a particular audience or subject. These include the General Library, Emirates Library, Young Adults Library, Children’s Library, Special Collections Library, Maps and Atlases Library, Media and Arts Library, Business Library, and the Periodicals Library. Each of these sections is carefully curated to serve specific interests and age groups, ensuring that the library remains inclusive and accessible to all visitors.

The Mohammed Bin Rashid Library houses more than 1.1 million physical and digital books and offers access to millions of articles, journals, and databases. It also features a 500-seat theatre for lectures, events, and cultural performances. One of the highlights is the Treasures of the Library exhibition, which showcases rare and valuable manuscripts, books, and historical documents from around the world. The library stands as a beacon of knowledge, creativity, and innovation in the UAE and beyond.

Cool right?

We had breakfast with the rest of the teens, which was the 10–18 age group. Majority of us were also in the same church.

(Quick note—our mentors are Princess Uduak ( my mom ), Aunty Mariam, and Aunty Busoye.)

We were 13 people in total some people were dropped by their parents

After breakfast, we went to the library on a full stomach—which felt amazing. At the Mohammed Bin Rashid Library, we walked around, browsed books, and explored quietly.

Then, the mentors surprised us with something special that Yomi and Jamal had up their sleeves: a thoughtful presentation all about how to make reading a habit. It wasn’t just slides and talking—it was real, powerful, and full of tips we could use in our daily lives. They spoke about what reading is, how it helps us grow, and how we can build it into our everyday routines. It was really inspiring.

Afterwards, the mentors gave us a challenge: choose a book and remember the title, author, and summary.

The book I picked was “Do Over by Lynn Painter, published in 2022.

After we chose our books, we took a few photos together in front of a huge bookshelf, and then we headed home.

And that was my day. Right now, I’m watching the Barbie movie and relaxing with my mom. That’s my life today!

Book Summary: Do Over by Lynn Painter (2022)

Do Over is a young adult romantic comedy about Emilie Hornby, a girl who finds herself stuck in a time loop, reliving Valentine’s Day over and over again. What starts as a terrible day—her boyfriend cheats on her, she doesn’t get the internship she wanted, and everything just goes wrong—becomes an opportunity to rewrite her day and possibly her future.

With every “do over,” Emilie begins to understand who she really is, what she truly wants, and who she’s meant to be with. It’s a funny, sweet, and heartwarming story about second chances, growing up, and realizing that loving yourself is just as important as falling