Literary Awareness: Don’t Let Reading Culture Die, ANA President Tells Government
By Exponent News, 13th February 2025
The President of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), Ondo State Chapter, Mr. Sunday Afolayan, has urged the government at all levels to prevent the extinction of Nigeria’s reading culture. He made this call during this year’s ANA Yusuf Ali Literary Awareness Campaign, organized by the Association to promote literature among the youth. The campaign aims to enhance and advance education within Nigerian society.
Afolayan highlighted that the theme for this year’s Literary Awareness campaign was “Catching Them Young Through Literature.” The event, held at the NUJ Press Centre in Akure, featured a variety of activities, including quizzes, debates, reading, recitations, and performance competitions. Several schools participated, showcasing their literary skills. The schools involved included Oyemekun Grammar School (Akure), St. Louise Grammar School (Owo), Imade College (Owo), All Glory College (Ondo), and Anglican Grammar School (Ijare). Each school performed poems and recited works from Tales and Voices, an anthology compiled by ANA in honor of Basorun Seinde Arogbofa (OFR).
In his address, Afolayan urged the government to give literature more attention in their programs. He also called on educational stakeholders to support the promotion of the arts for the betterment of Nigerian children’s futures. He expressed gratitude to the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ondo State Council, for their support. Afolayan presented certificates of partnership and books to the union’s executives and elders, thanking them for offering their facilities free of charge for the successful execution of the program.
In response, the Chairman of the NUJ, Prince Leke Adegbite, expressed his appreciation to the ANA for organizing such a meaningful event. He also acknowledged Professor Yusuf Ali’s longstanding support for the Association. Adegbite emphasized the need for the government to prioritize education in the country, warning that the negative influence of social media on children’s reading habits could lead to the collapse of the educational system. He urged the Ondo State government to take the necessary steps to revive the education sector and reinstate a robust reading culture in communities.
The event concluded with the distribution of certificates to participants, free books for the students, and a recitation of poetry by the students.
