NLN TO ONDO GOVT: WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR SUPPORT–Salawu.
The Head of Branch, National Library of Nigeria, Ondo State, Mr B.A Salawu has expressed his profound gratitude to the present progressive government led by his Excellency Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu- SAN (CON) for it’s financial gesture towards this year readership Promotion campaign organised by the National Library of Nigeria, across the thirty Six States of the Federation on a titled: Reading as a panacea to Nigeria Societal Problems.which was held at Igbara -Oke , Ondo state, today 12th, October,2022.
Mr Salawu , who said the two day Programme which focused on the grassroots and community based is arranged to hold in a selected community of local government area in a state of Federation. This is a departure from the usual practice of holding the event in the state capitals and dominated by elites , students , civil servants and political office holders . The rational behind it is to extend participation to Royal fathers, Chiefs , Artisans, market women, traders who are equally stakeholders so as to avail them the opportunity to also make positive contributions with the hope that their participation will greatly impact on the community after the event.
In another development, the Head of the branch, said this was an annual Readership Promotion Campaign of National Library of Nigeria which dates back to 1981 and was aimed at deepening effective reading habit in the Nigerian Society as well as writing and numeracy which are key components of learning and education . He also highlighted the objectives of the programme which includes sustained the awareness created and to reach wider audience, to stimulate the interest of Nigerian Children in reading ,writing and numeracy. Others include, encourage reading from the neo natal state (womb) to the grave , to identify obstacles to effective reading habit and to suggest solutions, as well as to encouraged establishment of libraries and reading clubs.
However, the programme featured paper presentation ,reading, quiz and debate competition among the selected Schools, with award of prizes, cultural display , visitation to Hospital and motor parks and presentation of gifts after addressing people on the importance of reading.
Meanwhile, the five participants schools are Community High School, Igbara Oke, Baptist Secondary School, Igbara Oke, Community High School,Isarun, Community Oluwa High School and Prospect Secondary School. All are located at Igbara Oke , in Ifedore Local Government, in Akure. All the Schools went away with different prizes .
The keynote speaker , Dr. Belau Gbadamosi , the immediate past University Librarian of Federal University of Technology Akure who was unavoidably absent bit represented by Mrs Oluchi Okereke , a Librarian in the University delivered his address. She defined reading as the act of going through a writing text on a particular subject- fiction or non fiction. According to her reading was a mental exercise.She opioned that alot of factors have contributed to the poor reading culture characteristics our society today . In her words, poor reading culture in Nigeria is caused by a number of interconnected factors, including high levels of indicipline and over pampering of learner’s by parents, frequent interference with school policies , rules and regulations by both parents and the government, dwindling commitment, lack of passion, and grossly low wages and salaries of teachers, defective education system and policies, reading language problem, lack of well -equipped libraries in school, low patronage and the misuse of electronic devices. She concluded by saying that for reading Culture to be rejuvenated , that the Federal Government should as a matter of urgency declared free and compulsory education at all levels to take care of the high rate of out-of- school children. That revision of education policies and curricula to include practical at all levels and motivation of teachers by placing them on a special salary scale . Others include re-invigorate the Inspectorate and Evaluation Division of the Ministry of Education at the Local ,State and Federal levels and functional libraries should be established at all levels , and library periods should be introduced into the timetable as a national policy.
Presents at the event are Mr Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Odunayo AKEREDOLU, -SAN (CON) ably represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education and Science and Technology, Mrs Folasade Adegoke, Mr Dele Aworinde , The representative of the National Librarian and a deputy director in the National Library of Nigeria.
.ONDO ANA , Mr Afolayan, Right, Mr Jide .L,eft, Mr HOSEA. Middle
Others are the Chairman of the Association of Nigerian Authors – ANA, and Lecturer at the department of Mass Communication, Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo ,Mr Afolayan Sunday, Pastor Dele Afariogun- State Assistant Secretary, ANA, Mr Jide Ogidan , ANA, PRO and a lecturer at the Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, ,Mr HOSEA Olusegun, Adeyemi, an Evaluator at Federal Ministry of Education .The Iyaloja and Erelu of Igbara Oke and host of others.
