Akwa Ibom will encourage book clubs, reading culture, says EARCOM boss
By Editor
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AKWA Ibom State Ethical and Attitudinal Reorientation Commission (EARCOM) has restated its committed to a mass sensitization campaign to encourage the Book Club Initiative and reading across the state among citizens of all ages. This hint was dropped by the Head of Media and Advocacy Unit of EARCOM, Rev. Osondu Ahirika, during a chat with the founder of book clubs in the state, Dr. Udeme Nana in Uyo while acknowledging the spread of the reading initiative to four Local Government Areas of the state, including, Uyo, Eket, Ikot Ekpene and Abak as commendable effort worth supporting.
Rev. Ahirika commended the erstwhile Media Adviser to former Governors Arc. Obong Victor Attah and Chief Godswill Akpabio, presently engaged in scholarly activities, as he lectures at Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic, Ikot Osurua for his trailblazing vision of establishing the Book Club movement, describing him as a pacesetter and visionary.
EARCOM, Rev. Ahirika said, would continually lend its support through a state-wide campaign to encourage reading among Akwa Ibom students, even as he disclosed that the Executive Chairman of EARCOM, Dr. Dorothy Thompson, has made it clear through the ‘Focus on Your Purpose, Academics, not Vices’ campaign that target secondary schools and tertiary institutions across the state.
Rev. Ahirika recalled that the book club seed sown by Dr. Nana has since yielded fruits with worldwide acclaim as a citizen, John Obot, attempted to set a 145-hour read-aloud Guinness World Record in September 2023 even as the Uyo Book Club has gone ahead to host national and international conferences that make the state an emerging reading hub in the country. Ahirika therefore expressed delight at the improved reading trends and literacy among young people and tasked Dr. Nana not to give up on this vision, harping that this would remain a rock-solid legacy that would guarantee him a kind mention in history.
