The Executive Chairman, Uyo Local Government Council, Akwa Ibom State, Dr. Uwemedimo Udo has declared the readiness of the council to partner Uyo Book Club in hosting the National Book Convention scheduled for Uyo in September, 2021.
Dr. Udo made the declaration, Saturday, April 24, 2021, during the official unveiling of The Brook, the first Newsletter of Uyo Book Club at Shakespeare’s Room, Watbridge Hotels and Suites, Uyo.
Speaking during the April reading session of the club, Dr. Udo commended the founder of the book club, Dr. Udeme Nana for driving the vision and sustaining same. He reiterated his enthusiasm for books and said after three years of serving his people in the Council, he will return to the academic world to feast on his passion which is books.
“I want to thank you for the honour done to Uyo as a capital of the state to showcase it in positive light in your publication and activities. I am a book lover as it is said: ‘A room without a book is like a body without a soul.’ I hope to go back to the academic environment after my successful three years as Executive Chairman. I know money is good but knowledge is better”, Dr. Uwemedimo Udo stated.
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The Uyo chairman specially thanked the club for showcasing Uyo LGA in the maiden edition of ‘The Brook’ and promised for better collaboration in future.
“It gives me a lot of joy to be identified with you and as a Council, there is no way we would not support your conference come September, 2021, the Council will support you and be part and parcel of what will happen so that the visitors who will visit Uyo will have a memorable experience, so Uyo local government will continue to partner this club and support your strides”, he assured.
Recall that the city of Uyo was officially pronounced, the National Book Clubs City for 2021 during the Book Day celebration in Nigeria.
In his remark, the Vice Chancellor of University of Uyo, Prof. Nyaudoh Ndaeyo said Uyo Book Club is a deviation from conventional or clandestine clubs. He said with the tenets of Uyo Book Club which harps more on intellectual upgrade and sensibility refinement, there is need for its spread in schools across the state.
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The Vice Chancellor, who was represented by Prof. Ntiaobong Ekong, called on the younger generation and all Akwa Ibom persons who wish to advance intellectually to join the club.
Also, the Commissioner for Information, Comrade Ini Ememobong in his goodwill message commended the Club for showcasing the state in a positive light through her activities.
The Commissioner urged the founder of the Club, Dr. Udeme Nana to sustain the tempo and promised to collaborate with the Club for greater strides.
The Commissioner, who was represented by the Director of Information in the Ministry, Akparawa James Edet also felicitated with the Club on her recent achievement to be chosen as the pioneer National Book Clubs City in the country by the Network of Book Clubs and Reading Promoters in Nigeria (NBPR).
He said the selection does not happen in a vacuum but through the strides of the Club in recent times.
In the same vein, the Ministry extended felicitation to Mr Anietie Usen, one of the members of the Club and an author whose book ‘The Village Boy’ has earned international recognition.
The ‘Village Boy’ which has been selected to make the list of UN SDG’s Book Clubs Reading list as announced during the 2021 World Book and Copyright Day, is a narrative of a typical poor child raised in a local community. Is a true life story of, ‘from Grass-to- Grace.’
The Commissioner for Education, Mrs Idongesit Etiebiet represented by Dr. Anietie Ikot promised to support the Club in her intellectual programmes.
Earlier in his remark, the founder of Uyo Book Club, Dr. Udeme Nana appreciated members and all the invited guests who turned up for the April reading session.
He said the recent strides of the Club and the resounding ones during the 2021 Book Day Celebration which was tagged ‘Share your story’ by Uyo Book Club could not have been achieved without the contributions of members.
He noted that the launch of the maiden edition of ‘The Brook,’ the Club’s newsletter is another avenue to showcase the Club and the state to the world as the publication will be in all the world embassies. He said the publication will serve also as an inflight-journal for Ibom Air.
He went further to say that the book ‘Village Boy’ written by Anietie Usen which has won the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, (UN SDG Book, African Chapter) award; and was selected as the best of five books nominated for the 2021 World Book and Copyright Day, is a feat not just for the Club but the state and nation at large.
He encouraged members of Uyo Book Club to sharpen their writing skills as he foresees more authors emerging from the group.
Other dignitaries who graced the occasion included; Dr. Emmanuel Abraham -founder Topfaith Schools; Mr Anietie Usen – author, Village Boy; Mr Nsemeke Udoakpan, PR expert amongst others.
