Kunle Adelabu & Mariam Akinloye
-Stakeholders call for sustenance of initiative to improve reading culture
Over hundred students across ten selected public and private senior and junior secondary schools in Ikorodu Division, were engaged in marathon reading at the maiden edition of the Musediq Alogba E – Library and Research Centre’s Reading Sesson.
The session, which had the former Commissioner for Agriculture, Lagos State, and the Chief Learning Officer, Kith & Kin Group School, Asipa Kaoli Olatunji Olusanya, as its first Library Personality, featured a reading session during which Asipa Kaoli read his autobiographical book, titled, ‘The Power of Purpose: Family, Faith and Education: Autobiography of Chief Kaoli Olatunji Olusanya’, published last year in commemoration of his 70th birthday, to students and selected audience that graced the event which was held at the Ikorodu Ultra – Modern Town Hall, Ikorodu, last Friday.
All the students at the event took their turn in reading a chapter of the book during the session which many described as innovative and commendable.
The Musediq Alogba E – Library, under the Ikorodu Division Resource Development Group (IDRDG), introduced the session to sensitize the public on the existence and state of the only functional public library in Ikorodu Division.
Prince Rotimi Ogunleye, Chairman, Musediq Alogba E – Library & Research Centre, welcoming guests and students, explained why the initiative is necessary, stating that it is part of the IDRDG’s efforts to develop education and promote reading culture.
“I welcome you all to the maiden edition of the reading session. The idea came up in order to, first and foremost, sensitise the community people that we have a functioning library in this complex. Generally, people believe that this complex is only for social gathering, they don’t know that a lot of money has been invested to set up a library which has been here for many years”, Ogunleye said.
“This exercise is to make it known that we have a library here which is more than an ordinary library. It is an e- library and we want to thank one of our own and the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Health Service Commission, Dr Benjamen Eniayewun who funded the e – library facility. If you make use of the library, you can access any material by any author. That is what we now have here and we want people to be aware of that and make use of it.
“Secondly, we want to stimulate the reading culture in our students and young ones, and that is why we have our students here. When we were growing up, there were no computers, smart phones and what have you that this generation are enjoying today, but we were always at the library then. Unfortunately, these gadgets are causing so many distractions for the youths which prevent them from reading. So, we thought we have to do something and that is why this reading session has been done”, he said.
Former Commissioner Ogunleye stated that the session will also be used in mentoring students in the division, and urged members of the public to make use of the facility.
“We decided to kick off the idea by inviting a person who has started a school (Kith and Kin Schools) which is doing well, as our maiden library personality. He is not just a proprietor of a school, but also an author of the book that we will be reading for our session today in kicking off this project”, he said.
“The session will be on a quarterly basis. We will be inviting personalities who have distinguished themselves in various endeavours to come and read their books and various books and ensure that the audience participates.
“We will be bringing role models that our children can look up to and emulate. These will be people that have lived quality lives and impacted on people. Those are the kind of people we will be bringing to this session, and that is why we have brought Asipa Kaoli today.
“The library opens Mondays through Saturdays, and you can come in to do research on different subjects and also read”, he charged.
The Chairman, IDRDG and former Minister for Works, Sen. Adeseye Ogunlewe, who was represented by Prince Rotimi Ogunleye, assured stakeholders, students and members of the public that the group will continue to productively engage Ikorodu students and youths.
“IDRDG will continue to strive to develop our youths, mentor them and make sure that our youths are computer literate. Prior to the period that the last UTME was held, the IDRDG Chairman, Sen. Ogunlewe, initiated UTME CBT training which helped the students, as two weeks training were organised for them, during which many computer systems were provided for them to practice with”, he said.
“We will continue to train the youths. The library is open while our staff and two other consultants that are handling the students, will always be available.
“Our target is that our students writing UTME should be scoring an average of 350 marks. The facility is here for you to make use of”, he said.
Speaking before reading a section of his book to the audience, Asipa Kaoli Olusanya thanked the Ikorodu Division Resource Development Group (IDRDG) and the Musediq Alogba E – Library & Research Centre, for the initiative, charging students and members of the public generally, to find purpose of their existence and work towards developing them.
He particularly charged the students to focus on their studies, same way he did, courtesy of his late mother’s advice and mentorship.
Asipa Kaoli also remembered and recalled the contributions of late Alhaji Musediq Alogba whom the library is named after. He also thanked his family for sustaining his legacy.
“These are people that have left their authorities and legacies in the sand of time. When you come to this world, ask yourself what people will remember you for. Don’t just come and go without discovering your purpose in life – why are you created?”, the said.
“There is a purpose why you were born. Find out why and pursue it relentlessly. You must find out what you can do and do it to the best of your ability. What you do and do best can only be discovered by you with the help of your teachers and encouragement from home. Always listen to instructions from teachers and parents, and do not allow yourself to be influenced by your peers and avoid distractions”, Asipa Kaoli charged the students.
“There are too many distractions these days. When we were growing up, you could only communicate with your parents when you were in school in far away places, by sending telegrams or letters. But today, you call all the time and always on the smartphones which are a distraction. It would distract you from your purpose because the resource that would advance your destiny is the same resource being wasted away in distraction”, he added.
Chairman, Ikorodu – Oga Development Association (IKODASS), Mr Rotimi Erogbogbo, pledged the readiness of IKODASS, to collaborate with IDRDG, on educational programmes.
He was represented by Prince Rasheed Elemuren, the General Secretary, IKODASS.
“I am proud to be part of this great moment and I am happy seeing students doing a relay reading session. My appeal Sir, don’t let us limit this to specific schools. We must sustain this initiative. If this hall is filled to capacity with students, we will achieve our aims. Students are not ready anymore”, he said.
“I am a teacher and I know what it takes. Presently, I am supervising WAEC and I know what I have been seeing. Students these days want soft spots. They want to become millionaires suddenly without studying or working. Sir, I am promising you that Ikorodu – Oga Development Association will collaborate with you to improve the reading situation. We are going to do that and we are going to be partaking in some of the (IDRDG’s) programmes pertaining to education”.
He commended the group for its impact on education, while advising students on the importance of reading.
“IDRDG has been performing very well. Recently, the group sponsored 10 students in public schools, to ensure that Ikorodu students who are brilliant, are also admitted into model colleges, to enable them get good education with modern facilities”, he said.
“To you students, reading improves your focus, entertains you and helps you become better in life”.
Tutor – General/Permanent Secretary (TGPS), Education District, Mrs Anike Adekanye, represented by Mrs Bola Adeniyi, Head of Guidance and Counselling, in her remarks, also established reasons why students must read and study very well.
“Reading is a great thing that can happen to anyone. As students in schools, you must read because readers are leaders. So, to lead, you must read. You must develop a strong reading culture. You must have a personal time table and quiet time to study. You must learn from how Asipa Kaoli separated himself from going to the library to study”, she said.
“If you want to excel, make it and succeed in life, you must study very hard. You don’t have any option but to read.
“Reading will make you leaders, when others are struggling, you are there at the top. When you read, you will acquire information that will make you bolder intellectually more than your colleagues and contemporaries and when you read, you will travel all over the world while you are still on a spot. Reading will also add value to your life and develop you socially, academically, psychologically, emotionally and financially, because you are going to discover the secret of success in books”, Mrs Adekanye said.
She enjoined the Alogba Library Committee to sustain the initiative.
Mrs Beckley O.O, the representative of the Executive Chairman of the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LSUBEB), in her remarks, urged students to take reading seriously, stating that it is only with education that they can be great individuals.
She charged students to learn from how Asipa Kaoli started making use of the library right from his childhood and develop himself to what he is today.
President, Network of Book Clubs and Reading Promoters in Nigeria, Mr Richard Mammah, while commending Asipa Kaoli for putting his knowledge and experience in books, also charged him to endeavor to publish more books on his experiences.
He also commended the Alogaba Library for the initiative.
“Ikorodu is doing well in the area of reading and books generally, but you must do more. I have been wanting to come here ever since I heard about this library and today, I have been able to come and the Network of Book Clubs and Reading Promoters will return with book donations to the library”, he said.
“Aside that, we are going to recommend this initiative to other libraries around the world as a body which is driving towards establishing 774 libraries and book clubs in Nigeria. We are saying that the first step should be done by the community by establishing and investing in such infrastructures for people of the community to benefit first”.
The representative of the Alogba family, Mr Babawale Alogba, described the reading session as an honour to his late father whom the library was named after.
The former aspirant for the Ikorodu Constituency I seat in the Lagos State House of Assembly, charged students to study hard to be great in life.
“This session is an honour for me personally. For us in the Alogba family, we see this as a posthumous award to my dad. I want to particularly thank Prince Rotimi Ogunleye and entire members of the Musediq Alogba Library and Research Centre”, Babawale said.
“Ikorodu Division Resource Development Group is a group that wants to ensure that children and students of Ikorodu, become the best in Nigeria. Mark my words, they want them to become the best in Nigeria. IDRDG is a club, though, not a social one and I am one of the good members of the club. Unfortunately, there is no CV that you can take to them that is intimidating, and no known amount of qualifications that you can bring to the IDRDG that will be enough, because they are our fathers and have seen it all with many qualifications and experiences”, he said.
“Musediq Alogba E – Library has been empowered to ensure that things are going the way they are going now, to ensure that you are able to partake in their training. I am saying this so that you will have enough confidence to come around at your will to study anytime that you want. The facility is to build your confidence towards any examination and prepares you. Here, you will get things that your school cannot even provide for you.
“To you students and youths that are here today, whatever you want to become in life, reading and studying are very vital to succeed at it.
“You go to school to study, read and learn, and due to innovations and evolution of life, things have changed rapidly. In learning these days, you need to add your own personal innovating and in-depth thinking at all times. We now have artificial intelligence and the likes that would not make you concentrate on excelling in your SSCE or BSC”, he added.
