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Book Readers Conference sets agenda for ‘Lagos 2023’
By Ada Anioji
A conference of Book readers in Nigeria organised under the aegis of the Network of Book Clubs and Reading Culture Promoters in Nigeria, NBRP has risen from its 2022 annual conference that took place in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, to set an agenda for its next edition that holds in Lagos from April 23 next year, The Difference reports.
According to the text of a communique from the session, the book clubs in Lagos are being enjoined to work with other book ecosystem stakeholders in and around the city to deliver a more impactful 2023 Nigerian National Book Clubs City.
The full text of the communique reads:
1. Commends the Nigerian Library Association (NLA) on the historic signing of an MOU between the Network of Book Clubs and Reading Culture Promoters in Nigeria (NBRP) and NLA on the establishment and functioning of Book Clubs in Public Libraries in Nigeria and encourage other stakeholders to similarly key in. Along this line, we note progress already made in discussions with the National Library of Nigeria and the Booksellers Association of Nigeria, BAN.
2. Appreciates the work done by the Abak Book Club and the Divisional Library at Abak, Akwa Ibom state in respect of the Pilot Public Library Project that is ongoing there at the moment.
3. Thanks the founder, Dr. Emmanuel Abraham, and management of Topfaith Group of Schools, including Topfaith University for opening their doors of collaboration to Uyo Book Club and NBRP for reading promotions activities.
4. Commends the great strides recorded by the Uyo Book Club in Akwa Ibom for its Book Clubs Initiatives in Abak, Eket, Ikot Ekpene and Ibiono Ibom, and for hosting the Nigerian National Book Clubs City in the years 2021 and 2022.
5. Reaffirms the choice of Lagos as Nigerian National Book Clubs City 2024 and encourages the city-state that had been chosen to take up the baton for 2023 since 2021, and Yenagoa, the hosts for 2024 to do even better than Uyo has done in their own hosting years.
6. Appreciates the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the National Librarian and the Akwa Ibom State Government for identifying with the Conference and AGM.
7. Commend our writer collaborators for their input in espousing the conference theme ‘Nigeria and Africa Stories: How they Fare in the Global Village’ and helping to deepen literary conversations on the continent.
8. Appreciates the 60+ member clubs that currently make up the NBRP family and reiterate our willingness to receive into our fold, all book clubs and reading promoters in the country, as well as continue to work with other stakeholders in the book ecosystem, towards achieving the overall goal of deepening the reading Culture in Nigeria.
Signed
Richard Mammah
President, NBRP
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