Renowned language expert and professor of French at Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Port Harcourt, Prof. Priye Iyalla-Elechi Amadi, has said that a society whose members do not update themselves through reading would always fall prey to false information with all the dangers that come with it.
Prof. Iyalla stated this while delivering the keynote address at the World Book Giving Day event at Faustinah Ojoba Walter-Akpana Resource Centre in Bakana, Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State hosted by Havids Centre for Environment and Development.
The programme featured book reading by students of Oba-Ama High School, Bakana and a tree planting event. It was also the Valentine’s Day.
Iyalla, who is the wife of renowned author, Elechi Amadi of The Concubine fame, said reading prepares the mind for leadership positions in society and admonished young people as well as older people to make reading a regular habit.
Ms. Ibiere Akpana, who spoke on the Power of Books in Community Transformation, said, “Books give you opportunities to travel wide in your minds. You can be in Bakana and live anywhere else in the world. When you read, you open yourself to opportunities,” she said.
Akpana said the resource centre in Bakana can be used to run summer camps to help children improve on their studies and prepare them for their future academic endeavours.
The Executive Director of The Havids Centre for Environment and Development, Mr. Harry Awolayeofori MacMorrison, said the event was to celebrate the power of literature “and to reaffirm our collective commitment to knowledge, community growth, and intellectual engagement.”
He said the coincidence of the World Book Giving Day and Valentine’s Day made making the day’s event a fitting occasion to reflect on the love of knowledge and the love for humanity.
“World Book Giving Day reminds us of the transformative power of books. A single book can ignite a child’s imagination, inspire a new perspective, or even change the course of a life.
“This global celebration encourages us to share books with those who may not have easy access to them, reinforcing the idea that knowledge should be a gift freely given to all,” MacMorrison said.
He added that Valentine’s Day provided the space to express love and kindness, asking, “What greater act of love can we show to our community than by investing in education, literacy, and empowerment?
“By gathering here today, we celebrate love not just in the romantic sense, but love for learning, for progress, and for one another.”
He said books were a gateway to enlightenment, shaping minds, strengthening cultures, and fostering conversations that drive societal transformation. “This event is a testament to that power, bringing together brilliant minds children and thought leaders to explore the vital role of books in community development,” he added.
MacMorrison said the Bakana event was more than just a reading event. “A call to inspire a culture of reading, critical thinking, and informed dialogue within our community. The Faustinah Ojoba Walter-Akpana Resource Centre stands as a beacon of knowledge and empowerment, and through activities like this, we reinforce our dedication to nurturing a vibrant intellectual environment for all.”
A highlight of the event was book reading by all the students present and gift of books to all the participants.
