In a bid to foster a reading culture nationwide, the National Orientation Agency, NOA, and the Network of Book Clubs and Reading Culture Promoters in Nigeria, NBRP, have joined forces to implement initiatives aimed at cultivating a lasting interest in reading, promoting literacy, and nurturing informed and responsible citizenship.
Addressing the NBRP delegation which paid a visit to the NOA in Abuja, the Director-General of the Agency, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, represented by the Director of Communication and Media, Mallam Bala Musa, said the Agency is committed to promoting education and positive behavioural change, especially among young Nigerians.
Musa stated that young Nigerians are crucial to the nation, as they represent the future of the country and hold the responsibility of sustaining its values, driving development, and shaping its long-term growth.
Speaking on the Agency’s efforts toward values reorientation, he disclosed that the NOA has developed a National Values Charter, which clearly outlines the core values that define a true Nigerian, adding that the charter has received approval from the Federal Executive Council, FEC.
The Director disclosed that as part of the strategies to institutionalise the National Values Charter, Citizenship Studies has been incorporated into the curriculum of primary and secondary schools, adding that the Agency has also established a partnership with the National Universities Commission, NUC, to develop a similar curriculum for students in universities.
Reading culture: Tool for national progress -Chief Olowookere
Speaking earlier, the Abuja Coordinator of the NBRP, Chief Loye Olowookere, said the core mission of the organisation is to encourage more Nigerians to embrace reading as a daily habit, noting that reading remains a critical tool for intellectual development, lifelong learning, and national progress.
While announcing that the FCT has recently been named “Book City of the Year,” the Coordinator described the recognition as a major boost to efforts aimed at promoting a strong reading culture within the territory, noting that the achievement reflects the collective commitment of stakeholders to advancing literacy and educational development in the FCT.
He highlighted some of the initiatives earlier carried out by the organisation, including the organisation of quizzes and academic competitions in schools across the FCT, the distribution of books, and partnerships with relevant stakeholders to deepen reading culture.
Also speaking, the National Vice President of the NBRP, Mrs. Msurshina Comfort Chenge, affirmed the organisation’s readiness to collaborate with the NOA, revealing that the union is currently implementing several projects and would welcome the NOA’s active participation.
In her remarks, the FCT Secretary of the organisation, Mrs. Ayotola Ilori, expressed satisfaction with the various initiatives the NOA has carried out over the years, emphasising that the NBRP could leverage the Agency’s wide reach to further promote a reading culture across the country.
The meeting, attended by staff of the NOA and NBRP including Lady Ejiro Umukoro, a known anti-bullying activist, also featured the exchange of Information, Education and Communication materials between the two organisations.
