Stakeholders reappraise Ebonyi’s literary awareness
level
In this piece, VICTOR NZE examines
the level of literary awareness in Ebonyi State from the era when it carried the
‘educationally disadvantaged state’ tag to the present most appreciable level
and examines the role played by stakeholders in achieving this feat. Excerpts:
In August 2015, the Ebonyi State
government moved to rescue the state’s downward spiraling education sector by
setting up and inaugurating a committee to prepare a working plan for making
the learning convenient for students in the state.
The decision followed the
presentation of a preliminary report on the state of public schools in the
state by a consultant, hired by the State’s Universal Basic Education Board
(UBE) to the state Executive Council at the Government House in Abakaliki.
The committee headed by Rev. Father Abraham Nwali submitted its report two
months later.
Years down the line, Ebonyi can
recorded a huge improvement from its previous ‘educationally disadvantaged
state’ status to one with relatively outstanding results in the recent times.
Many thanks to commitment from both
the private and public sectors, the state has steadily climbed the ladder of
literary awareness such that it has become a reference point in educational
growth.
Even at the national level, the
state has become a choice destination for test-running of educational projects
and programmes geared towards improving the lot of students or literary
awareness as a whole.
“The degree of literary awareness in
Ebonyi State is presently high. People, especially the youths are becoming more
and more aware. There are book clubs and literary societies, some of which are
founded by young people for the purpose of meeting their literary ends.
“On our part, there have been
vigorous awareness campaigns at various schools in the state, which feature
talks, quiz and book donations. We reveal to the students what lies behind the
doors of creativity and healthy reading culture; we show them individuals who
attained greatness and global reckoning through creativity; give them tips on
how to reach such enviable heights, making reading the bedrock.
“In all, we follow a strategic
option we named Bring Back the Book. It is aimed at increasing awareness in the
area of healthy reading culture and literary awareness. In doing this, we now
have chapters in different higher institutions and secondary schools in the
state.
“As a matter of course, members of
the chapters are members of our branch. We have also perfected plans to explore
the use of the electronic media for our membership drive. This we are to do in
line with radio and TV programmes we are already
straightening out.
“However, our social media handles
have been of immense value in this regard. Hardly our meeting ends without an
individual coming to join courtesy of the social media,” enthused Mr Richard
Inya, present chairman of the Association of Nigerian
Authors (ANA).
Observers believe the upward
trajectory of literary awareness in the state is to some extent attributable to
efforts at the government level geared towards correcting the previously feared
school drop-out syndrome which ravaged the state and prevented it competing at
the regional let alone national levels of academic performance.
Immediate past chairman of ANA in
the state, For Elder Matthew Odono, who would prefer to rate the state’s level
of literary awareness at a moderate ‘average’, says, however, that his
organization has put in a lot to ensure the state reaches where it is today.
“In the state, the association has
done quite a lot in this regard. Aside from its monthly readings where works by
members are read and critiqued, the association has embarked on “Bring Back the
Book Campaign” to some post primary schools in the state.
“During the exercise, books worth
several thousands of naira donated by ANA/Yusuf Ali Literary Awareness Campaign
Projects were read and distributed to students. Books authored by members or
sourced by members from the market considered valuable to inspire the students
to develop interest in reading and creative writing were also added to promote the
exercise.
“The association has also introduced
“teen authorship” programme to some post primary schools in the state and is at
present mentoring students of Holy Ghost Secondary School Abakaliki Literary Club to ensure
that they come up with quality creative outputs. It is pertinent to add that a
cash prize of N 5,000 each was placed for the best students in poetry, prose
and drama respectively by the association.
“Also the King Agwu Ude poetry Award
of N 50, 000 for secondary School students sponsored Elder Matthew Odono is on
in the State now. In 2016, the Chapter in collaboration with the Federal
University Ndufu-Alike Ikwo, Ebonyi State organised Yusuf Ali (SAN) Literary
Awareness Campaign with the theme “creativity and success in life” for students
of tertiary Institutions in Ebonyi State.
“The programme was held at the FUNAI
Auditorium. I am glad to inform you that virtually all the tertiary
institutions in the state participated in the workshop. I will also be right to
state that literary activities in all the literary groups of these institutions
are going on as directed. FUNAI crew and Federal College of Agriculture Ishiagu Literary Club, Ivo council are doing
very well.
“The understanding and cooperation
of the Vice Chancellor of FUNAI, Prof Chinwuba in driving literary activities
in the state need special commendation. Himself, a literary activist, readily
avails us a helping hand in our drive to discover and mentor budding creative
writers in the state. This explains why the national body is planning an
international creative writers’ submit to be held in the University by July
this year,” said Odono.
Incidentally, Ebonyi State will also
provide a veritable platform for this year’s Yusuf Ali (SAN) Literary Awareness
Campaign.
“It must be stated without fear of
contradiction that no project, policy or programme in this nation in the
dimension of improving the reading culture or increasing literary awareness can
be compared with the Yusuf Ali nationwide literary awareness campaign.
“Its consistency is astute; its
gains are high, and its vision, clear. The project has a very high capacity for
sustaining the level of literary awareness in the state. We have benefitted
twice, and on each of the occasions embarked on activities that opened avenues
for our people to realize what lies ahead and how to be part of it,” said Inya.
For Odono, the state stands to
benefit ‘to a very large extent,’ even as he pleaded for more support from
government to fully realize the goals of the campaign.
“If a single person, Yusuf Ali could
provide N3m to the association annually, imagine where the Federal, State and
Local Governments can provide N50m, N20 and N2m respectively for the
association activities, without politising it.
“I bet you, a lot of transformation
will be achieved in the reading, writing and behavioural lives of the people.
Wealthy individuals too, especially serving political leaders can come up to
assist in this area. “They can call it their constituency project, raise fund
for ANA to mentor budding artists, give cash prizes to people that excel and so
on. This is preferable to drugging the youths and giving them guns to cause
mayhem in the society.
“In our state, Distinguished Senator
Chris Nwankwo funded the organisation of training for aspiring creative
writers, though not through ANA. The beneficiaries of that training are doing
marvellously well in the creative industry today. We need more like him,” he
said.
Inya corroborated Odono’s position
in wooing the public sector towards the project.
“It must be stated without fear of
contradiction that no project, policy or programme in this nation in the
dimension of improving the reading culture or increasing literary awareness can
be compared with the Yusuf Ali nationwide literary awareness campaign.
“Its consistency is astute; its
gains are high, and its vision, clear. The project has a very high capacity for
sustaining the level of literary awareness in the state. We have benefitted
twice, and on each of the occasions embarked on activities that opened avenues
for our people to realize what lies ahead and how to be part of it.
“It cannot be gainsaid that a
project of this standing needs partnership with the government of the
benefitting states to further take it down to rural areas. We have put plans in
place to partner the government of our state in this direction. We as well seek
to identify individuals, groups, corporate bodies and organisations that share
the ideals and aspirations of the association for the project,” Inya said.
