Welcome address of the National Librarian/Chief Executive Officer, Professor Chinwe Veronica Anunobi at the flag-off of the 2023 Annual Readership Promotion Campaign holding at the ministerial conference room of the Federal Ministry of Education on 20th June, 2023
Date
2023-06-20
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Publisher
Abuja, Nigeria: National Library of Nigeria
Abstract
Description
Professor Chinwe Veronica Anunobi, National Librarian/CEO of the National Library of Nigeria, delivered a welcome address at the flag-off of the 2023 Annual Readership Promotion Campaign (RPC) on June 20, 2023, in Abuja. The campaign, a continuous program across all 36 states and the FCT, aims to foster a reading habit among Nigerians and eradicate illiteracy, aligning with SDG No. 4 on quality education and lifelong learning opportunities. Despite over 20 million illiterate Nigerians, the National Library, with development partners, has been working to address this issue by distributing books, tablets, and writing materials to schools and vulnerable groups in hard-to-reach areas, impacting over 4,000 people and 102 secondary schools in 2022. This year's campaign, themed "Read Your Way to the Top," focuses on reading competitions among Junior Secondary School students, emphasizing that reading leads to increased knowledge, fluency, and the ability to comprehend complex situations. Anunobi acknowledged the decline in Nigeria's reading culture due to factors like lack of access to books and a preference for social media, urging support for initiatives such as establishing community libraries, promoting reading clubs, and leveraging technology to ensure an inclusive and equitable reading nation.
Keywords
Welcome address, National Librarian, Prof. Chinwe Veronica Anunobi, Flag-off, 2023, Annual Readership Promotion Campaign (RPC), National Library of Nigeria