The Provost of the Federal College of Education, Abeokuta, Dr. Rafiu Adekola Soyele has urged the Association of Nigerian Authors, (ANA), Ogun State Chapter, to establish “Young Writers Club” in primary and secondary schools to arrest the waning interest in reading culture by catching them young.
Dr. Soyele, who stated this whilst receiving executive members of ANA Ogun explained that the Club will give the students opportunities to be mentored and taught the rudiments of professional reading and writing essential for effective communication of ideas.
He noted that the initiative will inculcate intrinsic qualities of effective reading and writing in the students and on the long run, improve the image of the teaching profession adding “we must not jettison books! Libraries must flourish!”.
He lamented the recent drop in the number of students’ enrolment in Colleges of Education in the country adding that most youngsters, unfortunately, do not want to study education and were distracted by socio-cultural pressures and vices.
The sixth Provost of FCE, Abeokuta and the first alumnus to head the institution expressed delight that the College had grown in leaps and bounds from when it was established in 1976 to a centre of excellence in deeds and actions and pledged to support the association to successfully host the forthcoming South West Authors’ Forum.
He said many landmark projects including FCE Radio would be commissioned during the forthcoming Convocation Ceremony of the College.
Earlier in his opening remarks, the Chairman of ANA Ogun, Dr. Chris Omotosho, asked for wide ranging collaboration to improve the reading culture in the society and expand the frontiers of knowledge through deliberate actions.
Dr. Omotosho was accompanied on the courtesy visit by the Vice Chairman, Chief Abiodun Lasile, Mr Femi Sanyaolu, General Secretary and the PRO, Pastor Dare Folarin.
