By Oluseye Ojo
The Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; Nobel laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka; first female professor of History in Nigeria, Bolanle Awe; founder of Global Infrastructure Partners, Adebayo Ogunlesi, now a board member at OpenAI as well as Super Eagles legend and ex-African Footballer of the Year, Kanu Nwankwo, have shone brightly in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
The quintet were celebrated yesterday at a children’s book launch/commissioning of a new Library and Digital Centre in Commemoration of the World Book and Copyright Day, organised by the author of the book: Role Models Series for African Children Vol. 1, Edem Ossai, a lawyer and founder of non-governmental organisation, Mentoring Assistance for Youth and Entrepreneurs Initiative (MAYEIN). Students from various secondary schools in the state participated in the programme.
Ossai documents life stories of Okonjo-Iweala, Soyinka, Awe, Ogunlesi and Kanu Nwankwo for young and old people to read and develop sterling qualities including hard work, perseverance, vision-driven, and honesty.
Former Vice Chancellor, University of Ibadan (UI), Prof Olufemi Bamiro; renowned linguist in UI, Prof Francis Egbokhare; a Nigerian poet, dramatist, linguist, and literary critic, Prof Niyi Osundare; Public Affairs Officer, United States Consulate, Julie Mckay; and an ace veteran broadcaster, Bolaji Onadepo, were among the speakers of the occasion, who enjoined Nigerian and African youth to cultivate the habit of reading and pick the quintet as their role models, especially in becoming global top achievers.
The author Ossai, said: “This book captures the incredible journeys of some of the inspiring achievers in Africa, and brings it within the reach of children in story book format in a way that they can enjoy and digest. It also captures principles that will guide children in their own journey to greatness.”
Bamiro said he was happy that a young lady like Edem Ossai, could write a book towards making a difference in the lives of children, adding: “It shows that there is still hope in this country.”
Egbokhare stated: “No matter what people say, access to knowledge is basically still in the book. The book can be in different formats. But information is what drives the world. Those who control information, control the human minds. Those who control minds, control generations.”
A Nigerian poet, dramatist, linguist, and literary critic, Niyi Osundare, said on the occasion: “I believed that mobile libraries and small physical libraries in under-resourced neighbourhoods would be an effective way to provide reading support and literacy resources to poorer and marginalised children who were out of normal school settings. I thought, “If I can just put a book on the tray, it could change the child’s life.”
Julie McKay commended the author for writing the book to inspire children to greatness. She also harped on the importance of developing the right attitude to reading culture.
The book publisher, Adejoke Oyekan, of Purplebloom, noted that the book series brings to life the journeys of five outstanding Nigerians both men and women, whose names carry weight across the globe, but whose stories remain rooted in African soil.