What happens when an engineer burns the night lamp putting quill to paper, lexically documenting ratiocinations on life, love, leveraging opportunities and more? I’d tell you: precision of thought and levitation of mindsets. And a celebration of said engineer is fitting.
On Saturday, 31st of May, 2025, the Uyo Book Club had its monthly reading session dedicated to Engr. Dr. Ini Usoro’s “Steps, Strides and Glides” which held at Nelson Mandela Hall, WatBridge Hotels, IBB Way, Uyo, Nigeria.
It also doubled as the Book Club’s celebration of the 2025 Children’s Day; and the book of month “Steps, Strides and Glides” particularly targeted at the young in their most life-defining phase of decision-making was all the more appropriate.
Airforce Comprehensive Secondary School,Okop Ndua Erong came in full force; Community Comprehensive Secondary School, Aka-Offot, Uyo came forth; Immaculate Conception Secondary School, Itak, Ikono; Nigerian Christian Institute, Uyo; Connelly Cornelia College, Uyo; Beulah Secondary School, Uyo, and; Tower of Ivory Secondary School, Ediene-Abak were represented. Seven schools converging to get schooled on issues beyond the classroom by the author, Engr. Dr. Ini Usoro.
For members and first-time attendees alike, Uyo Book Club Reading Sessions commence with an in-house ritual – the DEAR Moment which expatiatingly means the ‘Drop Everything And Read Moment’. The students? They loved it! Enthusiastically, the uniformed adolescents and teenagers reached for titles which caught their fancy of the book buffet served.
The students were by no means alone. As usual, Uyo Book Club Reading Sessions are a pot pourri of members and participants as diverse as the gazzetted words of a dictionary, united by their love of and for books.
Celebrated thespian and book reviewer, Prof. Effiong Johnson did what he does best – mesmerize and heighten interest in “Steps, Strides and Glides”, aided by anecdotes animatedly recounted; Madam Stella Edemekong touched on the saliency of the lessons in the book; Mrs. Elizabeth James (neé Michael Umoh), a teacher and Vice Principal in the author’s secondary school, alma mater praised for her contributions to making the book come to fruition; Abom Tony Esu, a former federal lawmaker, invigorating the passion for reading and education through the Raffia City Book Club in Ikot Ekpene had a heart-to-heart, with participants hanging keenly on every word, reading poems from Dr. Udeme Nana’s “Musings Of Yesteryears”.
Not to forget the passing on of Kenyan and African literary icon Ngūgi Wa Thiong’o, we observed a moment of silence joined by Uyo Book Club’s Patron, Senator Ekong Sampson, Chairman of WatBridge Hotels which has played host to Uyo Book Club Reading Sessions for years. Senator Sampson reiterated his dedication to promoting the reading culture, particularly in Akwa Ibom state and supporting the activities of the Book Club.
Just as climatic as the best books go, Engr. Dr. Ini Usoro got invested as a Fellow of the Uyo Book Club done by Senator Ekong Sampson, the Patron; Dr. Martins Akpan, the Orator, and; Dr. Udeme Nana, the Founder.
The Uyo Book Club Reading Session holds monthly on the last Saturday at WatBridge Hotels, IBB Way, Uyo, Akwa Ibom state, Nigeria. It is open to members of the literati and just about anyone with a love for books, budding and developed alike.
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