Uyo Book Club celebrates World Book Day

…as Udom Inoyo calls for bespoke solutions, end to finger-pointing to build a viable society

By Imó Etim

The Uyo Book Club joined other book lovers the world over to mark the World Book Day in Uyo last Saturday.

The event which was held at Helemah Events centre saw an array of book lovers, authors, students and scholars converging  to mark the event.

Dr Udeme Nana, founder of Uyo Book Club in his remarks challenged the youths to nurture reading as a virus and help make that virus to spread like an epidemic in the society.

The scholar admonished them to adopt the DEAR strategy (Drop Everything And Read) and infect their family members, school mates, friends and acquaintances with reading culture, noting that reading would refine their sensibilities and make people to become better enlightened citizens in the society.

The Uyo Book Club founder and Communication Scholar stressed that one cannot run a successful democratic system of government without enlightened citizens.

Meanwhile, the Advisor of Inoyo Toro foundation, Mr Udom Inoyo who served as the Chief Reader on the occasion and read from the book “The Tipping Point” by Malcolm Gladwell pointed out that his first reading of Gladwell’s work opened his eyes to the fact that little things can actually make a big difference.

Mr Inoyo noted that the book reminded us that our thoughts, products, messages and behaviours can actually spread like virus if three agents are present namely ;’The law of the few’, ‘The Stickiness Factor’ and the ‘Power of Context’ with lessons that;

“word-of-mouth was still impactful today and can create an epidemic. It could be positive or negative and is also predicated on who is carrying the message.

On the stickiness factor, Mr Inoyo pointed out  that an idea must be memorable and capable of moving one to action to spark epidemics and that if students attention were captured,  they could be easily be taught with understanding, as such, new ideas must be memorable, actionable and irresistible in all circumstances.

Lastly on the power of context, Mr Inoyo pointed out that Gladwell used the broken window theory to analyze that “If a window is broken and left unrepaired, people walking by will conclude that no one cares and was in charge, and that sooner ,more windows will be broken.

“Given the endemic corruption, crippling poverty, employment, absence of social services, banditry, kidnapping, cultism, drugs addiction, we should critically think ‘outside the box’ to find  bespoke solutions. We should reflect on conditions and circumstances enabling these  challenges and our respective roles in cementing them. We should stop the finger-pointing if we are to build a viable society”  Mr Inoyo said.

Other notable names who graced the event included ; Rt.Hon Ekong Sampson, Mr Anietie Usen of the Village Boy fame, Mr Celestine Mel, Ini Ite – Ubong, Author of Ekong Nke, Liberty Bassey, Schools, Teachers and Members of the Book Club amongst others.

The Apostolic Faith Secondary School, Ikot Enwang, Ikot Ekpene won the quiz competition and they went home with a trophy and a cash prize while Adiahaobong Secondary school and Nigerian Christian Institute also smiled home with cash prizes as second and third place winners respectively.

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