Association of Nigeria Authors ANA Benue State Chapter Wednesday held Readings to mark the two thousand and Twenty Three World Book Day at Airforce Secondary School NAF Base Makurdi.
State Chairman ANA Barrister Onwanyi Ulegede while addressing the audience said the State Chapter of the Association chose to mark this year's World Book Day by bringing Learners together from different schools within the Airforce Base Community in MAKURDI to provide a literary platform for discovering and displaying young talents.
Barrister Ulegede noted that this year's theme on Indigenous Language was very important to writers because it was a reminder that though English as a language of communication was overshadowing the mother tongue, all hands must be on deck to preserve it.
She called for deliberate infusion of native language in creative writing so they do not go into extinction and pledged the Association's partnership with all stakeholders in Publishing, Libraries, regulatory bodies such as Ministry of Education and copy right commission among others to achieve the purpose.
Special Adviser to Governor Samuel Ortom on Secondary and Tertiary Education Chief Otse Otokpa in a key note address admonished Families to communicate in local dialects with children being consciously taught the dialect which can come in form of musical Videos, Festival and folklores.
Chief Otokpa also called for the development of an educational curriculum towards promoting Indigenous languages in addition to the translation of textbooks and for media houses to allocate more airtime and space for local content.
Director Makurdi Office of the Nigeria Copyright Commission Mrs Olufumilayo Adewale represented by Mrs. Denise Leva, in a remark, said the commission remains committed to a strong sustainable copyright system to sustain creative industries.
Correspondent reports that members of the state chapter of ANA and students of participating schools took turns to render prose, poems, spoken word, and drama.
Other highlights at the event include Goodwill Messages from Guest and presentations of certificates and books to participating schools.
Report compiled by Rosemary Ogaba of Radio Benue, Makurdi.
09/05/2023.