Ibadan Book Club Set to Launch Poetry and Essay Anthology on Senator Abiola Ajimobi

 

IBADAN BOOK CLUB SET TO LAUNCH POETRY AND ESSAY ANTHOLOGY ON SENATOR ABIOLA AJIMOBI

 

Ibadan Book Club, the first book reading club in the pace setter state is set to launch its latest book of 151 pages in honour of the immediate past governor of Oyo State, Senator Isiaq Abiola Ajimobi who died early this year.

The book titled “Senator Abiola Ajimobi, Memories, Dreams, Reflections of A Mind Always in Motion” was edited by the duo of Wole Adedoyin and Marcus Ovie Ugboduma both the staunch followers and disciples of the Late Senator Isiaq Abiola Ajimobi.

The publication featured poetic works of over 30 poets including essays, interviews, tributes and articles written by various writers and politicians on the life and works of Senator Abiola Ajimobi. Majority of the write-ups in the book were written by those who came in physical contact with Senator Abiola Ajimobi or those who had read about his good works and fantastic political achievements when he was alive especially while serving as the governor of the Pace-Setter State.

The eight years political administration of Senator Abiola Ajimobi was historically phenomenon as he remains till date the first and only governor to be elected twice in the history of the state.

This anthology therefore, gives a detailed account about his life and times as experienced and written by different authors who submitted their works for the anthology.

According to Adedoyin, a copy of the book has been given to the family of the Late Governor through his Personal Assistant, Hon. Tunji Bolaji.

The book will soon be made available on online bookstores platforms like Amazon, Okadabooks, Obooko etc. immediately the book club received a green light from the family of the Late Governor.

Ibadan Book Club is an initiative of the Society of Young Nigerian Writers. It was established by the literary body in 2012 to contribute its own quota towards the growth and development of Reading Culture in Nigeria. Ibadan Book Club consists of group of people who get together, periodically meet to discuss the book they have read, and to exchange such books. The members of the club encourage each other, and learn to read with a critical awareness, articulating their opinions on a particular book with the others. Certain types of books not available or read receive attention through the book club.

 

Oyo State Libraries are cemeteries of dead books – Ibadan Book Club tells Seyi Makinde

 

OYO STATE LIBRARIES ARE CEMETERIES OF DEAD BOOKS – IBADAN BOOK CLUB TELLS SEYI MAKINDE

 

The Ibadan Book Club (a book reading arm of the Society of Young Nigerian Writers – Oyo State Chapter) has described the Oyo state government owned libraries which are spread across the nooks and crannies of Oyo state as Cemeteries of dead books.

 

This was contained in a press statement signed by the Coordinator of the Club in Ibadan on Thursday.

 

The first book reading club in Oyo State made the comment after a week tour to some of the libraries.

 

Ibadan Book Club further berated the nonchalant attitude of Gov. Seyi Makinde and the Management of the Oyo State Library Board toward reading culture and tradition in Oyo state.

 

It would be recalled that Governor Seyi Makinde recently appointed some individuals as Chairman and members into the state library board.  Some of the recently appointed individuals are not even stakeholders in the state’s book industry.

 

Ibadan is known as home to many reputable publishing firms and stakeholders in the book industry. Oyo state is currently home to famous publishing firms like Book Craft, Ibadan University Press, Evans Brothers Publishers, Spectrum Publishers, HEBN, Kraft Books, Macmillan Publishers, Rashmed to mention but few yet her libraries are full of outdated and moribund books.

 

On the problems confronting some of these libraries, Wole Adedoyin listed some of them as lack of awareness programs, budgetary constraints, inadequate library materials, lack of trained and skilled manpower and lack of appropriate government policy, lack of digital library facilities and lack of information literacy.

 

Adedoyin finally urged Gov. Seyi Makinde to pay attention to the state libraries, equip them with modern and relevant curriculum based books. And also explore all avenues to make reading attractive and friendly to the students and youths of the state.

Call for poems and essays in honour of Senator Isiaka Abiola Ajimobi

CALL FOR POEMS AND ESSAYS IN HONOUR OF SENATOR ISIAKA ABIOLA AJIMOBI

Ibadan Book Club, a book reading platform of the Society of Young Nigerian Writers (SYNW) is pleased to announce a special anthology of poems and essays in honour of the immediate past governor of Oyo State, Senator Isiaka Abiola Ajimobi.

Senator Isiaka Abiola Adeyemi Ajimobi (born on the 16th of December 1949) was a Nigerian Politician and from Oyo State, south-western Nigeria. He was formerly the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the National Oil and Chemical Marketing Company, a subsidiary of Shell Petroleum, Nigeria. 

In 2003, he became a Senator of the Republic of Nigeria. He was a principal officer in the Senate, serving as the Deputy Minority leader of the Senate.

During his senate days, in 2005, he established the first and the largest FREE VOCATIONAL TRAINING CENTER, in Oyo State. This Center has been recognized and certified both as a partner and training center by the Industrial Training Fund of the Federal Government.

In 2007, he contested the gubernatorial election under the umbrella of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) but lost the election bid. He contested again in 2011 under the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and was elected in a keenly contested election.

As the incumbent, he contested for a second term in an election that took place on April 11, 2015. He contested under the All Progressive Congress (APC) for a second time against 2 of his predecessors in office, Christopher Alao Akala and Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja and was listed by The Punch Newspaper as one of the 4 candidates contesting in the election. In the event of his re-election into office as the Governor, he achieved a remarkable feet by becoming the first person to occupy the highest seat twice and as well in succession. He was declared the winner of the Oyo State gubernatorial election by the Independent Electoral Commission.

On the 19^th of June 2020, Ajimobi was admitted to First Cardiologist and Cardiovascular Consultants Hospital in Lagos after slipping into coma following Covid-19 complications. He was declared dead on 25 June 2020.

 To this end, (a) collection of poems and essays is/are thus being prepared to honour him and
recognize his contributions to humanity especially the people of Oyo State and Ibadan in particular. Hence, friends, well-wishers, political fans, followers, colleagues are thereby invited to contribute poems/essays of significant insights on any specific or broad themes relating to Senator Abiola Ajimobi, his political ideology and legacy. 

Submission Rules

• Language Medium – English and Yoruba
• Genre – Poetry/Essays

·         No restriction on themes but strictly on the Late Senator Abiola Ajimobi

• Poems should be between the minimum of 20 lines and maximum of 40 lines while Essays should be between the minimum of 150 and the maximum of 300.

·         Entrants should send the following information alongside their entries

i. Name  

ii. Age

iii. Gender  

iv. Location  

 v. Phone Number  

vi. Where you heard about the Call for entries  

ix. Name of school or university if any

• A Sentence of not more than 50 words describing the poem.
• Permission to publish your work among the shortlisted entries.
• Title of your mail should be addressed as “Entry in Honor of Senator Isiaka Abiola Ajimobi”
• All entries must be submitted to: ibadanbookclub@gmail.com and also copy societyofyoungnigerianwriters@gmail.com.
• Deadline for Submission is 1^st of September, 2020.
• Any signs of plagiarism will disqualify the entrant.
• Submissions must be only in MS Word
• Organizer’s decision is final
• The Anthology is expected to be out around October of this year.

Benefits

• Award of Certificates of Participation to all Entrants.
• Award of Certificates of Excellence to only the shortlisted entrants.
• Only shortlisted work(s) will be published in e-book format
• Only the published Poets/Essayists will be invited for a special reading in honour of the immediate past governor of Oyo State
• Automatic membership into the Ibadan Book Club (IBC).

For more inquiries please call Wole Adedoyin on 08072673852 (whatsapp), 08136577687 or email: woleadedoyin@gmail.com

IBC Mourns Lekan Are’s Death, Urges Gov Makinde to Immortalize his name

IBC MOURNS LEKAN ARE’S DEATH, URGES GOV MAKINDE TO IMMORTALIZE HIS NAME

Ibadan Book Club (IBC) has sent a condolence message to Dr. Lekan Are’s family over the death of the former General Manager of Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority, Dr. Lekan Are.

It will be recalled that Dr. Lekan Are’s death was announced on Saturday by Mr Toye Akinrinola, the Public Relations Officer of University College Hospital (UCH).

This was contained in a condolence message issued by the Coordinator of Ibadan Book Club who is also the National President of the Society of Young Nigerian Writers (SYNW), Wole Adedoyin on Wednesday in Ibadan, Oyo State capital. Adedoyin described Dr. Lekan Are’s death as shocking and a monumental loss to Oyo State and Nigeria”.

IBC noted that the late Are’s footprints in promoting book reading and education in Nigeria will always be remembered and urged Governor Seyi Makinde to immortalize his name.

Wole Adedoyin, finally prayed to God to accept the soul of the departed, while calling on all leaders of the state and citizens to uphold the legacies of discipline and selfless service bequeathed by Dr. Lekan Are.

Dr. Lekan Are was born on Dec. 2, 1933, was a former General Manager of Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority.

The deceased was the Managing Director/ Chairman of Kakanfo Inn, Managing Director, Lekan Are Farms Limited and Director of Punch Nigeria Limited.