News
NCC Wants To Adopt Wole Soyinka’s Birthday As Nigeria’s National Reading Day
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) has proposed that July 13, the birthday of the Nobel laureate, Wole Soyinka, be recognized as Nigeria’s National Reading Day.
The commission appointed Soyinka, the first African Nobel Laureate in Literature, as the Copyright Change Champion.
This was declared by the Director-General (DG) of NCC, Dr John Asein, yesterday (Tuesday) during the 2024 World Book and Copyright Day celebration in Ibadan.
The theme for the year, “Read Your Way”, highlights the significant impact of reading in shaping character, stimulating the mind, and empowering individuals to reach their full potential.
To support the theme for 2024, the Nigerian Copyright Commission is initiating various programs throughout the year to encourage reading for pleasure and to promote respect for copyright.
These initiatives are part of the ABC Action Plan, which includes measures to make reading more enjoyable for everyone. He said this also includes bringing books closer to more children and Choosing change champions for books and copyright.
Asein said the commission had thus resolved to dedicate the 2024 World Book and Copyright Day to Soyinka.
We also featured his works as part of the celebrations across the country in commemoration of his 90th birthday.
“Our Nobel Laurette in Literature, playwright, essayist, literary icon and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador, Professor Wole Soyinka, will turn 90 on July 13.
“He is, unarguably, the tallest living iroko in Nigeria’s rich literary forest and an advocate for books, reading and copyright.
“By this recognition, he becomes our first Copyright Change Champion,” he said.
The head of copyright mentioned that in addition to a fitting birthday tribute to the literary icon, the committee will be urging critical players in the publishing sector to acknowledge July 13 as Nigeria’s National Reading Day
He said: “This is to encourage Nigerians to read for pleasure and draw attention to some of the values he advanced in the literary world.
“To bring books closer to children, the commission will, for a start, make copies of Soyinka’s books and other frontline titles available to 90 public schools and establish more Copyright and Creativity Clubs in schools.”
In her introductory speech at the event, the NCC Oyo State Coordinator, Oluropo Oke, highlighted the purpose of the event as a celebration of authors, promoting reading, advocating for equal access to knowledge, and increasing awareness about copyright issues.
She said: “Today, children will be going home with different story books in line with the NCC’s affirmative slogan, “Read My Way” to adopt measures to make reading fun for all, among others.
“This is not a one-off programme; we will extend this to other schools and ensure proper follow-up with copyright school clubs, reading and essay competitions.”
The occasion featured talks and discussions by book lovers, academics, students with disabilities, writers, and others involved in the literary world.
News
LASG shuts down Idera market over ‘environmental pollution
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC) says it has sealed off the Idera market in the Oshodi metropolis.
In a statement on Thursday, Ajayi Lukman, LAGESC spokesperson, said the agency sealed the market due to unhygienic practices and indiscriminate dumping of refuse, which contravened the environmental law of the state.
He said the measure was taken to enforce adherence to environmental cleanliness across registered markets in the state.
‘‘Our operatives stationed across the Oshodi division during routine market monitoring identified the filth, unhygienic practices, and indiscriminate dumping of refuse around the Idera Market area, which prompted us to seal off the market until further notice,” the statement reads.
Lukman quoted Olaniyi Cole, the corps marshal of the agency, as decrying the level of hygiene at the market, which could lead to an outbreak of diseases.
He said Cole frowned at the inability of the market leadership to provide a valid waste collection contract, which resulted in the heaps of refuse in the facility.
He added that the display of wares for sale on road setbacks, lay-bys, medians, verges, kerbs, street trading, and hawking remained banned in the metropolis.
The LAGESC corps marshal reiterated the ban on the sales, distribution, and usage of styrofoam in the state, noting that anyone found culpable would be punished decisively.
News
Hours to Edo guber polls, major opposition candidate crumbles structure for Ighodalo
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
Hours to the Edo State governorship election, the guber candidate of the All Peoples Party (APP)Amb Osalumese Areloegbe on Thursday morning collapsed the structure for the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Asue Ighodalo and his running mate, Osarodion Ogie Esq.
Addressing journalists at the party secretariat in Benin City, Areloegbe said his decision to collapse the structure for the PDP candidate was because he believed that Ighodalo had all it would take to govern the state to greater heights.
According to him, I urged all my followers and supporters to disregard any information that I have aligned with the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo.
“I am supporting Asue Ighodalo because he is competent, not that I am not competent but I believe Asue is on the forefront. That is my reason for supporting his candidacy.
“My party is aware because they have been having a series of negotiations for us to align with the APC, and I told them categorically that I am supporting PDP. My eighteen local government followers are in full support of my decision, I mean 100 per cent supporting the PDP candidate, Barr. Asue Ighodalo and his running mate, Barr. Osarodion Ogie in this election.
“My choice for Asue Ighodalo is because, apart from myself, I see him as the next better candidate that I can support and I can put my weight on because he has the capacity, mentally, physically and otherwise to pilot the affairs of Edo State to greater heights.
“The national secretariat of my party, APP – they are in Abuja and I am in the state, and know much more of what is happening in Edo State. They are not here and don’t know what is going on here in Edo. And I am in a position to tell them what will be better for the Edo people.
“There is a parable that says, ‘You cannot shave a man’s head when he is not present’. I am here in Edo State and I know who to support and why I am supporting him. The national leadership might have taken a different tone, but this is what I and my followers have chosen.
“We had a series of other politicians who had made such decisions before. That is why I agreed with the support of my supporters to collapse my structure for the governorship candidate of the PDP Barr. Asue Ighodalo and his running mate, Barr. Osarodion Ogie.”
News
SAD! Woman reportedly d!3s in Osun building c0llapse
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
A resident of Ifetedo in Osun State, simply identified as Idowu, had reportedly died in an incident of collapse building that occurred in the town.
The collapsed structure was said to be a dilapidated building that suddenly caved in and killed the woman.
A resident of Ifetedo, simply identified as Ogunyemi, while speaking to The PUNCH on Thursday, said operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, responding to a distress call, were at the scene of the incident.
Some NSCDC operatives rushed to the scene after they were informed of the incident. They were joined by some other people in the community.
Idowu was the only person in the building when the incident happened. She was brought out dead from the rubble.
“The incident caused panic in Omiloode Area, where the building is located. The building that collapsed is a dilapidated structure,” Ogunyemi said.
Osun NSCDC Public Relations Officer, Kehind Adeleke, when contacted confirmed the incident, adding that the scene was immediately cordoned off by security men.
“An abandoned dilapidated building located along Omiloode Street, Ifetedo collapsed and killed one Mrs Idowu, who was said to be around the structure when the incident happened.
“The tragic incident occurred at about 17:30 hours on Tuesday.
“Officers and men of NSCDC Ife South Division, upon getting information rushed to the scene of the incident for rescue operation. But unfortunately, the woman had passed on. She was brought out of the rubble dead. The site was immediately cordoned off,” Adeleke said.
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