NBRP reaffirms the choice of Lagos as Nigerian National Book Clubs City 2023

The Network of Book Clubs and Reading Culture Promoters in Nigeria (NBRP), has reaffirmed the choice of Lagos State as host of its 2023 National Conference and AGM.

This was contained in a communique issued at the end of NBRP’s 2nd National Conference and AGM held in Akwa Ibom State from September 15 to 18, 2022.

In the communique signed by its president, Mr. Richard Mammah, the NBRP hailed the Nigerian Library Association (NLA) on the historic signing of an MOU between it and the Network of Book Clubs on the establishment and functioning of Book Clubs in Public Libraries in Nigeria and encourage other stakeholders to similarly key in.

The Communique below:

Uyo 2022 Communique

The 2nd National Conference and AGM of the Network of Book Clubs and Reading Culture Promoters in Nigeria, NBRP was held in Akwa Ibom State from September 15 to 18, 2022. At the close of deliberations, Conference and AGM resolved as follows:

1. Commends the Nigerian Library Association (NLA) on the historic signing of an MOU between the Network of Book Clubs and Reading Culture Promoters in Nigeria (NBRP) and NLA on the establishment and functioning of Book Clubs in Public Libraries in Nigeria and encourage other stakeholders to similarly key in. Along this line, we note progress already made in discussions with the National Library of Nigeria and the Booksellers Association of Nigeria, BAN.

2. Appreciates the work done by the Abak Book Club and the Divisional Library at Abak, Akwa Ibom state in respect of the Pilot Public Library Project that is ongoing there at the moment.

3. Thanks the founder, Dr. Emmanuel Abraham, and management of Topfaith Group of Schools, including Topfaith University for opening their doors of collaboration to Uyo Book Club and NBRP for reading promotions activities.

4. Commends the great strides recorded by the Uyo Book Club in Akwa Ibom for its Book Clubs Initiatives in Abak, Eket, Ikot Ekpene and Ibiono Ibom, and for hosting the Nigerian National Book Clubs City in the years 2021 and 2022.

5. Reaffirms the choice of Lagos as Nigerian National Book Clubs City 2023 and encourages the city-state that had been chosen to take up the baton for 2023 since 2021, and Yenagoa, the hosts for 2024 to do even better than Uyo has done in their own hosting years.

6. Appreciates the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the National Librarian and the Akwa Ibom State Government for identifying with the Conference and AGM.

7. Commend our writer collaborators for their input in espousing the conference theme ‘Nigeria and Africa Stories: How they Fare in the Global Village’ and helping to deepen literary conversations on the continent.

8. Appreciates the 60+ member clubs that currently make up the NBRP family and reiterate our willingness to receive into our fold, all book clubs and reading promoters in the country, as well as continue to work with other stakeholders in the book ecosystem, towards achieving the overall goal of deepening the reading Culture in Nigeria.

Signed

Richard Mammah
President, NBRP