The 2012 edition of \u2018Read Africa\u2019 initiative by the UBA Foundation; the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) arm of the United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, kick started on Monday with encomiums from the Minister of Education, Professor Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufai, and world renowned writer and activist, Professor Ngugi wa\u2019 Thiong\u2019o.<\/p>\n
The 2012 \u2018Read Africa\u2019 initiative which was launched by Education Minister at the Corporate Headquarters of UBA Plc is aimed fostering the reading culture among Africa youths, particularly secondary school children. Prof. Rufai, who was represented by the Principal, Federal Government College, Ijanikin, Lagos, Mrs. Ibikunle Oyewale lauded UBA Foundation for this initiative saying that it serves as a complement to \u2018Bring Back the Book\u2019 project of President Goodluck administration.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt school, good reading skills, lead students to become successful learners. Often, students learn from written materials, such as textbooks, handouts, posters and online publications. The skill to comprehend written language is very important in academic life,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n
Similarly, Professor Ngugi wa Thiong\u2019o, a lecturer in Comparative Literature and English Language at the University of California, Irvine, USA, and whose book, \u2018Weep not Child\u2019 would be distributed to secondary school students by the Foundation, commended UBA for its pan-African outlook and efforts in facilitating economic integration and development in the continent. \u201cAfrica must secure its economic, political, psychological and cultural base. We must be strongly rooted our base,\u201d<\/p>\n
He charged students to inculcate the habit of reading. According to the 74 years old, novelist, essayist and social activist \u201creading feeds and nourishes our imagination. The more we read, the more we nourish our imagination and the ability to be creative\u201d he said to the parked gathering of students, UBA executives and friends of the Foundation at the Amphitheatre.<\/p>\n
In his remarks, The GMD\/ CEO UBA Plc, Mr. Philips Oduoza commended Prof.
\nNgugi wa Thiong\u2019o for honoring UBA\u2019s invitation to flag off the 2012 edition and enjoined school children to complement the efforts of the Foundation by reading and developing themselves. \u201cAll of us here where once like you and the modest achievements we have recorded in life have come through proper education, learning and exposure. Reading is central to learning and knowledge acquisition. You must develop the discipline and channel your time appropriately, to reading\u201d he stated.<\/p>\n
After the launch ceremony, UBA Foundation and executive management staff of the bank in company of Ngugi wa Thiong\u2019o visited Baptist Academy Obanikoro, Lagos, to hold reading and mentoring sessions with the students of the school. The students and authorities of the school were delighted to have the great novelist in their midst and watched with delight as he read to them and told them part of his life story.\u00a0 From Baptist Academy, Lagos, the Read Africa train will be moving to other schools in Nigeria and other parts of Africa. \u201cUBA is in 19 African Countries. Read Africa, as with the previous edition will be carried out in other parts of Africa.\u201d said Ijeoma Aso, MD\/CEO UBA Foundation.<\/p>\n
The \u2018Read Africa\u2019 programme was launched in February 2011 with the cardinal objective of helping to rekindle the reading culture amongst African youths. Last year, UBA Foundation went to secondary schools across Nigeria and other parts of Africa with top executives of UBA to distribute literature books, mentor and hold reading sessions with students.<\/p>\n
The Foundation through several initiatives in its focus areas; Education, Environment, Economic Empowerment and Special Projects have positively impacted on the society and people of Nigeria and Africa.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The 2012 edition of \u2018Read Africa\u2019 initiative by the UBA Foundation; the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) arm of the United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, kick started on Monday with…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2145,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2140","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n