Former president, Olusegun Obasanjo; the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi and Professor Pat Utomi of the Lagos Business School are among the participants expected at the forthcoming book roundtable discussion in Lagos organised by the Flannel Business School, Lagos.
Others are the director-general of the Nigerian Copyright Commission, Dr John Asein; the secretary-general of Pan-African Writers Association, Dr Wale Okediran; Mr Asawo Ibifuro of Cinfores Ltd Portharcourt, and representatives of the Nigerian Union of Teachers(NUT), students, parents, UNESCO among others.
The chairman of the Governing council, Flannel Business School, Dr Gbenga Olowo, made this disclosure at a news conference in Lagos.
He said the sole objective of the book roundtable is for the enlisted leaders and other stakeholders to have progressive discussions on books as agent of positive change and to also identify with the course of revamping the poor reading culture among Nigerians for a better society.
He said evidence had shown that the reading culture among Nigerians across age brackets had gone down drastically and the situation had continued to slow down the impact of the book industry, acquisition of right knowledge and the economy as a whole.
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He said that reading of books and other useful materials including the memoirs of successful business people and professionals (though inadequate), would significantly lead to knowledge gain for new ideas and innovations to bring about a positive development across all the sectors of the economy.
Olowo also disclosed that Osile, Oke-Ona Egba, Oba Adedapo Tejuosho, and others would be honoured at the forum for their strong contributions to the world of books.
He observred that many businesses in Nigeria had folded up not because of lack of funds but due to lack of fresh knowledge and ideas as well as effective leaders who could help them to rise above challenges and sustain their operations.
He said a similar story could also characterise many university graduates in the country who left the school without the right knowledge and skills that could make them competitive in the labour market.
Giving more insight into the upcoming forum, the chief executive officer of the business school, Lawrence Omidiora, gave the theme of the roundtable as ‘Books as Change Agent in a Rapidly Changing World’.
He said while Chief Obasanjo would chair the forum, slated for August 16 at the Lagos Airport Hotel, Ikeja, Professor Utomi, would deliver the keynote speech and that Dr Asein of Nigerian Copyright Commission is among the discussants.
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