At Oyo Library Board's reading promotion campaign prog in Ogbomoso, stakeholders charge students to make library 'friend'

At Oyo Library Board’s reading promotion campaign prog in Ogbomoso, stakeholders charge students to make library ‘friend’

Adebayo ADELEKE

Students have been urged to make library their friend and to cultivate the habit of reading, noting it is the only proven path to academic excellence.

This was the major highlight of the 2025 reading promotion campaign programme organised by the Oyo State Library Board on Tuesday (October 21) at Anglican Grammar School Ogbomoso, attended by students and teachers from selected schools in Ogbomoso zone.

The keynote speaker, Mr. Femi Ogunlana, principal of Emmanuel Agboola Baptist Grammar School, Ogbomoso, in his address on the theme, “Building a sound mind to achieve academic success,” emphasized that the only panacea to academic failure is reading, noting that “Success is not accident,” quoting a cliche by famous footballer, Cristiano Ronaldo, at the weekend.

Mr. Ogunlana who commended the library board for the initiative which also included inauguration of students library ambassadors lamented the wane in interest in reading in the society positing lack of interest in reading would lead to degeneration of society.

“I used to think the Oyo State Library Board had become moribund and another redundant agency but this epoch-making programme has really changed my perception,” he said, adding, “without recommitment to reading, attaining academic excellence will be a mirage.”

He charged the students on the importance of a sound mind in attaining academic success submitting the mind is a battle ground which determines success or failure. “The mind is indeed the battle ground of life. The battles we wage, the decisions we make get crystallized in the mind. The mind makes or mars a man, it is the crucible where plans are made. Whether you will win depends on what goes on in your mind. If you accept defeat in your mind, it will be difficult for you to notch victory in the physical except by luck but most times luck does not come into it. That is why the richest and one of the greatest footballers of all time Cristiano Ronaldo said at the weekend after he banged another stunning goal that ‘Success is not an accident.’ That encapsulates his own mentality bordering on a mix of determination, discipline and self-belief – a product of a sound mind. So, success has to be diligently and dexterously worked for, and that inescapably depends on one’s state of mind – whether sound or defective.

“So, my dear students it is an imperative that you habour a sound mind. It is essential.”

The educator highlighted some key components of a sound mind including self-control and self-discipline, lack of fear, mental capacity to understand one’s surrounding and taking good decisions, love, empathy, courage, determination, motivation, positive thinking, dreaming, reading and peacefulness. This is as he listed obstacles to a sound mind among which are fear, anxiety, worldly influence, peer pressure, illnesses, addiction to phone and films and negative thinking.

He underlined students could only boast of attaining academic success if they achieved their goal of attending school, urging them to set both short and long term goals, just as he asserted, “This is where a sound mind comes in, a sound mind will plug the gap between a goal and its achievement. … As I conclude, I charge you, my very dear students, build a sound mind through the strategies highlighted above and you will achieve fulfillment on the basis of academic excellence. You have great potentials embedded in you, but only with a sound mind can you realize them. You must strive to make your mind an asset.”

The Oyo state Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Hon Segun Olayiwola, speaking through Dr. Dele Oyedokun, Permanent Secretary/Inspector General of Education Ogbomoso zone 1, lauded the efforts of Oyo state governor, Engr Seyi Makinde, on education, noting he had created a huge impact and legacy that would be difficult to beat.

He emphasized the importance or reading and the role of library, asserting “Library” could be described through an acronym – “Learning, Information, Book, Research, Assistance, Reading and Yourself,” as he stressed,

“It is important to make library your friend.”

The chairman of the Oyo Library Board, Hon. Yinka Taiwo, also hailed Governor Makinde for the revival of the state library board, admitting the board previously had become “moribund.”

The library czar disclosed the board had now traversed all zones in the state to spread the gospel of library use by students saying, “We are telling them library is an important aspect of education.”

He added, “If you want to study well and come out with flying colours you need to study well and that can be effectively done in the library.

“Before Governor Makinde came, staff of the board used to go to the farms but that narrative had changed, we have been able to traverse the nooks and crannies of Oyo state, Ogbomoso’s is the last this year,” charging the students library ambassadors to “take the gospel to your colleagues.”

Mr. Samuel Awotona, the State Librarian, submitted the programme is geared to “spark a revolution of knowledge, ignite the fire of curiosity, and unleash the boundless potential within each of you.”

Mr. Awotona told the students that to achieve academic success they needed “grit, focus and a sound mind fortified with wisdom, fueled by curiosity, and anchored in resilience,” stressing their mind is their greatest weapon in the evolving world, “the cornerstone of your dreams, the engine of your goals, and the key to unlocking your limitless possibilities.”

Other speakers including Dr. A.A. Arinola (Department of Library and Information Science, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology LAUTECH, Ogbomoso), Dr. Ganiyu Adigun (University Librarian Federal University of Agriculture and Technology, Okeho (FUNATO), Dr. Ademola Ogunsola (V.P. Iresaapa Community High School) and Dn. Abiodun Olowe (principal Anglican Grammar School), all lauded the initiative, describing it as “timely” and charged the students to avail themselves of the opportunities provided by libraries and to read conscientiously and with purpose.

Dr. Adigun in his submission noted that a sound mind is “the key to unlocking academic potential,” while stressing the importance of mental well-being in impacting “focus, motivation and overall success.”

He urged the students against use of phones and other digital gadgets averring they prevent them from reading, just as he mentioned anxiety, depression and stress as factors that negate focus, learning and retention of information.

Earlier in the first session, Mrs. Hafsat Ogunjinmi, Oyo zonal director of the Library Board, also charged the students on the imperative of reading and the use of library.

The event similarly featured spelling bee and reading competitions. While Laogun Adeoye Memorial High School emerged winner in the Spelling Bee competition, Ogbomoso Baptist High School came first overall. Gifts of literature books and other texts were presented to all participating students and schools. Mr. Awotona, the state librarian as well presented a book he authored, “My Library, My Success,” to all students, teachers and all at the gathering.

Another highpoint of the event was the inauguration of Student Library Ambassadors, two from each participating school. They were charged with promoting the library and its resources, encouraging love of reading and effective use of library, representing the library at school events, maintaining library’s environment, organising library events, following library’s rules and procedures, and advocating the establishment of library among others.