THE FIRST ANAMBRA STATE LITERARY CREATIVITY FESTIVAL KICKS OFF

The first Anambra Literary Creativity festival organized by Nigerian Book Foundation led by his president Prof. Chukwuemeka Ike in partnership with Government of Anambra State, which provided the funding kicked off on Tuesday.
All the speaker poured encomiums on Governor Peter Obi for his support for the festival and his interest in activities that add value to the state. In his opening remarks, the Chairman of the occasion, Prof. Ben Nwabueze said he was delighted about the festival. According to him, it had the capacity to revive the dwindling culture of reading among our people. He said he was particularly delighted by the interface of culture and other activities in the festival, saying that great novels such as "Things Fall Apart" were mostly the product of culture.

Speaking at the event, the convener of the festival Prof. Chukwuemeka Ike said it was part of activities lined up and actively supported by Governor Peter Obi to immortalize Prof. Chinua Achebe through the revival of literary creativity amongst the people of the State.
Prof. Ike who recalled the dearth of authors during his secondary school days and how they thought authors were almost ghosts, said that today good authors were everywhere and should be a motivation to those growing up to embrace literary creativit. He expressed hope that the person to succeed Gov. Peter Obi would continue offering support to literary creativity and ennobling activities as the Governor does.
Speaking at the event, Gov. Peter Obi said it was unfortunate that the society was suffering from misplacement of values. According to him, this was the only reason why there was the propensity to see those who ordinarily should be regarded as the dregs of the society as role models. He explained that this was part of the reason he made value re-orientation part of drive of his Government.

Speaking further, Gov. Obi who thanked everybody present, especially Prof. Chukwuemeka Ike and Prof. Ben Nwabueze for their interest in keeping literary creativity flowering, said that for Anambra State to regain its greatness there must be conscious drive to rediscover those that had made epochal contributions to the advancement of civilization in all sectors.
He recalled how he looked for people like Prof. Chike Obi and how the Government continued to assist them till they died. He encouraged everybody present to see such people as those worthy of emulation for the edification for the society and for their ennobling values. Obi said that his Government would continue to encourage such activity like promotion of literary creativity because it was such that defined our essence as human beings.

Obi also said that part of the reasons his Government was investing heavily on education was because of it's central role in promoting literary creativity and the fact that education is the only currency for competition in the world. He revealed that the State would soon take delivery of Prof. Chinua Achebe's trilogy for sharing to all the schools in the State.
Highlights at the event were speeches from different writers, parade of Anambra literary stars and presentation of books by different authors to Gov. Peter Obi.

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Chino72: [b]Anambra is still churning out more and more Azikiwes, Achebes, Ojukwus, Chike Obis, Okigbos, Cardinal Arinzes, Nwabuezes, Soludos, Emeagwalis, Akunilis, Chimamandas etc etc..

Anambra truly the Light of the Nation..

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And we need to transfer such characters and values to our children by repositioning our state for the better, doing away with brigands and charlatans.
One thing the above named individuals have in common is their love for thr roots which they cherished with so much passion and dedication , unlike some individuals now that are busy orchestrating our cultural death and burial for political gains.
Anambra has risen again!