2014: Port Harcourt As World Book Capital

The Port Harcourt World Book Capital (PHWBC)
Project which will take place in Port Harcourt in 2014, is indeed a springboard and an avenue for literary scholars and lovers of literature to interact, brainstorm and improve on their literary talents with their counterparts across the globe.
The choice of Port Harcourt as the host next year, among other cities is symbolic. This is because Port Harcourt which will be taking over from BangKok, Hongkong where it was last hosted, would mark its centenary in 2014.
Besides, the nomination of Port Harcourt through the public voting of all the countries that make up the world book capital, makes it the first city to be chosen in Sub-Saharan Africa. Alexanderia, Egypt was the first city in the African continent to host the global project.
The Port Harcourt World Book Capital is an upspring from the world book capital project initiated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and  Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) to promote the cause of writing and publishing vocations among the United Nations members.
Indeed, the choice of Port Harcourt against other cities like Oxford in England and Moscow in Russia was basically on the quality of programmes designed by the Governor Amaechi administration for the youth through improvement on the education sector and emphasis on revamping reading culture, writing and publishing to improve literacy rates amongst the Nigeria youth.
Highlighting  the benefits of the 2014 PHWBC, Mrs Koko Kalango who is the Director of the Port Harcourt Book Festival (Formerly Garden City Literary Club (GCLC) stated that the 2014 Port Harcourt World Book Capital will make the city an “Olympic” site for literature.
According to her, in a statement at the world book capital in Trenton, New Jersey, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr.  Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, would read to the children that are drawn from schools in Rivers State as the initiator of the “Bring Back the Book”, programme in Nigeria.
She further stated that there will be the opening of the Port Harcourt Book Centre (PHBC), reading with leaders, and celebrities would read to students at different locations (Community Centres, libraries and schools during the opening week of the event.
The Director said that 500 participants from schools and other guests will equally boost the economy of the state as Port Harcourt will become a tourist centre.
According to her, the free book club to be initiated during the period will have a week-graded reading programme for Post-Primary Schools that would run for 50 schools for children between 10-14 years. The exercise will expose them to timeless, classical  African folktales.
Kalango said that it will help to enable participants gradually develop the reading and language skills while enjoying group discussions around great stories. It would also broaden their vocabulary and result in a significant improvement of the children’s school work.
The working Book for Secondary School Students in Unity Schools in Nigeria for ages of (13-16) will enable them to write a chapter each of a book detailing the signs and sounds of their states such as festivals, traditions and landmarks.
Koko Kalango also said that book will be edited, published (in electronic and hardcopy) and made available for sale before the end of the 2014 book festival in Port Harcourt.
The exercise is targeted at enhancing the students creative writing skills while breaking down cultural divides, as the students in the Post-Primary School at the age of  16-24 would have to read a pre-selected book of the month.
The meeting of the club to discuss on the book monthly would help the students have access  to information and entertainment and to use book as a central point for social gathering.
The celebration is also expected to build their interpersonal and critical reasoning skills.
It could be recalled that at the World Book Capital Project this year in New Jersey where Port Harcourt was nominated for 2014 Book Project, the Executive Governor of Rivers State Rt. Hon. Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi was conferred with an Award by the African Writers Endowment (AWE) in New Jersey.
According to the Executive Director of the AWE Dr. Ugorji Ugorji, the Governor was nominated based on his exemplary leadership and service style to Rivers people.
The Governor at Trenton, the capital of New Jersey in America declared before selected audience of eminent Nigerians in Diaspora including professionals in various fields and American writers, that the choice of Port Harcourt will make Rivers State a destination for global literatise community throughout next year and beyond.
The  Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mrs Ibim Semenitari throwing  more light on the Award stated that the Governor was nominated because of his various interventions in the areas of education, youth empowerment and infrastructural development in roads, housing, health and environment.
Nwagwu resides in Port Harcourt.

Samuel Nwagwu