AIFA Reading Society, in line with its mission to achieve sustainable educational development by promoting literacy and a reading culture, has entered into partnership with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC)/Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited (SNEPCo) and its co-venture partners– ExxonMobil, TotalEnergies and Agip to promote reading culture and literacy among students in Eko Akete Grammar School on Wednesday, June 15, 2022.
Through this partnership, text books and note books amongst other educational materials were donated to the school and its students. To sustain the interest in reading sparked by the donations, the partners launched a Book Reading Club which will be supported by Women in Shell (WIS) volunteers.
The Representatives of NNPC/SNEPCo, Lagos State Ministry of Education and the Education District III, Directors of AIFA Reading Society, the School’s Administrators, and members of the Junior School Parents’ Forum attended the event.
AIFA Reading Society, a non-profit organisation focused on fostering a reading culture and promoting quality education for sustainable development, achieves its objectives through its unique initiatives such as this event. Its partnership with NNPC/SNEPCo provided the opportunity to extend its Book Recycle Scheme and AIFA Book Club Initiatives to Eko Akete Grammar School.
The CEO of Whyte Cleon Limited and a Director of AIFA Reading Society, Nireti Adebayo, reiterated the Society’s commitment to its mission to achieve sustainable educational development by promoting literacy and a reading culture. She advised the students to take advantage of the Society’s opportunities to improve themselves as the future of Nigeria lies with them.
Read also: Nigeria’s budget for education: Counting the cost
Also speaking at the event, the Strategy, Planning and Operations Manager, Corporate Relations Nigeria, Tunde Adams who represented the Managing Director, SNEPCo, applauded SNEPCo’s commitment to improve the quality education in Nigeria as education takes its pride of place on the list of social investment activities of the company.
Tolulope T. Derin-Adefuwa, representing the Group Managing Director, NNPC, stated in her remarks that NNPC believes in touching lives through education and will continue to support education. She encouraged the students to believe in themselves, represent Nigeria positively, and shine the light wherever they find themselves.
In addition to the book donations to the school library, 30 students with commendable academic performances from the Junior and Senior School received backpacks donated by Ibikunle Dashur Foundation, Fabian Ajogwu Foundation and Kenna Partners. Engineer Ibikunle Dashur and Professor Fabian Ajogwu, SAN, Directors of the AIFA Reading Society, championed this donation.
Ifebuchi Ozougwu, a student in her final year (SSS3), received a scholarship covering her tertiary education from Fabian Ajogwu Foundation. Ajogwu, SAN, while congratulating Ozougwu, urged stakeholders and individuals to empower the younger generation for a better nation.
The students were encouraged by Abiola Seriki-Ayeni, Director-General of Office of Education Quality Assurance, Lagos State and a Director of the Society, to take practical steps to utilise the books donated to the School’s libraryand take active responsibility for their developmenttowards becoming better adults.
Through its various initiatives, AIFA Reading Society has reached over 100,000 children and adults in Nigeria and continues to increase its reach.
