Month: February 2020

Quick summary from Paul Ayutoliya, FAVL-CESRUD coordinator:

Starting from the Sumbrungu librarian Mr. Apenore Timothy, he said the month wasa good one with lots of reading and fun games. He also spoke about the reading club and encouraged colleague librarians to consider also forming the reading clubs at their libraries. He noted that two of the fans that were developing problems. On attendance, the interesting reading activities in the library with videos shows and games contributed in the great number of patronages recorded. From Sherigu Community Library, Miss Cecelia Adombila reports that patronage of the library was very encouraging. She touched on the interesting library activities that kept patrons visiting all times, some of which were dancing with patrons, sharing poems and reading in group. At the Gowrie-Kunkua Community Library, the librarian, Mr. Wilfred Nyaaba also reports that attendance to the library for the month was good. He also mentioned cleanup exercise among others reading activities.

The librarians reviewed the library guide again emphasizing on the code of conduct and the role of each one of them while at work.They discussed the upcoming reading competition to be held in March.

 

By Paul Ayutoliya:

The  novel Daylight by Edem Kweku Nunya is a very interesting novel that will keep one flipping to the next page after each page. A novel that will drive one never to give up his or her dreams in life.

The people of Egoli village were not happy with the kind of life they were living. The Egoli village had been impoverished for far too long because they lack social amenities. The Chief and people of Egoli village received news that some Whites Missionaries from the Atlantic Ocean will be visiting their village to bring development. They received the news with great joy. The only school that existed was found in another village called Akpoipoi which was about 40 kilometers away, and only the rich were able to enroll their wards in such a distant school. The White Missionaries finally arrived in the village one day to a rousing welcome by the Chief and people, they drummed and danced in welcoming their august guests to the village square. Their (the Missionaries) message of development and civilization was well received by the Chief and his people. The village folks and their chief were happy that sooner than later their village will no more experience the extreme poverty, hunger, diseases and wars that have led to lost of many lives. A few years later, the missionaries established a church, school and health centers, these amenities served as hope to everyone in Egoli.

Many of the village folks were encouraged to enroll their wards in the children school programme, many parents agreed and send their children to the school except Emefa’s family. Emefa was a little girl who had passion to be enroll into the school but the father Kli Akpabio vehemently opposed it, saying they have their own beliefs and that all his children would follow those landmarks. Emefa’s father was preparing her to become a priestess after her grandmother in the village. At long last, Emefa was enrolled into the school and she did brilliantly well in all the subject. She would many of the reading competition and other contest. Emefa after graduating from school wrote a very encouraging story about her experience when she was sent to the village to stay with her grandmother to learn the basics priestess roles, which in a way was to prepare her to succeed her grandmother after her death. Her story was to encourage all especially the young children never to give up in life on whatever dreams and aspirations they have.

The novel was an interesting one and I liked it. I have asked the librarians to also read the story and let me have their thoughts on it. The story was very easy to understand, it was not that difficult getting the point or idea of the novel.

From Paul Ayutoliya:

Patronage to the three community libraries continued to be very great and encouraging with lots of reading activities and others for the month of February 2020. At the Sumbrungu Community Library, attendance to the library for the month was very encouraging and good. Patrons from far and near maximized their visit to the library and read different kinds of story books in the library, notes written from schools, and also played different kinds of games among others. Among the story books read were; The Baobab Tree of Salaga by Hiro Yoneyama, City Sounds by Kathy Knowles, the Fati series, the Cat and Dog series, Jafta’s Mother, The Bush Rangers, Awkward Annie, and many others.

A little about the story of the Baobab Tree of Salaga I read. The story was about the excruciating pain and agony that characterized the slave trade era. It gives an account on how the people (slaves) were captured and taken to Salaga a town in the Northern Region and chained to metal pegs that were stuck on the trunk of a giant Baobab Tree which was located in the heart of the Salaga town whiles waiting for traders to come and buy. Some of the slaves died in the process because they could not withstand the torture. The Baobab Tree up to date is still there with the metal pegs on it’s body (trunk) and now serve as tourist attraction to visitors today. Never again should this be allowed in any part of the world. But there are still rumors of these inhumane practices (slavery) still go on some places in Africa and perhaps elsewhere. It is my hope that these practices when found to still persist should be quickly brought to an end. It is just unimaginable!

At the Sherigu Community Library, patronage to the library was very good. The activities that characterized the month in the library were group reading of story books, individual reading, interesting games among others. The librarian has been doing a great job there by organizing a number of reading programs every week with the support of some teachers from St. Peter and Paul Academy school. The day time was normally well attended by students and pupils of the surroundings schools. During the night time, young adults from far away place including the Sherigu Senior High school which is about 4 kilometres visit the library and read story books and notes taken from school.

At the Gowrie-Kunkua Community Library, patronage were also encouraging. Students from the Kunkua Primary and Junior High school were the regular visitors to the library during the day time. Students and pupils from distant schools visit the library mostly at the night time. I read with students in this library the story of the Teen Princess by Diana B. Mc Bagonluri. The student were challenged by the little girls story, how she defied poverty and rose to greatest height of becoming the Crown Teen Princess despite her poor background. Some students who were part of the reading said if she could achieved that from a poor background with a single parent (her mother was a single parent) they should be able to do more. I visited the Kunkua Primary and Junior High School with the librarian there and engaged with pupils and students on the need for all to visit the community library and read.

At the Sumbrungu Community Library, students and pupils from far and near have been the most frequent visitors especially during the night time. They visited the library in their good numbers, read notes written from schools, story books in the library and had fun watching movies and playing games. The library is indeed becoming a serene home to many more students and pupils. We have form a young adults reading club in the library, we agreed to read and discuss each story book every Friday in the evening time. So this week’s reading starts today! Sherigu Community Library also recorded good patronage with lots of interesting reading and other activities which brought more patrons. The librarian there has been do a great job by organizing lots of reading activities with support from some teachers of St. Peter and Paul Academy. I met with some patrons last week in the library during the night time. I encourage them to visit the library at all times and make good use of the books. At Gowrie-Kunkua community library, patronage have also been good with interesting library activities.