“We are taking a stand for literature, creativity, and the economic future of our creative communities.”— Ejiro Umukoro

LADY EJIRO LEADS MOVEMENT TO REVIVE READING CULTURE WITH WORLD BOOK DAY FESTIVAL IN DELTA

On a continent where smartphones are replacing paperbacks and scrolling often wins over reading, a growing concern is emerging among educators and literary advocates: the steady decline of reading culture among young people.

From classrooms to libraries, the signs are visible. Students spend more hours on screens than on books, while many public libraries across Nigeria struggle with outdated collections, limited funding, and declining patronage.

But in Delta State, a bold literary movement is taking shape—one that aims not only to revive reading but also to rebuild an entire creative ecosystem around books, storytelling, and knowledge.

At the center of that movement is Ejiro Umukoro, multiple award-winning journalist, author, international communications entrepreneur, and Founder of LightRay! Media.

Her mission: restore the culture of reading and reposition literature as a driver of creativity, critical thinking, solutions mindset, education, and economic opportunity across the creative economy and landscape.

A LITERARY FESTIVAL WITH A BIGGER VISION

In celebration of World Book Day, Umukoro and her organization launched the LightRay! / Distortion World Book Day Festival, a large-scale literary initiative designed to inspire reading and creative expression across the state’s 25 local government areas.

The inaugural event, held at the Conference Hall of the Office of the Head of Service in Asaba, brought together civil servants, educators, students, directors, tertiary institutions, book clubs, and cultural advocates to begin what organizers describe as a long-term literacy revival movement.

The festival also marked the official launch of Umukoro’s novel Distortion, which was approved by the Delta State Ministry of Education as a literature text for secondary schools.

Its sequel, The Distortion of Hadassah, recently won the South-South TYB Young Adult Literature Prize 2025, further strengthening the author’s influence in Nigeria’s literary space.

The festival carries a powerful theme:
“That Which Bends, Transcends.”

According to Umukoro, the theme reflects both the resilience of storytelling and the transformative power of literature in society.

THE SILENT CRISIS FACING LIBRARIES IN DELTA STATE

Beyond celebration, the festival also highlights a deeper structural problem—the decline of functional mortal and digital libraries in Delta State. Available reports show that many public libraries are over three decades old, suffering from poor infrastructure, outdated resources, and limited digital access.

Across the State, many library buildings lack modern ICT facilities, book collections are outdated or incomplete while several schools operate without functional libraries. In addition, a majority of library staff are non-professional personnel, while the ural communities remain largely underserved.

Even in major urban centers such as Asaba, Warri, and Sapele, libraries often struggle to meet global learning standards.

For Lady Umukoro, addressing these challenges requires more than criticism—it requires action.

BOOK CLUBS BECOMING BEACONS OF HOPE

Amid these challenges, a handful of literacy groups and book clubs have emerged as grassroots champions of reading culture. Yet, their number are insufficient to meet the needs and close the reading habits and love for books culture.

However, through book donations, school outreach programs, and reading discussions, these groups are helping students rediscover the power of books. However, their reach remains limited, largely concentrated in urban areas.

The LightRay! / Distortion World Book Day Festival seeks to expand that influence—creating a platform where schools, professionals, libraries, and community groups can collaborate to promote reading across the 25 local government areas of Delta State.

COMPETITIONS, CREATIVITY, AND MILLIONS IN PRIZES

Based on the Thematic Themes in Distortion, the approved text for literature by the Ministry of Education, to attract young people, professionals, associations and creatives, the festival features competitions, workshops, and creative showcases spanning several categories, including:

• Best Secondary School Book Clubs
• Best Community Driven Book Clubs by Civil Servants, Associations, and Groups
• Most Vibrant State-run Libraries or privately run libraries
• Book-a-thons
• Poetry and Spoken Word
• Performance Art
• Stage Plays and Skits
• Script Writing and Voiceover Artistry
• Best Short AI Film

Participants—from civil servants to university students—will compete for cash prizes worth millions of naira.

To participate, entrants must read Distortion, which serves as the intellectual foundation for many of the festival’s competitions.

The approach is deliberate: reading becomes both the entry point and the inspiration for creativity.

GOVERNMENT AND STAKEHOLDERS SHOW SUPPORT

The Delta State Government has also thrown its weight behind the initiative. The Head of Service, Dr. Mininim Oseji, represented at the event by Permanent Secretary Wilson Chukwuka, described the project as a bold effort to strengthen literacy and intellectual culture among young people.

Education and information officials also praised the initiative for its potential to reshape how students engage with literature.

Speaking at the event, Stella Macaulay, representing the Ministry of Information, noted that a sophisticated civil service begins with a culture of reading and intellectual curiosity.

A MOVEMENT BIGGER THAN A FESTIVAL

For Lady Umukoro, the World Book Day festival is only the beginning.

Phase One officially kicks off April 23, aligning with the global World Book Day celebration and setting the stage for statewide participation.

The long-term goal is ambitious:

• Revitalize libraries
• Encourage book clubs in schools
• Promote storytelling and performance arts
• Strengthen Nigeria’s creative economy

Most importantly, it seeks to reignite a national relationship with books.

REWRITING THE FUTURE THROUGH BOOKS

For centuries, thinkers have emphasized the importance of reading. English essayist Joseph Addison famously wrote: “Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.”

Today, as digital distractions reshape how people consume information, initiatives like the LightRay! / Distortion World Book Day Festival are working to ensure that books remain at the center of learning and creativity even as the format of learning and retention evolves.

Through storytelling, literacy advocacy, and cultural engagement, Lady Ejiro Umukoro is not just hosting a festival—she is building a movement.

A movement rooted in a simple but powerful belief: “When a society reads, it thinks. And when it thinks, it transforms.”