Delta HoS, Works PS, Umukoro Rally for Reading Culture as LightRay! Launches Project ECHO Chamber at First Student Literary Festival

Asaba, Delta State – The Delta State government has thrown its weight behind a statewide push to revive reading culture and modernize library services, as the LightRay! / DISTORTION Orientation Festival launched Project ECHO Chamber – the state’s first-ever Student Literary and Creative Festival.

Head of Service Dr. (Mrs) Mininim Oseji, speaking at the festival in Asaba, charged civil servants and librarians to prioritize reading and take concrete steps to digitize libraries across Delta’s MDAs. She urged librarians to engage donors for new books, compile a full inventory of existing stock, and identify the laws governing their institutions, noting that the State House of Assembly’s Committee on Compliance would enforce implementation. Dr. Oseji also addressed students from Faith Academy, Government Model Secondary School, St. Brigid’s Grammar School, Osadenis Mixed Secondary School, and Government College Ughelli, Grammar School, urging them to “showcase their talents and skills” by embracing reading, creative writing, and school book clubs.

With almost 300 students in attendance, schools from both public and private sector included: Patricia Group of Schools, St. Bridges Girls Secondary School, Asaba,
Carissa Int’l School, Mastercare Foundation, Ceedeez Hall College,
DELL Int’l School, Royal Mira All Saints Int’l School – Mrs. Ogor Iduh, Proprietress (20)
God’s Heritage Int’l School, Great Beginning Academy, Faith Academy, and more.

The festival, convened by global multi-award-winning investigative storyteller and author of the DISTORTION Series, Lady Ejiro Umukoro, marked the debut of Project ECHO Chamber – a student-focused literary movement designed to turn young people from passive consumers into active creators of ideas. Activities included book-a-thon competitions, stage plays, spoken word poetry, storytelling sessions, and masterclasses in creative writing and journalism. Lady Umukoro said the initiative was built to “distort the silence” around student voices and to make libraries and book club communities the heart of that change.

Lady Ejiro Umukoro is championing for the push for more book club communities within libraries in Delta State to attract more students to connect more physically rather than stay hooked on their phones, which can lead to a loneliness crisis if not curb early on. She emphasized that Nordic countries are deliberate and intentional in driving policy implementation that slows the negative impact of digitally dependent engagement, and why Nigeria as a country has the opportunity to steer away much earlier from a society sinking deep into the abyss of online addiction to the exclusion of relational intelligence development and community sustainability.

Dr. Awele Ilusanmi, President of LiTACO, librarian expert and advocate for books and reading culture, spoke on the critical role of well-resourced libraries in sustaining student creativity beyond the festival. She emphasized that “libraries must evolve into active learning hubs where students can research, create, and debate ideas freely.”

Dr. Awele Ilusanmi, also congratulated Lady Ejiro Umukoro on the successful launch of Delta State’s first-ever Student Literary and Creative Festival – the LightRay! / DISTORTION Orientation Festival, and on birthing Project ECHO Chamber. “This is a landmark moment for Delta State. Lady Ejiro has shown what is possible when storytelling meets deliberate action. By giving students a platform to write, speak, and be heard, she is building the next generation of critical thinkers griots, and leaders,” she said.

She said: “When children and students are given a platform to tell their stories through writing, poetry, and dialogue, we strengthen their agency and protect their right to be heard. Project ECHO Chamber does more than celebrate creativity; it builds a culture of accountability and child-centered participation.

Ndidi Taiwo-Ojo, Child Safety Advocate & General Secretary, African Women Lawyers Association (Nigeria Chapter) commended the launch of Delta State’s first-ever Student Literary and Creative Festival and Project ECHO Chamber as a vital step toward creating safe, structured spaces where young people can express themselves without fear.

She addressed the constant tension and sometimes difficult transitioning for young boys growing into men.: “When children and students are given a platform to tell their stories through writing, poetry, and dialogue, we strengthen their agency and protect their right to be heard. Project ECHO Chamber does more than celebrate creativity; it builds a culture of accountability and child-centered participation. I urge schools, parents, and policymakers to sustain these safe spaces so every child in Delta can speak, write, and grow without fear.”

The Panel Discussion led by Lady Ejiro Umukoro with Ijeoma Nwanze, Head, Anti-human trafficking, Ministry of Justice, along with Florence Ogonegu Chairperson Mega Impact Foundation and Maduemezia Azuka Paul Esq., Legal Aid Ministry of Justice address the Boy-Man Crisis following the Launch of the Project ECHO Chamber Initiative by LightRay! Media.

Support and goodwill messages poured in from civil society. Representatives of the Government College Ughelli and the National Association of Seadogs, NAS, commended the initiative for tackling issues young people face daily. Speaking on behalf of NAS, Tony Edemenaha highlighted the power of the many themes explored in the DISTORTION Series, including social injustice, gender inequality, caste discrimination, corruption, press freedom, mental health, and the abuse of power. He said the series gives communities language to confront uncomfortable truths and equips students with the critical thinking needed to demand accountability. 

“This is not just about reading for exams. It’s about giving every student in Delta the tools to tell their story, challenge norms, and participate in shaping policy,” Umukoro said. “Libraries must stop being storehouses and become launching pads. When the Head of Service commits to digitalization and when schools commit to book clubs, we close the gap between policy and practice. Project ECHO Chamber is the echo we’ve been waiting for – and it starts with the students here today.”

The event also drew commendation from the outgone Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Works, Engr. Fuludu, who highlighted the role of structured knowledge and documentation in public service delivery. Lady Umukoro praised Dr. Oseji’s leadership and called on schools to assess their libraries for upgrades, promising that the best-performing state library, best school book clubs and more in the state would receive a state-level award. The festival forms part of LightRay! Media’s broader DISTORTION Series, which has previously driven community-level change, including the abolition of the Osu caste system in Oguta, Imo State.

The Curator and President of Liber Bookclub Asaba, Daluchi Anaka, a Guest Speaker praised the organisers, LightRay! Media for Pioneering DISTORTION Orientation Festival in Asaba, where Project ECHO Chamber, Delta State’s first-ever Student Literary and Creative Festival, was launched for driving the push for more book clubs communities across Delta. She called on secondary school students in Delta State to lead the expansion of book club communities as a way to strengthen reading culture among young people.

“Imagine if every area in Asaba had one active reading community. Imagine the conversations, the ideas, the creativity, and the growth that would come from that, ” she says.

Describing the event as “Truly an inspiring experience” she was happy to have attended, she explained to the students that book clubs go beyond just reading books, noting that they create safe spaces for young people to think, express themselves, build confidence, and connect with others through meaningful conversations. Anaka encouraged the students to view reading not as a punishment or an activity reserved only for examinations, but as a tool for personal growth, creativity, exposure, and self-discovery.

Anaka further highlighted that book clubs could help shape a stronger reading culture in Asaba by making reading more engaging, interactive, and community-driven. She said that through discussions, shared ideas, and storytelling, students were able to improve their communication skills, broaden their perspectives, and develop critical thinking abilities.

Acknowledged Partners

The festival acknowledges the support and presence of key partners including Dr. Mrs. Mininim Oseji; Greatman Obusom, Esq; Engr. Fuludu Gabriel Perezide (Immediate Past PS, Ministry of Works); Ugo Osuya, Communication Strategist and Collaborator; Smart Edoge Esq, Deputy Clerk Administration (Delta State House of Assembly); Celestina Ajobena, SA on Women Affairs; Eloho Ogboudu (Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Economic Affairs); Awele Ilusanmi, President Literary Authors Cooperative Multipurpose Society of Nigeria LiTACO; Stella Macaulay, PS Ministry of Information; Comrade McCartney Obrotu, (Chairman University of Benin Alumni Asaba Branch); Chief Berkeley Asiafa, President General of Ozoro Kingdom; Dr., Nelson Egware (SSA Media Govt House), Government College Ughelli Old Boys Association; St. Bridges Secondary School; Bash Amuneni (Director of Programs Abuja Literary Society & 2025, Poet in Residence, Portsmouth Football Club UK); Godson Osarenren, Convener Naija Poetry Fest; Ndidi Taiwo-Ojo, (General Secretary African Women Lawyers Association, Nigerian Chapter); Charles Omordia, Founder/CEO, Schoolville, CIEs, Principals, Teachers, Students; Nwanze IJeoma Joy (Head, Anti-Human Trafficking Unit, Ministry of Justice); Florence Ogonegbu, Chairperson, Mega Impact Foundation; Dr. Ejayeta Jero, Lecturer, Dept., of Human Physiology, Southern Delta University, Ozoro, Ubara Obaro and his amazing Jarmin Theatre Team, the Media, Maduemezia Azuka Paul, Esq, (Chairperson Legal Aid Ministry of Justice); our Team at LightRay! Media, and other individuals and collaborators in this important social cohesion and human capital development initiative.

The LightRay/ DISTORTION Festival ended on a positive note with enthusiastic participation and a warm reception from the audience, which underscored the need for more literary and youth-focused communities in society.