Delta Mobilizes 25 LGAs to Drive Book Clubs and Libraries Ahead of Project ECHO Chamber Grand Finale

Asaba, Delta State – Stakeholders in Delta State have renewed calls to establish more book clubs and modernize libraries across all 25 local government areas, as students, government officials, and civil society leaders rallied behind Project ECHO Chamber during the LightRay! / DISTORTION Orientation Festival in Asaba.

The festival, held on May 22, 2026, marked the launch of Delta State’s first-ever student-focused literary and creative initiative by the Founder and Publisher of LightRay! Media, Books and Creative Society, Lady Ejiro Umukoro. For the first time, secondary school students from all 25 LGAs were represented, bringing the conversation on reading culture and youth expression to a statewide scale.

The festival was designed not just as an event, but as a movement to reset how young people in Delta State engage with reading, ideas, and public expression.

At its core, the festival created the foundation for a statewide push to:

• Establish and scale book clubs in schools and public libraries across all 25 LGAs.
• Revive reading culture by making books interactive, relevant, and community-driven.
• Build critical thinking through structured book reviews, debates, and storytelling circles.
• Unleash creative expression by giving students a platform to perform, write, speak, and showcase their talent in poetry, spoken word, stage plays, Book-a-thons, and storytelling.

Anchored on the government-approved text DISTORTION by Lady Ejiro Umukoro and published by LightRay! Media, the initiative directly connects classroom learning to real-world communication and leadership skills. It is the starting point for a generation of students who will read boldly, think critically, and create without silence.

Statewide Push for Libraries and Book Clubs
Head of Service, Delta State, Dr. (Mrs) Mininim Oseji, who was the Special Guest of Honour told the gathering that libraries must move beyond passive storage to become active learning hubs.

“Libraries must be digitized and accessible. Every LGA should have functional school and community libraries that students can use to read, research, and create,” Dr. Oseji said. She pledged the state’s commitment to enforce compliance with library laws across MDAs and schools, and urged principals to prioritize library upgrades.

Curator and President of Liber Bookclub Asaba, Daluchi Anaka, said book clubs are critical to making reading engaging and community-driven. “Book clubs create safe spaces for young people to think, express themselves, build confidence, and connect through meaningful conversations. Imagine if every area in Asaba and across Delta had one active reading community,” she told the students.

Championing Physical Connection Over Digital Isolation
Convener of the festival, Lady Ejiro Umukoro, said Project ECHO Chamber is a deliberate push to expand book club communities within libraries across Delta State, with the goal of drawing more students into physical, in-person engagement.

She warned that unchecked digital dependence could deepen a loneliness crisis among young people if not addressed early. “Nigeria has an opportunity to act earlier than many countries,” Umukoro said. “Nordic countries have shown how intentional policy can slow the negative effects of digital over-reliance. We must steer away from a future where online addiction replaces relational intelligence and weakens the community bonds that sustain our society.”

Students Take the Pledge
Students from the 25 LGAs signed a public pledge to establish book clubs in their schools, advocate for better library facilities, and prepare for the LightRay! / DISTORTION Project ECHO Chamber Grand Finale.

The finale is scheduled to take place between September and October 2026. It will feature competitions across poetry, spoken word, storytelling, book reviews, Book-a-thons, stage performances, and showcases. Awards will also be given for the best book clubs in a community and schools; griots and outstanding state libraries.

All competition categories are based on the government-approved literature text for secondary schools, DISTORTION, written by Lady Ejiro Umukoro and published by LightRay! Media.

Civil Society and Librarians Back the Push
Librarian expert Dr. Awele Ilusanmi said libraries must evolve into “active learning hubs where students can research, create, and debate ideas freely.” She pledged technical support to help schools with cataloging, digitization, and donor engagement.

Ndidi Taiwo-Ojo, Lawyer and General Secretary of the African Women Lawyers Association, Nigeria Chapter, said safe creative spaces strengthen child agency and participation. “When students are given a platform to tell their stories through writing and dialogue, we protect their right to be heard,” she said.

Next Steps
Lady Ejiro Umukoro charged the Delta State Library Board to launch monthly student-led book clubs under the LightRay Book Clubs banner, starting with the Asaba branch. The plan is to replicate the model across other LGAs in phases, with the aim of making public libraries active hubs for student engagement and creative expression before the end of 2026.

Organizers say the immediate goal is to ensure every participating LGA has at least one active school book club before the September-October grand finale. The finale will be used to identify best practices in school libraries, book clubs and creative earning expressions for replication statewide, with a view to institutionalizing the model under the Delta State Ministry of Education.