Nasarawa State University Keffi (NSUK) is presently the first university to receive the T.Y Buratai Literary Initiative (TYBLI) Book Placement Box.

The book box consisting of 40 books comprising different genres of literature had thus far been placed at seven primary and secondary schools since the initiative kicked off last year.

The book box was donated specifically to the Department of English Language NSUK.

Speaking with the Vice Chancellor and officials of the school, Chairman TYBLI, Dr Lizzy Ben-Iheanacho said delivering the book box at the school is a fulfillment of the promise she made the students of the English Department, who were present at the launch of the TYBLI and the maiden edition of the Book Box last year.

She noted that in line with the purpose of the book box, which is the promotion of reading, it is hoped that in the future they become writers as well. Hence, the initiative’s introduction of the TYBLI Prize for Young Adult Literature, targeted at promoting literary works for young adults (8 – 19 years).

Iheanacho noted that while people look down on popular literature (which Young Adult (YA) novels belongs to), the most popular literature novel today is J.K Rowlings ‘Harry Potter’ series, while ‘Game of Thrones’, another YA novel series was successfully adapted to screen.

“While not everyone can be an Achebe or a Chimamanda, there is money to be made in YA literature writing,” said the chairman. In urging the students to apply for the prize via the submission of their unpublished YA manuscripts, she noted that the prize supports writers’ dream of being published (in an anthology alongside other top ten winners) and read.

“The prize will see each zonal winner awarded N500,000 and automatic qualification for the grand prize, whose winner will receive N1.5 million.”

Pleased with the initiative’s choice of the school for the book placement initiative, the Vice Chancellor NSUK, Professor Sa’adatu Hassan Liman, lamented that the aversion to reading by the younger generation has long been a cause for personal concern for her, and for the nation.

Rather than study, students, she said, have taken to reading popular texts and sources like AI prior to taking exams, resulting in plagiarism and unoriginal ideas.

Commending TYBLI for its efforts to promote reading, she pledged the school’s support to sustain and expand the initiative to other departments of the school. Liman also urged the initiative to occasionally visit the school to “speak to the students about reading and writing and the impact these skills are making, and can make in their lives and future career.”

On the formation of a reading habit, the Dean Faculty of Arts, Matthew Michael urged the students to question every knowledge perceived in a text, and Africa’s representation in those texts.

“Don’t just believe everything you read. As you read the books presented to you today, question every methodology, narratives, plots, characterization, scenery, aesthetics and Africa’s representation in these texts. This way you develop better ways of looking at reality.”

TYBLI is an initiative founded by the retired General T.Y Buratai to promote a reading culture and writing among Nigerians.