Former Governor of Kogi State, Idris Wada, President of WIN, Abraham Onoja with other participants
The former governor of Kogi State, Capt. Idris Wada (Rtd) encouraged the youths to work harder to enjoy recognition that will usher them into limelight.
He made this statement at a Guest Session tagged: “Literature: As Inroads Alternate” organised by the Writers’ Alternative Network (WIN) that took place at the KPMG Plaza, Victoria Island, Lagos on Saturday.
The former governor who thrilled the audience with his profile since his youthful days, talked about how he became a pilot at the age of 22 to fulfill his dream.
He enjoined the youths to read autobiographies of great men to become great in life.
The President of WIN, Abraham Onoja in his interaction with the press encouraged Nigerians especially the youths to cultivate the habit and culture of writing and reading. In his words, he said, “Write nonsense”, which means, just write something from the area of interest using own words and language.
“Literature is a reflection of humanity ..and how to understand each other…literature also creates the need to understand modern days issues like social vices..social vices is an act of indiscipline that violates the societal norms and values, they are habits or behaviour of immoral activities such as cultism, robbery, ritual killings, kidnapping, smoking and drug peddling among the host of others.”
“We live in a society where social vices have become the order of the day as a result of societal decadence. Writers of the poet use their literary works as interventionary tools to effect a change in the society, earlier poet like Wole Soyinka, Niyi Osundare amongst a host of others are in these categories.”
“However, art and culture influences society by changing opinions, instilling values and translating experiences across space and time as research has shown, arts and culture affect the fundamental sense of self.”
“The world is wrong, let us write it, the battle is hard, let us fight it, the road is rough lets clear it, the future is fast don’t fear it, the spirit asleep, let us wake it because today is ours, everyone, lets take it.”
Students of Yaba College of Technology, Lagos State University (LASU), University of Lagos (UNILAG) participated fully in the Guests Session with many other guests that cut across different fields.
The take-home points include: Use the language you understand, write on the area that you understands, work hard until you are recognised.
Among the Speakers are, Olawale Olorunfemi Ogedegbe, Ojoma Ochai, Helen Ibe, Tayo Ogungbenro, Hon Tunji John Ashaolu, Oluwarichie/Ojo, H.E. Capt Idris Wada (Rtd) and Arthur Ngwube from Rythm FM anchored the program.
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