YOU CAN NOW READ IN ALL PARKS ACROSS LAGOS, AS TOS EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVE CELEBRATES WORLD BOOK DAY
by Oki Samson
L-R: Founder, TOS Educational Initiative, Tai Ololade Salvador; Director, Citizens’ Mediation Centre, Mrs. Omotola Rotimi; A Students; A Guest and Guiness World Record Holder for the Longest Marathon Reading Aloud, Bayode Treasures-Olawunmi during the Presentation of Educational Gifts to Pupils at the TOS Educational Initiative’s Book Reading Event at JJT Park, Ikeja, Lagos.
In a bid to promote the arts, literature and culture especially reading culture among the teeming population, the TOS Educational Initiative, Open Library Initiative, and Lagos State Parks and Garden has collaborated to establish open libraries at the various parks within Lagos.
This collaborative effort is hoped to make fun seekers who converge for relaxation at the parks to benefit from the immense resource base. This will ensure that the children, youths and adults improve their knowledge in an atmosphere of fun and enjoyment.
The effort which also doubled as commemoration for World Book Day 2019 had Mr. Bayode Treasures-Olawunmi, Guiness World Record holder for the Longest Marathon Reading Aloud read the book Familiar Strangers by Frederick Mordi to over three hundred children gathered at the event.
Speaking at the event, Tai Ololade Salvador, Director TOS Educational Initiative expressed her joy at the development stating ‘we are proud of promoting reading, writing and culture. We engage children in reading, writing and even dramatizing what they have read. Currently, we have about nineteen schools mostly public schools where our book clubs operate.’
R-L: Founder, TOS Educational Initiative, Tai Ololade Salvador and Guiness World Record Holder for the Longest Marathon Reading Aloud (sitting), Bayode Treasures-Olawunmi during the Book Reading Event at JJT Park, Ikeja, Lagos.
Founder, TOS Educational Initiative, Tai Salvador distributing educational materials to pupils during the Book Reading Culture at JJT Park, Ikeja Lagos.
In the same vein, Mr. Tunde Taiwo, the Park Manager, LASPARK said: ‘our parks are a convergence point for citizens. So, while having their leisure, they can read. Even if they can’t read the books completely at once, they can always come back to it provided they are registered in the library.
We have more than 100 books already, we will keep adding books to the libraries so that children and adults can have materials to read every time they come.’
Yeye Lara Fashola-Fanimokun, SSA to the Lagos State Coordinator, Presidential Support Committee added: ‘I am excited to be here today as education is essential to human development. I am honoured to support the great work done by TOS Initiative. I will encourage parents to educate their children, education is a right which no one should be denied, both at home and in school.’
L-R: Director, Open Library Initiative, Mr. Laide Akano; Founder, TOS Educational Initiative, Tai Ololade Salvador; a Students and Director, Citizens’ Mediation Centre, Mrs. Omotola Rotimi; during the Presentation of Educational Gifts to the Student at JJT Park, Ikeja, Lagos.
Also, Mr. Bayode Treasures-Olawunmi stated: ‘Our resources is not limited to the natural resources, the best resource ever for us as a country is ourselves, how we can improve ourselves is reading. We can improve reading culture by increasing the number of libraries in schools, and I am glad that we now have in a park like this such that when people come to relax they can also read. Our parents should encourage their children to read on their phones instead of just playing games.’
L-R: Founder, TOS Educational Initiative, Tai Salvador and Managing Director, Prince Kazeem Eletu Odibo Foundation, Princess Omobolanle Adebayo displaying some of the Educational Materials Provided by Prince Kazeem Eletu-Odibo Foundation at the Reading Book in commemoration of the World Book Day at JJT Park, Ikeja, Lagos.
L-R: Guines World Record Holder for the Longest Marathon Reading Aloud, Bayode Treasures-Olawunmi; Founder, TOS Educational Initiative, Tai Ololade Salvador and Author, “Finding Purpose for Kids”, Abayomi Oyelami during the Presentation of Copy of the Book to Salvador at the event in Ikeja, Lagos.
Founder, TOS Educational Initiative, Tai Salvador (2nd left); SSA to the Lagos State Coordinator, Presidential Support Committee, Yeye Lara Fashola-Fanimokun and others during the Book Reading Event at JJT Park, Ikeja, Lagos.
At the event, a Lagos-based author, Mr. Abayomi Oyelami presented copies of his book ‘Finding Purpose for Kids’ to the management of the Lagos State Parks and Gardens for the benefit of children that will visit the libraries in the various parks.
The well attended event had Mrs. Omotola Rotimi, Director, Citizen Mediation Centre, Prince Deji Allen-Okunnu and Prince Oluwa from the Babajide Olusola Sanwo-olu ICG USA, Omobolanle Adebayo, MD, Prince Kazeem Eletu Odibo Foundation, Prince Lateef Ojora, Director of Sports, Prince Kazeem Eletu Odibo Foundation, Mr. Laide Akano of Open Library Initiative amongst others gracing the event.
