Governor Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti State has urged Nigerian authors, under the aegis of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), to use their platforms to promote social justice, truth, and unity.
The Governor emphasized the importance of constructive dialogue in positively transforming the nation’s social and political narratives.
Ekiti News reports that Governor Oyebanji made this appeal in Abuja on Saturday during the June edition of Abuja ANA’s Reading and Writers’ Dialogue, which featured former Ekiti State First Lady, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, as the Guest Writer.
The Governor acknowledged the crucial role of the association in promoting social and political change for a better society.
Emphasizing the significance of literature and the arts in shaping public opinion and advancing societal progress, Governor Oyebanji praised the association for its contributions to the nation’s intellectual and cultural development.
He encouraged writers to persist in their advocacy for justice, equity, and good governance.
The Governor said, “I thank ANA for the honour done to us in Ekiti State, because what you have done to Erelu Fayemi is an honour done to Ekiti people and as I sat down there, I just engaged in a conversation with myself that this is a conference of established writers and if people spend so much resources and effort to write, we must ensure that those works don’t go unnoticed but supported to lead to a better society in a country where people’s reading culture is going into extinction.
“I can imagine Dr Kayode Fayemi sitting down here, reading from most of those books he wrote as Governor of Ekiti State with respect to policy and advocacy. I am sure that if he is seated here, most former Governors, many Governors, Ministers will be here. We have ANA members in the National Assembly, bring them here let them invite their members because people are so busy but once one of them is involved they will be here, so collectively we can navigate towards a better society that we all dream of”, Oyeebanji asserted.
The former First Lady of Ekiti State and Guest Writer, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, earlier in her keynote address, shared some insights into her motivations for writing and the impact of writing on her life.
Erelu Fayemi said her identity as a writer brings her immense peace and satisfaction.
She emphasized the transformative power of writing on society, stating that she writes to change narratives, challenge preconceived notions and stereotypes, seek justice against discrimination, amplify the voices of the unheard, and advocate for systemic change and a better society.