The Nation Newspaper

Tag: books

  • 10 books to watch out for this November  

    10 books to watch out for this November  

    November is shaping up to be a thrilling month for book lovers. From emotionally charged domestic dramas to soul-stirring science fiction and poignant memoirs, this month’s lineup offers something for every kind of reader. Whether you’re craving a story that will make you think, cry, or escape reality for a while, here are ten books from Amazon worth adding to your shelf this November.

    1. Cursed Daughters by Oyinkan Braithwaite – November 4th

    The acclaimed author of My Sister, The Serial Killer returns with a haunting, romantic, and multi-generational tale of women bound by a family curse – one that dooms them to fall for men who always slip away. Set against the backdrop of Nigerian life, Cursed Daughters blends heartbreak, myth, and the inescapable pull of destiny.

    2. The Heart-Shaped Tin by Bee Wilson – November 4th

    When food writer Bee Wilson baked her own wedding cake in a heart-shaped tin, she never imagined the object would later hold the weight of a failed marriage. Her latest work is a warm, bittersweet meditation on food, memory, and how the simplest objects can hold entire lifetimes within them.

    3. The Dinner Party by Viola van de Sandt – November 4th

    After moving from the Netherlands to England, Franca’s life takes an unexpected turn when her partner, Andrew, persuades her to host a dinner for his colleagues. Told through alternating timelines – the dinner itself and Franca’s later therapy sessions. The Dinner Party unravels themes of body autonomy, rage, and the pressures of perfection.

    4. Some Bright Nowhere by Ann Packer – November 11th 

    The author of The Dive from Clausen’s Pier returns with another emotionally charged novel about love, loss, and choice. When Claire, terminally ill, decides she wants a different kind of death – one without her husband’s involvement – it challenges decades of marriage, devotion, and identity.

    5. The Silver Book by Olivia Laing – November 11th

    Set in Venice, this novel imagines an alternate world where Italian filmmaker Pier Paolo Pasolini never died. Two strangers find themselves entangled in romance, danger, and the cinematic underground. A love letter to cinema and a gripping thriller, The Silver Book is both eerie and intoxicating.

    6. The Emergency  by George Packer – November 11th

    When an empire collapses under its own disillusionment, a surgeon named Hugo Rustin finds himself at odds with his family and society. As rebellion brews and chaos unfolds, he embarks on a dangerous journey toward redemption with his daughter by his side. A profound exploration of politics, faith, and human disconnection.

    7. The Ferryman and His Wife by Alison McCullough (translated from Frode Grytten) – November 18th

    In this quiet, poetic tale, a ferryman named Nils wakes up knowing it’s his last day alive. As he makes one final journey across the fjord, familiar passengers revisit his boat, each bringing memories of lives intertwined. A tender reflection on mortality, love, and the passage of time.

    8. Simply More by Cynthia Erivo – November 18th

    From Emmy, Grammy, and Tony winner Cynthia Erivo comes a powerful and personal collection of stories about resilience and growth. Simply More explores how setbacks, rejection, and vulnerability shaped her into the performer – and person – she is today.

    9. The Eleventh Hour by Salman Rushdie- November 4th

    A collection of five stories that meditate on life’s final moments – from faked suicides to quiet revelations amid catastrophe. Rushdie’s masterful storytelling examines mortality with irony, warmth, and grace. It’s one of the most anticipated collections of the season.

    10. Lightbreakers by Aja Gabel – November 4th

    Time travel sounds thrilling – until it’s real. When Maya and Noah, a couple marked by heartbreak, are given the chance to move through time, they discover that the power to rewrite the past can come at a deep emotional cost. Lightbreakers is both a cerebral adventure and a tender meditation on love, loss, and memory. As author Chloe Benjamin puts it, Compassionate and prismatic… soulful science fiction that speaks to the mind as well as the heart.

  • Firm chief launches four books to enrich knowledge

    Firm chief launches four books to enrich knowledge

    The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Neros Pharmaceutical Limited, Prof. Poly Emenike, has contributed to education and learning by writing and publishing four books.

    The books are: The Economic Trajectories of the Igbos After Nigeria-Biafra War: My Personal Perspective; Mental Emancipation: How To Control Your Conscious and Subconscious Mind For Effective Performance; Shrines As Arbiters: Is Reverse The Case of Christianity in Igboland? and 15 Writing Principles on How to Be A Celebrated Author.

    Delivering his welcome address during the public presentation of the four books in Lagos, last week, Prof. Emenike said it was the third in the series of his book presentation event, the first being the presentation of his first book, titled, ‘Entrepreneurial Spirit’ through the 17 principles of Napoleon Hill, that took place on November 26, 2014.

    The second, he said, was on June 20, 2019, when his fifth book, ‘Think And Grow Rich: The African Perspective’, was unveiled. The two books were published under the auspices of Napoleon Hill Foundation, USA.

    Read Also: Fed Govt kicks off Consumer credit with 500,000 beneficiaries

    “The four books being presented today were, however, published in Nigeria under the stables of Entrepreneurial Spirit Publishing Company Limited (ESPC),” Prof. Emenike said.

    On ‘Mental Emancipation: How To Control Your Conscious and Subconscious Mind For Effective Performance,’ he said the book would help readers to engage their brains optimally and use it to think themselves into achieving their hearts’ desires.

    As the Neros Pharmaceutical boss said, “I posited in the book that human minds work in very mysterious ways, it can be like a garden which, if effectively cultivated, would be fruitful and yield desired results.

    “However, if left uncultivated or fallow, it gives room to several unwanted wastes to fester in it, hence, making the garden unfruitful.

  • Nigerian Books of Record achieves milestone affiliation with EL ROI London University

    Nigerian Books of Record achieves milestone affiliation with EL ROI London University

    The Director General/CEO, Nigerian books of record and research center Abuja, Prof David David says Nigerian Books of record has achieved another milestone affiliation with EL ROI LONDON University.

    Prof David stated this on Saturday 20th July on arrival in Lagos From a conference in Berlin, Germany.

    He said that Nigerian Books of Record (NBR) has taken a significant step forward of its mission to promote Nigeria’s positive image and achievements globally.

    According to Prof David: “The organization is officially affiliated with EL ROI London University, a prestigious institution recognized for its academic excellence”

    “This affiliation is a testament to NBR’s commitment to uphold the highest standards in research and brand integrity. The partnership will enable NBR to tap into EL ROI London University’s vast resources and expertise, further enhancing its efforts to showcase Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage and achievements to the world”

    The importance of this affiliation cannot be overemphasized. It provides a global platform for NBR to promote Nigeria’s positive image, dispelling negative stereotypes and misconceptions that have hindered the country’s international reputation.

    Speaking further on the partnership between EL ROI LONDON UNIVERSITY and Nigerian Books of record, Prof David says ;

    “This partnership will also enable NBR to leverage EL ROI London University’s network and expertise to amplify its impact, inspiring a new generation of leaders and change-makers to become ambassadors of Nigeria’s rich heritage”

    In a related development, Professor David David, Director General of NBR, has been appointed a Visiting Professor to the School of Post Graduate Studies at EL ROI London University. This appointment is a recognition of Professor David’s expertise and commitment to academic excellence, and will enable him to share his knowledge and experience with a global audience.

    The Nigerian Image Revolution (NIR), a vital diplomatic arm of NBR, will also benefit from this affiliation. NIR aims to transform Nigeria’s global perception through diplomacy, bilateral relations, and inclusive leadership. This partnership will provide NIR with a platform to showcase Nigeria’s achievements and promote cultural exchanges between nations.

    The affiliation between Nigerian Books of Record and EL ROI London University is a significant milestone in promoting Nigeria’s positive image and achievements globally. It demonstrates NBR’s commitment to academic excellence and its mission to inspire a new generation of leaders and change-makers.

    Prof David expresses hope that the partnership will translate to a positive impact and present Nigeria in a global positive reputation

    “We look forward to the opportunities this partnership will bring, and the positive impact it will have on Nigeria’s global reputation”

    The Director General/CEO, Nigerian books of record and research center Abuja, Prof David David says  Nigerian Books of record has achieved another milestone affiliation with EL ROI LONDON University.

    Prof David stated this on Saturday 20th July on arrival in Lagos From a conference in Berlin, Germany.

    He said that Nigerian Books of Record (NBR) has taken a significant step forward of  its mission to promote Nigeria’s positive image and achievements globally.

     According to Prof David: “The organization is officially affiliated with EL ROI London University, a prestigious institution recognized for its academic excellence”

    “This affiliation is a testament to NBR’s commitment to uphold the highest standards in research and brand integrity. The partnership will enable NBR to tap into EL ROI London University’s vast resources and expertise, further enhancing its efforts to showcase Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage and achievements to the world”

    The importance of this affiliation cannot be overemphasized. It provides a global platform for NBR to promote Nigeria’s positive image, dispelling negative stereotypes and misconceptions that have hindered the country’s international reputation. 

    Speaking further on the partnership between EL ROI LONDON UNIVERSITY and Nigerian Books of record, Prof David says ;

    “This partnership will also enable NBR to leverage EL ROI London University’s network and expertise to amplify its impact, inspiring a new generation of leaders and change-makers to become ambassadors of Nigeria’s rich  heritage”

    In a related development, Professor David David, Director General of NBR, has been appointed a Visiting Professor to the School of Post Graduate Studies at EL ROI London University. This appointment is a recognition of Professor David’s expertise and commitment to academic excellence, and will enable him to share his knowledge and experience with a global audience.

    The Nigerian Image Revolution (NIR), a vital diplomatic arm of NBR, will also benefit from this affiliation. NIR aims to transform Nigeria’s global perception through diplomacy, bilateral relations, and inclusive leadership. This partnership will provide NIR with a platform to showcase Nigeria’s achievements and promote cultural exchanges between nations.

    The affiliation between Nigerian Books of Record and EL ROI London University is a significant milestone in promoting Nigeria’s positive image and achievements globally. It demonstrates NBR’s commitment to academic excellence and its mission to inspire a new generation of leaders and change-makers. 

    Prof David expresses hope that the partnership will translate to a positive impact and present Nigeria in a global positive reputation 

    “We look forward to the opportunities this partnership will bring, and the positive impact it will have on Nigeria’s global reputation”

  • Value of books and reading

    Value of books and reading

    SIR: April 23rd every year is marked around the world as World Book and Copyright Day. Also known as International Day of The Book, it is a day set aside by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to promote reading, publishing and copyright. The day aims to change lives through love of books and shared reading.

    The theme for the 2024 World Book Day is: “READ YOUR WAY.” According to Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO: “Books have the unique ability to entertain and to teach. They are at once a means of exploring realms beyond our personal experience through exposure to different authors, universes and cultures, and a means of accessing the deepest recesses of our inner selves.”  Therefore, the power of books should be leveraged to combat isolation, reinforce ties between people, and expand our horizons while stimulating our minds and creativity. It is critical to take the time to read on our own, or with our children.

    Did you know that the Bible is the most widely translated and distributed book worldwide? Yes, the Bible is by far the most widely translated and distributed book! Its wisdom has reached and helped more people than any other book or publication; 96.5 percent of the world’s population have access to the Bible. The Bible is available (in whole or in part) in over 3,300 languages, and the estimated number of copies of the Bible produced is 5 billion – far more than any other book in history. 

    There are three major sectors of the book industry: publishers, booksellers and libraries. In a strict sense, book publishing starts from the point of conceptualization of the ideas for the book by the author, and ends at the very last stage – the end-user (reader).

    The history of book publishing in Nigeria can be traced to the establishment of the very first publishing press in Calabar, in 1846, by Rev. Hope Waddel of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland Mission. The press was used to print Bible lessons and later arithmetic books for schools. In 1854, another missionary based in Abeokuta, Rev. Henry Townsend of the Church Missionary Society (CMS), established a press. Five years later (1859), he used it to print the very first newspaper in Nigeria – ‘Iwe Irohin.’ Thereafter, notable Nigerians like Herbert Macaulay established the first indigenous newspaper in 1926, called Lagos Daily News. Also, in the same year, Daily Times made its debut.

    In 1949, Oxford University Press (OUP) floated a sales outlet in Nigeria. This action attracted many foreign-based publishing firms to Nigeria, such as Macmillan, Longman and others. The first published book in Nigeria by OUP was in 1963 when its local branch published ‘Ijala Ere Ode’, a Yoruba poetry genre by Yemitan. Aside from the foreign companies, many other home-based publishing houses were architected by indigenous entrepreneurs. The book publishing industry in Nigeria has continued to enjoy drastic growth ever since.

    However, in the last few decades, the Nigerian indigenous book publishing industry has experienced a downturn due to numerous challenges facing the industry including book piracy, proliferation of unqualified author-publishers, lack of capital, and inability to provide adequate numbers of high-quality books. Other challenges include: poor reading culture, infrastructural decay, dearth of expertise, incessant rancour among the major stakeholders, and so forth.

    Read Also: NCC seizes pirated books worth N300m in Rivers

    Suggestions for developing our book publishing industry in Nigeria are:

     1. Stakeholders such as government, publishers, authors, regulators, booksellers, libraries and readers should cooperate and contribute their quota immensely towards the development of a virile book publishing industry.

    2. Private investors such as banks, finance houses and influential individuals should participate, especially in terms of massive capital injection.

     3. Government can partner with notable non-governmental organizations in the establishment of book clubs in schools across the nation. This will help to promote a good reading culture among the youths.

     4. Government should help to eliminate the scourge of book piracy.

    5. Government should charge less import duties on book publishing equipment and accessories in order to encourage hitch-free importation.

    6. Book publishing firms should make it a policy to give their technical staff up-to-date professional trainings, to ensure efficiency.

    7. Existing public libraries should be renovated and upgraded, while new ones should be built and equipped with relevant titles.

    8. Higher institutions could offer courses in book publishing and related disciplines, thereby helping to provide required personnel for job opportunities

    • Daniel Ighakpe, danny.ighakpe@gmail
  • Impaired kids get books to aid learning

    Impaired kids get books to aid learning

    Sterling Global Oil Resources Limited   (SGORL),  has donated pictorial school textbooks to pupils of Wesley Schools for the Hearing Impaired, Yaba in Lagos State.

      Director of Special and Inclusive Education, Mrs. Abimbola Abolarin, hailed the donation which, she noted, would provide resources to those who might not have easy access to educational materials.

     She said at the event that by donating the pictorial textbooks, SGORL is cultivating the culture of reading among pupils.

     Dr. Abolarin said: “SGORL’s book donation drive for the hearing-impaired will impact them by breaking communication barriers.

    ‘’The initiative will instil a love for reading, broadening horizons, and pavie the way for a brighter and more equitable future for them, despite their disadvantage.”

     She said SGORL recognised that promoting literacy and learning was a shared responsibility and an investment for a brighter, more inclusive future, adding through the initiative, SGORL had empowered young minds, stimulate creativity, and ignite their curiosity.

     Director/Principal, Mrs. Elizabeth Popoola, said SGORL was a responsible corporate entity.

    Read Also: I’ll take on your concerns one by one, Tinubu assures South-south indigenes

    “By giving to the less privileged, especially people of special needs, SGORL sets the standard for a more comprehensive humanity where everyone can learn, grow, and contribute,” she said.

    She said  SGORL is committed to the belief that influencing knowledge was essential for societal advancement.

    The company strives to create a sustainable society by empowering and uplifting students with impaired hearing.

    Dignitaries present at the event were Dr. Mrs. Abimbola Abolarin, Director, Special and Inclusive Education, Lagos State Ministry of Education, Mrs. Elizabeth Oluwayemisi Popoola, Director & Principal School 1, Wesley School of Impaired Hearing, Lagos State Ministry of Education, Mrs. Elizabeth Aderonke Ojemola, Director & Principal Wesley School 2 for Impaired Hearing, Lagos State Ministry of Education, Mr. Abegunde, Assistant Director & Vice Principal, Wesley School 1 and Mrs. Olorunda, Assistant Director & Vice Principal, Wesley School 2 of Impaired Hearing, Yaba, Lagos.

  • Let’s market books like condoms

    Last year before this column went on recess, it published some of the entries you sent for My Book of the Year section, I wish to thank all those who made an effort to send entries. We are back again this year, so let’s begin by telling and promising ourselves that we are going to read more than we did last year. On my own part, I have personally made that promise to myself that this year is going to be my year of reading and more reading, so help me God. What about you?

    While this column was on break, I was able to visit some bookshops. On that trip it was not surprising to me why proprietors of bookshops are always complaining that books are not being bought or read. I can confidently report here that I’ve been able to find out why. Well, it is not an entirely new discovery as such. The actual fact is that many of our bookshop managers have not been able to know or change the way they market books. The ways books were sold in the eighties are not the way they should be sold in this age. Many of our bookshop managers need help and I say this with a sense of seriousness. Perhaps they need to do some crash courses on marketing, book marketing this time around!

    The worst culprits in this business might surprise a few of you. I can confidently report that university bookshop managers are the worst, yes, and worst managers of the primary commodity they market. When last did you enter any university bookshop? I challenge you to enter one and give me a feed back. Many of them have lost their allure and attraction. I remember in the seventies and eighties when I used to live up north, any trip down to the south was incomplete for me without visiting one or two university bookshops. These usual yearly visits were not because there were no university bookshops in the north, good ones for that matter. There were. The visits were only to compare notes and see if there were books I could purchase to add to my collections and to satiate my reading and buying appetites.

    However, those days as most things Nigerian seem to be gone forever. Today, university bookshops are the worst managed, except for a few. Do not think I belong to the analogue age, because of my choice. For me and my house, the so called eBook is still aeons away. There is nothing like staring at the beautiful cover of a book or glancing at the spines for titles and authors.  Where is the beauty of a home without inviting and bursting bookshelves? Take a trip to the house of poet and polemist Odia Ofeimun, you’ll understand what I’m writing about!

    A visit to any university bookshop would show you that we are not ready to go anywhere because most of them are filled with dust-caked books as if there are no people working there. How can a customer be attracted to a bookshop when you only stock some arcane and dull books and to make it worse they are all covered in dust? What has happened to stocking of bookshops with general interest books? Anyway, when they can’t even stock current textbooks, except those badly printed handouts called textbooks; if gold rusts what will iron do?

    We need to create a new consciousness to market books the way drinks, cosmetics and condoms are marketed. We must make books sexy and if we refuse to, how do we encourage people to read, especially the young ones? The university bookshop managers need to meet and retool.

     

  • Driver steals flag, books, rulers, registers

    A 47-year-old driver, Ugochukwu Obuji, who allegedly stole a Nigerian flag, copies of school curriculum and other items, yesterday appeared before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court.

    Obuji, who lives at Orile Iganmu, Lagos, is facing a one-count charge of stealing.

    He pleaded not guilty.

    Prosecuting Inspector Edet Akadu alleged that the accused stole tags, rulers, registers, books and other school items worth N1.28 million.

    He said the accused committed the theft last November 19 at the Young Shall Grow Transport Company premises, Ijora-Badia, Lagos.

    Akadu alleged that the accused also stole Christmas caps and banners from Mr. Bolarinwa Jibola.

    Read also: We will create better environment for artisans, says Akeredolu

    “Obuji was asked to deliver the items at the park from where it would be sent to the owner in Jos, but he diverted the items to an unknown destination,” he alleged.

    Magistrate K.O. Ogundare granted Obuji N200, 000 bail with two sureties in the like sum.

    He said the sureties should be employed and show evidence of tax payment to the Lagos State Government.

    Ogundare adjourned till January 24.

     

  • Old boys give cash awards, books to students

    The Old Students of Abeokuta Grammar School (AGSOBA) 9602 set has given awards to deserving indigent students of the institution to spur them to greater academic exploits.

    The awards were presented at the premises of the school in Abeokuta as part of activities marking its 110th founders’ day celebration.

    The President General of the Abeokuta Grammar School Old Boys (AGSOBA), Lanre Laoshe, who was represented by chairman of the 110th founder’s day celebration, Seun Fasheun, admonished the students to always strive for excellence.

    Fasheun said: “You students are privileged to attend a school of this magnitude and my advice is that you should continue to strive to be the best always”.

    The President of AGSOBA 9602, Tosin Adesile, noted the prize -giving day was added to the annual essay competition which is in its second edition.

    He said books worth thousands will be presented to the best students in JSS1, JSS2, SS1 and SS2 with an additional cash prize of N50, 000.

    He admonished parents to continue encouraging their children to be the best.

    A motivational lecture titled what you do today determines your future was delivered by Barr. Habeeb Whyte and Mr. Goke Sorinola.

    They advised the students to use the present to read and expect bountiful harvests later

     

  • Adeniyi donates books to his alma mater

    Veteran journalist and literary icon Chief Tola Adeniyi has presented a set of 32 compendiums of Encyclopaedia Britannica to his alma mater Ago Iwoye Secondary School in Ijebu, Ogun State.

    Adeniyi, the Bobagunwa of Ago-Iwoye, graduated from the college 55 years ago, where he once served as the Chairman, of its Board of Governors.

    Adeniyi praised the former Principal of the school, the late Mr J.O.B. Adebambo, who inculcated the reading culture by compelling every pupil to read and summarise a novel weekly.

    As the school’s official reporter, weekly commentator and columnist on the Press board as well as being the president of the school’s Literary and Debating Society and Drama Club, Adeniyi stated that the college laid the foundation for his career in the arts and journalism.

    In addition to the Encyclopaedias shipped in from Canada, the veteran journalist also presented 100 novels donated to the school by Dr Raphael James, founder of the largest private/public library in Nigeria, Crimmd Free Public Library.

    Adeniyi also donated 10 of the books authored by him to the school.

    Receiving the books on behalf of the college were the principals of the Senior and Junior arms of the college, Mr Adekunle Fenuga and Mr Adegboyega Osunsami.

    Fenuga expressed profound appreciation for Adeniyi’s patriotic gesture and enjoined other old students to emulate his altruistic example.

    Both the National President of Ago Iwoye Old Students Association, Chief Babajide Oyeti, a retired Permanent Secretary, and the Secretary- General Dr Joke Sheyin, a university don, praised Adeniyi, urging the teachers and pupils of the institution to make the best use of the books.

    In his introductory remark, Otunba Yomi Bada, an old student and retired Customs boss, eulogised Adeniyi and made a brief citation of the literary giant who founded the school’s Press club in 1959 and was Editor of the school’s magazine The Spartan.

    Publisher, Femi Odugbose and entrepreneur Dele Owolowo were among the dignitaries at the event.

  • Writer seeks to teach values through books

    Mr Greg Nwamadi is hoping to teach young people about values and an appreciation of the African continent through two new books he has written.

    The books, ‘Legend of the Lost’, a novel, and ‘Lush Garden in an Arid Land’, a collection of poems, will be launched on Saturday at the Golden Gate Chinese Restaurant, Ikoyi.

    At a press briefing last week, Nwamadi said the books were part of campaign by the Family Value Development Initiative (FVDI) in collaboration with the Ford Foundation, to teach values to youths.

    He said the books were a product of research working with young people on FVDI programmes, which revealed a lack of values and poor reading culture.

    “We published the work under FVDI to promote values.  We have been working with the youth.  We have held seminars, career counseling programmes.  One of the things we found out was that young people don’t read much – they spend time on social media, which distracts them.

    “What we are doing is to use the channels of publication for the revival of lost values.  I collected the poems to teach them and remind them again about values on which the society stands such as courage, diligence, respect, perseverance.

    “We are confident that if the books can get into the education system or other channels of influence, it is one work that will remind them of social expectations.  It will build character and ultimately change society,” he said.

    At Saturday’s launch, a key note address on: ‘Technology and Values for Future Leaders’ will be presented by the Chairman, Governing Council of the Institute of Information Management(IIM), Dr Oyedokun Oyewole, at the event which has Dr. Dolapo Bright, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Agriculture and the real sector, as the Special Guest of honour.

    Prof Emmanuel Adedun, former Sub-dean, School of Postgraduate Studies, University of Lagos, is to review the book.