… targets human capital development, industrial capacity among the youth

“The essence of the club is to raise a professional who will shape the future of the World” – Dr. Anyanwu

“We want to equip our youth with public speaking skills” – Rev. Ehimen

Oredola Adeola

The International Holiness Pentecostal Church Nigeria, Grace Chapel, has launched the Book Club Launch and Advanced Masterclass Book Review, which aims to encourage improved reading and writing habits among Gen Z youth, reduce cybercrimes and criminality, decrease the influence of illicit drugs, and promote human capital development by fostering mental, social, and industrial capacity among the youth.

The launch took place in Lagos on Sunday, with attendees emphasizing the critical role of reading in youth development and societal growth.

According to Pastor Samuel Ikebugo the Assistant Western Conference Superintendent Education and the Minister in charge of the Youth ministry in Grace Chapel, other objectives of the Book Club include plans to restore youth glory, bridge the leadership gap, foster creativity, develop literary skills, sustain marital bliss, sharpen communication skills, reduce unemployment, revive the reading culture, boost public speaking skills from a young age, and build confidence.

Ogbeide Blessing, the Team Lead and Coordinator of the Club, stated, ‘The objective of the Bookish Bunch is to ensure that the 21st century is driven by technology. We do not want the reading culture to die.

“The vision is to foster the reading culture in teenagers and young adults because reading books takes you to places you never go physically.

“When you read a book, your imagination runs wild, you learn, you gain knowledge, and you are respected as a person of unique intellect.

“We want to ensure that the reading culture does not die but keeps growing from the bottom to the top.

“We are starting this from the International Pentecostal Holiness Church Grace Chapel Nigeria and taking it to all parts of the world, as far as the sky can contain,” she said.

Speaking about the uniqueness of the Bookish Bunch as a core segment of the Readers’ Club, she added, ‘The church is championing the lead, and we want to use the medium to preach the Gospel of Christ.

“We have performed beyond our expectations; from the presentation, we have identified individuals’ talents. The club provides platforms for people to be mentored, modelled, and facilitated in knowledge, and to excel to the peak of their careers,” the Team lead said.

Dr. Francis Anyanwu, Chief Launcher and Chairman of the occasion, remarked, “The club is a place where people come to develop themselves into what they are destined to become. You are what you read, and what you read is you. It is reading that makes people. If you don’t study, you are only welcoming failure.

“Failure is simply defined as people who don’t have time to read. By studying, you eliminate the need to start afresh, paving the way to success.

“Everyone in the club is here for self-advancement. You have to continue to rise to any level in your life, read, and also be an author.’

He further shared his experiences, ‘In a class I attended in California, they said if you want to hide anything from a Black man, you need to hide it in books.

“I found this remark derogatory and challenged the professor who uttered it. In reality, many American natives aren’t as learned as foreigners, who often excel due to their dedication to education.

“The welfare system in the US and Europe can sometimes make natives lazy, compared to industrious foreign students, particularly Africans studying abroad.

Dr Anyanwu however stated that that is why Africans excel everywhere, adding that the essence of the book club is to raise professionals who will shape Africa’s future.

Rev. Joseph Ehimen, the Chief Convener and Senior Pastor of the International Holiness Pentecostal Church Nigeria, Grace Chapel, emphasized the need for an enabling structure to execute and achieve the Book Readers Club’s goals.

He said, “This could come in the form of humane, kind, financial, and networking support. We need physical structures and virtual platforms for hybrid meetings of all members and must assemble the necessary resources.

“We plan to reach out to respected Nigerian authors, poets, academics, top business executives, and industry captains to mentor the club members and give direction to the vision. Readers can become writers and authors of great books.”

Rev. Ehimen also noted that the church is the project’s kick-off point, with plans to expand to the Western Conference Division under the Conference Education Ministry.

He highlighted the involvement of Pastor Samuel Ikebugo and the need for substantial financial resources to meet growing demands.

He said, “The project aims not only to read motivational books but also to boost youths’ confidence and public speaking skills. The structure will be multi-dimensional, involving the church, government, and civil society.

“The book club is inclusive, welcoming anyone, regardless of religion, who can contribute to the vision. He stressed that this initiative would help the nation grow and prevent children from wasting time on cell phones,” Rev Ehimen said.

He cited examples of tech giants like Facebook, Amazon, and Google, whose founders are avid readers and programmers, demonstrating the global respect and wealth that come from reading.