Akanbi elected Nigeria Book Fair Trust Vice Chairman
By Mubarak Oladosu
An Associate Professor at the Department of Agricultural Economics and Farm Management, University of Ilorin, Dr Sheu-Usman Oladipo Akanbi, has been elected as the Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Book Fair Trust (NBFT).
The election of Dr Akanbi was announced in a press statement issued by the Executive Secretary of the NBFT, Mr Abiodun Omotubi, at the end of the recently concluded 25th Nigeria International Book Fair at the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts (formerly the National Theatre), Lagos.
Dr Akanbi, who is also the National President of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), was elected alongside the National President of the Nigerian Publishers Association (NPA), Alhaji Lukman Dauda, who emerged as the Chairman of the Trust.
The statement pointed out that through his contributions to scholarship and literature, Dr Akanbi continues to bridge the gap between academia and contemporary Nigerian creative writing.
It further stated that the election of the UNILORIN don reflects the Trust’s commitment to strengthening the industry and fostering greater cooperation among critical stakeholders in the literary and publishing sectors.
Members of the Council similarly expressed strong confidence in the competence, wealth of experience, and leadership qualities of Dr Akanbi and his colleague to advance the vision of the NBFT and enhance its relevance both nationally and internationally.
The Council also expressed confidence in the leadership capacity, experience, and vision of both men to reposition the Trust for greater impact within and beyond Nigeria.
The NBFT is a foremost non-governmental organisation and the official umbrella body for major stakeholders in Nigeria’s book sector.
Incorporated in 2002, the Trust serves as a coalition of authors, publishers, booksellers, printers, and librarians committed to promoting literacy, expanding the local book trade, and improving reading culture across Africa.
