I was delighted to hear the encomiums from the Vice Chancellor, Professor Shaykh-
It was truly a proud moment. To know that my selfless service to humanity was noticed, and publicly acknowledged in that space, meant more than I can easily put into words. KWASU’s library is massive. It stands as a monument to knowledge, a house built for minds to grow. So getting that recognition there hits different for me.
We often say, “Go all in on reading.” That day, I saw why. Books are not just paper and ink. They are tools. They equip us with information, and information is what turns boldness into confidence. The power of boldness is confidence backed by information. Without knowledge, boldness is just noise. But when you know what you stand on, you can challenge issues without fear or favour.
Service has always been my lane. Not for clout, but for character. Common sense and good attitude create the kind of space where respect is earned, not forced, and where conversations actually grow people. Being around minds that value character over clout is rare. It’s the difference between “ever new, not growing” and actually building something.
Hearing the Vice Chancellor speak, I was reminded that selfless work echoes. It may be quiet, it may be far away, but it is never lost. Someone is watching. Someone is reading. Someone is learning. And when recognition comes, it is not the finish line. it is an impetus to do more
World Book and Copyright Day is about the power of words, the rights of creators, and the duty we all have to keep learning. For me, standing in that library, surrounded by shelves that carry generations of thought, the
message was clear: keep serving, keep reading, keep building.
Because common sense is not common and not commonly used, yet it is available to all, though not sought by all. Let us be the people who seek it. Let us be the people who share it.
Today and always, go all in on reading. And while we are at it, go all in on service too.
–Chief Abiodun Lasile DL MnbR
Orunto Baalufe Owu Kingdom Abeokuta
Founder/Coordinator, The SixthSense Initiative and SixthSense Series Publications
Chairman, Association of Nigerian Authors
