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The author of ‘I Do
Not Come To You By Chance’ will feature in an interactive session today
in Abuja, in an event spearheaded by the Independent Corrupt Practices
and other related offences Commission (ICPC), to sensitise youth
against fraud and other criminal activities.

The ICPC is
collaborating with The Write Squad, an Abuja-based literary group on
the event, which will involve readings and discussions. According to
Rashidat Okoduwa, the Director, Education and Awareness at the
Commission, the collaboration is part of its efforts to intensify the
corruption campaign among the youths. “We have come to identify the
power of literature, especially when it comes to shaping the thought of
our younger generations. This is the spirit behind our collaboration
with The Write Squad by hosting this edition of My Book & I,” she
said.

Maintaining that
the choice of the guest speaker was influenced by the appropriateness
of the book to the discussion, she said, “And of course as an
anti-corruption agency, we find the book ‘I Do Not Come To You By
Chance’ very relevant to our objectives and such decided to use it to
engage the youth in an interactive session.” The Write Squad since its
inception in October 2009 has held monthly reading and interactive
sessions to help students cultivate reading culture. Among the many
writers hosted by the monthly sessions are Ahmed Maiwada, Sade Adeniran
and Sello Duiker.

Students from both
private and public, Junior and Senior Secondary Schools will
participate in the session. This was affirmed by Jerry Adesewo, founder
and coordinator of the group. According to Jerry Adesewo more students,
coordinator for The Write Squad, this will be the largest of the
group’s events so far. “We started with just 24 students in March 2010,
from where we grew to between 60 – 100 on monthly basis, depending on
funds available for purchase of books to distribute to the schools; and
now we shall be having 200 students,” he affirmed.

Currently Opinion Editor at NEXT, Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani won the
2010 Commonwealth Writers’ Prize (Africa Region) for her novel, about
the notorious ‘419’ advance fee fraud. ICPC will donate copies of the
book to the libraries of 20 Abuja schools.