Airtel, Gemstone Make History with Global Book Reading

Gemstone Group in collaboration with Airtel Nigeria have made history with the first ever simultaneous global book reading in 17 cities in Nigeria and 17 countries across the world.

The book, 17 Secrets of High Flying Students, authored by Fela Durotoye, was read via life streaming on the occasion with participants estimated at over 50 thousand high school students.

Bayo Osinowo, Airtel Nigeria’s regional operations director, Lagos Region, expressed delight at the occasion, saying Airtel is proud to be associated with the historic event and committed to empowering Nigerian youth to succeed in their academic and future endeavours.

Osinowo also assured that Airtel Nigeria will always support laudable initiatives that will enable Nigerians excel in legitimate endeavours.

The book reading session was simultaneously held in 17 cities across Nigeria and 17 countries across the world.

The cities that hosted the reading in Nigeria were Lagos, Abeokuta, Calabar, Ilorin, Ibadan, Port-Harcourt, Ife, Abuja, Benin, Jos, Ado-Ekiti, Uyo, Enugu, Kaduna, Minna, Owerri and Asaba, while the countries in which reading took place include South Africa, Ghana, United States, United Kingdom, Uganda, Zimbabwe, India, Indonesia, Singapore, China, Philippines, Thailand, Cambodia, Seychelles, United Arab Emirates, Australia, and Canada.

The effort has earned the organisers a place in the Guinness Book of World Records in the category of the largest global reading session in different countries simultaneously, a new category in world records.

It has also broken two existing records of the highest number ofchildren being read to by an adult and the largest book reading event by an author that stood at 4,222 and 5,406 people respectively.

Durotoye’s noble objectives had the buy-in of relevant arms of government, leading political figures and progressive businesses inNigeria including the Federal Ministry of Education, several state governments, Airtel Nigeria amongst other notable businesses.

At the reading centre at the Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos, the lead reader was the First Lady of Lagos State – Dame Emanuella Abimbola Fashola, Abuja was privileged to have Prof Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufai, minister of Education as lead reader, while the Ilorin reading centre saw the First Lady of Kwara State – H.E. Mrs. Omolewa Ahmed playing that role of lead reader.

Several other First Ladies led the reading in their respective states.

The “17 Secrets of High Flying Students” is an inspirational book that shares 17 leadership secrets and principles that guarantee leadership and academic excellence.

The book captures leadership secrets presented in captivating life–changing stories along with nuggets and principles that can transform average students and outright failures into high flying students and highly successful individuals.