Book reading develops capacity
The fading, evening sunlight streamed through sealed large flawlessly polished glass windows into the Rose meeting room on the first floor at the NCDMB Conference centre as an audience comprising
The fading, evening sunlight streamed through sealed large flawlessly polished glass windows into the Rose meeting room on the first floor at the NCDMB Conference centre as an audience comprising academics, literary enthusiasts, public relations and communication experts, and the media witnessed NCDMB 2026 first quarter Book Reading programme featuring Dr Dakuku Peterside 204 page book on leadership, "Leading in a Storm".
The NCDMB Book Reading Programme is a quarterly literacy initiative designed to promote critical thinking and knowledge sharing among professionals, students, and the public.The programme hosts prominent authors and thought leaders to inspire intellectual development.
Since its inception in 2014, the programme has featured various reputable writers, such as HRM King Bubaraye Dakolo (The Pirates of the Gulf).Dio Oketula (The Catalyst: The Nigerian Tech Evolution Through the Journalist Lens), and other editors and leadership experts from across Nigeria.
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The event, which took place at ultra modern NCDMB Towers in Yenagoa, Bayelsa state, featured book reading, music, spoken poetry and a book signing ceremony.
According to NCDMB General Manager, Corporate Communication Division, Dr Obinna Ezeobi, the event which is in its third year promotes literacy and education, stressing that NCDMB interventions across diverse fields such as education, research and development, business and core industry, chimes with its mandate to build the intellect and capacity of Nigerians.
Ezeobi said the annual book reading programme features authors, top leaders, and intellectuals while providing a platform to discuss issues of development.
He said Q1 2026 Book Reading programme spotlights the theme of leadership and its importance in nation building saying, " today, we are discussing leadership, with leadership we can develop Nigeria content,with leadership we can achieve innovation, strengthen the oil and gas industry and reduce dependence on foreign expertise."
On selection of authors into its book reading programme, Ezeobi said only the best authors that matches NCDMB's brand are shortlisted.
His words, "for any author to appear on our programme that author must be at a level that matches the NCDMB brand."
The author, Dr Dakuku Peterside, politician, a former Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), who read excerpts of his book, noted that aside his lived experience as a Nigerian and his interactions with his foreign lecturer inspired the book.
According to him, his encounter with an American lecturer challenged him to investigating how African leaders can perform better under intense pressure with limited resources and weak institutions.
His words , "the immediate spark plug that led to the production of this book was my time at Kellog School of Management, U.S.A.I had a particular Professor of Leadership, Organisational Development who said that most principles of leadership taught in those institutions works only in Europe and America but often fails in Africa because Africa is in a "permanent state of crisis."
Dakuku listed other factors that inspired the book to include, his lived reality as Nigerians, his time as federal legislator when as chairman, the Petroleum Resources Committee (Downstream), and tenure as Director General/ Chief Executive Officer, NIMASA when he supervised the maritime industry and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
