By: Femi Mustapha in Kaduna
Concerns over declining reading habits among young people and the growing influence of the internet have led to the launch of a new intellectual and creative hub in Edo State.
The DeeMoat Hub, which hosted its first Books & Ideas program in Benin, was established as a platform for learning, innovation, enterprise, creativity, and meaningful engagement, aimed at reconnecting young Nigerians with books and critical thinking.
The event, featuring Nigerian writer and publisher Dr. Eghosa Imasuen and his non-fiction book, The Challengers, brought together authors, students, government officials, and members of the public.
Onome Tovia Ugolor, Program Lead at DeeMoat Books & Ideas, stated that the hub was created on the belief that communities can thrive only when people have access to knowledge, opportunities, and spaces for the free exchange of ideas.
“DeeMoat Hub was born from a simple but powerful conviction: that communities grow when people have access to knowledge, opportunities, and spaces where ideas can be freely exchanged,” Ugolor said.
She explained that the hub was designed as a platform for learning, innovation, enterprise, creativity, and meaningful engagement, with particular focus on young people. The Books & Ideas initiative was established to bring books, authors, and ideas into direct conversation with the public.
According to her, the program will offer an inclusive platform for authors to connect with readers, inspire public dialogue, and bring ideas beyond the printed page into society.
“At a time when reading habits are under pressure, and many young people are navigating an increasingly complex world, we believe that books remain powerful tools of education, imagination, and transformation,” she said.
Ugolor stated that the initiative aims to strengthen the reading culture, promote critical thinking, celebrate Nigerian and African writers, and connect younger generations with stories and ideas that can shape their future.
She noted that the choice of The Challengers for the inaugural edition aligns with the spirit of the program, as its themes of “ambition, courage, enterprise, and the experiences of people who confront obstacles and create new possibilities” resonate with the goals of DeeMoat Books & Ideas.
“Today’s gathering is therefore more than a book presentation. It is the beginning of a community of readers, writers, thinkers, innovators, and citizens who believe in the power of ideas to inspire action and advance the common good,” she said.
She called on authors, schools, universities, government agencies, businesses, development partners, and members of the public to work together in building the initiative into “a vibrant and lasting platform for intellectual and cultural engagement.”
Representing the Edo State Deputy Governor, Rt. Hon. Dennis Idahosa, his Chief of Staff, Hon. Pius Alile, described the initiative as a center for innovation, knowledge acquisition, and knowledge transfer, emphasizing that knowledge should lead to productivity, innovation, and societal progress.
“We should acquire knowledge for productivity, for the transformation of society, for innovation, and for achieving societal goals,” Alile said, while pledging government support and noting that “any society that rejects knowledge rejects growth.”
The Permanent Secretary of Edo State Ministry of Education, Enodomwanyi Otamere, also praised the hub and encouraged young people to return to the culture of reading.
Describing DeeMoat Hub as a place worth visiting and a research center with a variety of books, Otamere said, “The use of the internet has actually taken young minds away from reading,” and urged the public to “go back to our books.”
“We should always return to our books. Let us examine our books. Let us discard the saying that if you want to hide something from a Black man, put it inside a book. Let us look inside the book. There are more things in books than elsewhere,” he said.
He disclosed that the Ministry would send The Challengers to the Edo State Book Review Committee for review, adding that if approved, the book might be recommended for students.
The founder of DeeMoat Hub, Rev. David Ugolor, explained that the hub’s broader vision was rooted in the need to provide young people with an environment conducive to learning, networking, creativity, and leadership development.
According to him, the word “Moat” holds significance in Benin culture, where it symbolizes security, and the hub was established in response to an increasingly insecure world, with a lack of knowledge among the factors contributing to insecurity.
“Knowledge is power, and through books, you can gain knowledge,” he said. He added that the hub was meant to be a space where young people could express themselves and benefit from mentorship, drawing on his three decades of experience in the non-governmental sector.
Discussing his book, Dr. Eghosa Imasuen said The Challengers was an effort to tell a true story about entrepreneurs he admired and the rise of a business culture among his generation.
He described the work as narrative non-fiction, explaining that he aimed to document how a group of entrepreneurs built a business and demonstrated principles that are now being adopted by newer generations of businesses, including fintech companies.
“First, we fought for freedom. Then we fought for democracy. Now, we are fighting for economic freedom,” Imasuen said, noting that the entrepreneurs featured in the book played a role in that process.
He emphasized that the book was not meant as a traditional business guide with specific lessons or formulas for making money, but as a true story meant to allow readers to observe, reflect, and draw their own lessons.
The event marked the first edition of DeeMoat Books & Ideas, with organizers indicating that more books and authors would be featured in future editions as the hub expands its intellectual and community activities.
The highlight of the event was the launch of The Challengers, during which guests purchased copies for themselves, their loved ones, and friends.