From Paper to Mouth. - by Born Of God

<blockquote>Most publicities come with persuasion some however, come with satisfaction. The kind that began as a story...</blockquote> Mine began in JS2, when a female friend of mine, Sumayyah, introduced me and two other friends to a library called Ignite Africa. Sumayyah was in JS3, and as far as we knew, she was the only student in our school who knew the library existed.It was a private library.No billboards, no posters, no publicity. Ignite Africa was practically a secret hiding in plain sight. We started visiting after school to read our textbooks and complete assignments as early as possible. The library also had a private reading lounge we were granted access to study without paying. For students looking for somewhere peaceful to escape the noise of a government school, it was a welcome relief. But one particular visit stayed with me. I was standing by a particular secluded bookshelf, looking at a book with so much interest I wish I could grab it, but of course, there was a price tag attached to it. "Take it."Was the voice that jolted me out of my mesmerized admiration.The Senior Librarian was standing behind me smiling."You can borrow it home to return later"Perhaps the interest on my face gave me away. Whatever the reason, the librarian picked up on my curiosity and gave me the book.Just like that.I took it home and began reading.The book explored ancient African trade, the way of life and the advent of religion on the continent, but it did so through a wonderfully creative fictional narrative. It didn't feel like someone had handed me a history lesson disguised as homework. It drew me into a story, and before I knew it, I was learning while enjoying myself.Even till now, that book is still one of the most creative books I have read in my entire life.Yeahhh.... It was that good. After reading and returning the book, I searched online for a copy to download. I wanted to keep it, only to discover that it was priced in dollars.DOLLARS! I had received it for free, yet finding a copy online meant paying in a currency that could make a Nigerian student's pocket -my pocket- empty for weeks...Broke Nigerian student!!Broke!!! That was when something dawned on me.The book wasn't less valuable because I hadn't paid for it. It was simply a good book, and I had been fortunate enough to encounter it through someone's generosity. And the book wasn't my only discovery at Ignite Africa. I encountered other documentary books, history dictionaries, and encyclopedias that later became valuable resources when I prepared for debate competitions. What had begun as a place to read my school textbooks gradually became a place where I could expand my knowledge beyond the classroom. Then, without quite realising it, I became part of the library's story too. I became head prefect in JS3, and later, in SS3. I used the influence that came with those positions to introduce more students to Ignite Africa. Before I left school, students across both the junior and senior sections of four different neighborhood schools knew about the library and those who found its worth like I did engaged in its paid services. I also discovered that it offered working spaces for rent, something I hadn't known about when I first walked through its doors. Infact, I discovered this when I began seeing people come in to book those spaces. Whoever told them that, I don't know and honestly, I didn't care. I had discovered the library through Sumayyah, received a book through the librarian's generosity, and... I told some students, other students told more students and the word spread like wildfire through five different schools and into the ears of some broda and sista into office work. Well... It didn't seem like advertisement or marketing to me.I saw it as simply telling people about somewhere I genuinely valued.And perhaps that is what made the experience special. Ignite Africa didn't have to convince me with an elaborate advertisement. A librarian noticed a young student's interest in a book and gave him an opportunity to enjoy it. The experience spoke for itself.That simple gesture reached further than the librarian could have ever known. One thing stayed with me for life ..... <blockquote>Free purchase should not mean low quality. Free services should not denote inferior treatment. Because sometimes...... Certain degrees of satisfaction can turn customers into a walking billboard.</blockquote>

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