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Tag: reading culture

  • On Nigerians’ poor reading culture

    On Nigerians’ poor reading culture

    • By Daniel Ighakpe

    Sir: Once upon a time, Nigeria paraded the best set of authors and publishers in Africa. At that time, reading was an innate affection for both young and old. This reading culture reflected so much on the quality of leadership and civil discipline that it brought pride to Nigerians anywhere in the world. Now, the rich literacy history that the country was famous for has waned. Yes, reading and writing which were once indulged in as a pleasure are now often spurned as a chore.

    One possible factor contributing to the poor book reading culture is the socio-economic environment that is not reader-friendly. The daily struggle for survival provides little or no time for people to cultivate good reading habit. Equally, high cost of books, particularly imported ones as well as a dearth of dedicated quiet reading spaces like libraries has contributed to low readership promotion in the country.

    In the last few decades, the Nigerian indigenous book publishing industry has experienced a downturn due to numerous challenges facing the industry. These include book piracy, proliferation of unqualified author-publishers, lack of capital, and inability to provide adequate numbers of high-quality books. Other challenges include poor reading culture, infrastructural decay, dearth of expertise, incessant rancour among the major stakeholders, and so forth.

    As a panacea, stakeholders such as government, publishers, authors, regulators, booksellers, libraries, and readers should cooperate among themselves towards the development of a virile book publishing industry.

    Private investors such as banks, finance houses and influential individuals should participate, especially in terms of massive capital injection.

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    The government can partner with notable non-governmental organizations in the establishment of book clubs in our schools across the nation. This will help to promote a good reading culture among the youths.

     Government should help to eliminate the scourge of book piracy. It should charge less import duties on book publishing equipment and accessories in order to encourage hitch-free importation.

    Existing public libraries should be renovated and upgraded, while new ones should be built and equipped with relevant titles.

    Higher institutions could offer courses in book publishing and related disciplines, thereby helping to provide the required personnel for job opportunities that exist in the book publishing industry.

    The onus is on all, both the government and the private sector, to nourish our book publishing industry – the harbingers of books, thereby contributing towards the further development of the society.

    •Daniel Ighakpe,

    FESTAC Town, Lagos.

  • Gallery promotes reading culture

    For about 20 minutes, four secondary school pupils selected from the audience sat in front of the hall listening to the guest reader.

    During this period, the National Press Centre Hall of Radio House Abuja, venue of the event, was filled and silent. The reader, a House of Representatives member from Benue State, Hon. Mark Gbilah, who sat between the students read some pages from the popular Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, which clocked 61 this year. A question and answer session followed to test the students’ understanding of the readings.

    Impressed by the students’ performance, Hon. Gbilah urged the children to sustain their interest in reading, adding: “It helps you conquer the world. It helps you to get knowledge and become great in life.’’ He said the significance of the book informed the choice of Things Fall Apart for the reading. The session was part of presentation of books and exhibition of National Gallery of Art (NGA) publications held penultimate Thursday by National Gallery of Art, Abuja. It was primarily part of activities to encourage book reading culture.

    Information and Culture Minister Alhaji Lai Mohammed said by bringing the books and publications to the public, NGA is taking the  step of making them accessible for appraisal, so that subsequent works would be better. This way, he said, they are contributing to our knowledge in visual arts and other art form.

    The Minister, represented by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Deaconess Grace Gekpe, said the lecture, which is focusing on the Nigerians’ poor reading culture, is an issue that is dear to the ministry.

    “Indeed, I want to commend the Gallery for choosing such a topical issue for discourse as the nation at present needs a reset as the current administration moves to the next level. We have to encourage our teeming youth not only to read, but enjoy doing so to garner requisite information, knowledge and understanding to stand them in good stead to cope with the challenges of our ever changing world of today,” he added. The minister later unveiled the publications.

    NGA Chairman, Ambassador Azores Sulaiman said the gallery takes documentation  serious the same way it treats visual art promotion and empowerment of artists in the country.  According to him, the gallery has in the last few years, organised art fairs in various geo-political zones. The idea, he said, is to ensure that no part of the country is left behind in the art sector.

    “I commend them for this and we as a board promise to give them the needed support. Today’s event is very important. This is because the National Gallery of Art is laying bare its history in the area of documentation and how it has grown to become one of Nigeria’s repositories of Books and Publications in the visual art sub-sector. Even more, they want to encourage book reading culture, hence there is a lecture on this issue by Nigeria’s Chief Librarian and distinguished scholar, Prof. LenrieAina,” he added.

    Keynote speaker National Library of Nigeria Chief Executive Officer, Prof.  Lenrie Aina, was represented by Deputy Director, Legal Department, Nation Library of Nigeria, Mrs. Idung Akpabio. The event was spiced by cultural performances by Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Troupe. A burst of pioneer Director-General of the NGA, Dr. Paul Dike  was also unveiled at the vent.

    NGA Director-General, AbdullahiMuku, who was retiring from service the next day, said at inception, NGA noticed a gap in the then bubbling art scene- the lack of proper documentation of art works by exhibiting artists, which inspired the publication of the books on exhibition.

    “Even with poor funding, which unfortunately persists till now, we were poised to fill the gap and handle this aspect professionally. Did we succeed? We want you to be the judge as you view our body of works in Publications and Books in the past two decades plus.

    “The works you are about to view emanated from our signature programmes, such as the National Symposium on Nigerian Art and the Annual Distinguished Lecture series, among others. The publication is a compendium of NGA’s publications, showing the developmental stages and how much we have achieved in this direction. It is our expectation that this exhibition will make the works accessible to more people than ever before. We are also offering them online to a wider public across the world,” he stated.

    AlhajiYahayaAbubakar, the Etsu Nupe commended NGA’s efforts at organising the event, which has as focus the development of women and children. He called on Nigerians to promote and preserve the nation’s heritage. This, he said, could be done through several methods, especially history, which should be made compulsory in schools.

    “These compiled collections of NGA publications will go a long way in encouraging reading culture,” he added, urging everyone to show interest in the collection and read them.

    Meanwhile, the outgoing Director-General of National Gallery of Art, Abdullahi Muku got a rousing send-off penultimate Friday at the Federal Secretariat, Abuja when he was gracefully pulled out of service by staff of the gallery.

    Amid drumming, singing and dancing, Muku was treated to a lavish party where some workers poured encomiums on him in appreciation of his leadership quality, especially his humility all through his tenure as DG since 2009.

    One of the workers Mr. Dubem Egbunike said: ”He is like a father and very passionate. He shared much affection with staff, which made him very much unlike most CEOs. I am happy he is celebrated today, a record his two predecessors never enjoyed at time of leaving gallery. However, he is a human being who is not expected to be perfect.”

    To the NGA’s union leader, Comrade Musa Balogun, Muku meant more to him than a boss, saying he was a major inspiration and support for his career growth at NGA, adding that but for him, he won’t have gotten to where he is as a Master’s degree holder, who started from ground zero. He praised Muku for allowing him realise his dream.

    Expectedly, the celebrator expressed shock at the celebration though sincerely appreciate the efforts. “For whatever I achieved, I give it to all the staff. Being humble is a base to greater height. It pays a lot. I urged my successor to improve on what I did,” he said amid emotion-filled encomiums.

  • Agbakoba seeks promotion of reading culture

    Poet and historian, Nnamdi Agbakoba has sought the promotion of reading culture in Nigeria while decrying the degree of literacy decay in the country, saying it has reached an alarming stage.

    “We can no longer be complacent as our youths and students have almost abandoned interest in reading good books that edify the body, soul and spirit to browsing for all kinds of junk information that defile the mind. Our children can hardly spell correctly the most simplest of words and this is one of the many disadvantages of a dead reading culture,” he noted.

    Agbakoba who spoke at a book chat in Lagos recently

    tasked leaders, teachers and lecturers to as a matter of urgency, do all in their power to help salvage a dead reading culture in Nigeria.

    “We in Nigeria may think we are losing revenue from obvious areas such as our inability so far to drill and refine our oil or tons and tons of precious minerals including gold and silver that remains buried deep in the earth or inefficiencies of a potentially vibrant tourist industry, however we are losing tons of revenue from less obvious areas such as book sales.

    “Polices that introduce compulsory literature books for all exam candidates to help rekindle a dead reading culture most apparent in Nigeria and beyond is a fantastic policy, but authors and publishers can play a vital role to help support this policy,” he said.

    He described his new book Deep Secrets as an interesting cross-breed between prose and poetry having been garnished with over ten poems. He said the novel discourages student and youth cultism, examination malpractice and cheating, police brutality, terrorism, youth restiveness and violence. According to him, the book encourages peace, religious tolerance, benefits of hard work, family unity and bounding. He added that the book also encourages effectiveness of the legal system in combating terrorism, student cultism and restiveness.

    “Compelling a youth to buy and read a book to pass an exam is a good starting point, but simple psychology informs me that the minute that pressure to buy and read a book to pass an examination is absent, then the book will most likely be discarded. The whole idea of igniting reading culture is to ensure that youths willingly look for good books that may interest them and read such books without any coercion or pressure because they want to pass an exam, like it used to be in the 50s, 60s, 70s and early part of the 1980s. There is a definite benefit to this culture that enhances and accelerates societal development,” he said.

  • LG boss vows to promote reading culture

    Students in the Badagry Local Government Area of Lagos State can now heave a sigh of relief as the local government reading room which had been abandoned for over ten tears due to its dilapidated state will be commissioned for use in the next three weeks.

    The chairman of the local government, Hon Olusegun Onilude,  dropped this hint during the Children’s Day celebration which took place at Badagry Grammar School, Badagry.

    He said the reading room which was being reactivated in partnership with some private organizations was meant to reawake the lost reading culture of students in the local government area and improve the standard of education.

    The council boss pointed out that the local government had put in place a mechanism to resuscitate the literary and debating competitions in both primary and secondary schools to enhance the standard of education in the council area.

    “The Lagos State yearly Spelling Bee competition which comes up once in the local government area is now to be held on quarterly basis in the council area, while the literary and debating competitions which had been scrapped in schools will be resuscitated to promote healthy rivalry among students in our local government area. I am determined to promote reading culture.”  he said.

    Onilude, who enjoined children to refrain from keeping bad companies, noted that the major effects of “keeping bad companies are cultism and drug abuse. The rate at which cases of cultism and drug abuse are being reported in our primary and secondary schools is alarming. As a government at the local level, we are not taking this lying low. We are collaborating with our security agencies and social organizations to combat these social ills’’

    In his goodwill message on the occasion, the Supervisor for Education in the local government area, Hon. Apata Nunayon, who advised parents to build and access their parent child relationship, enjoined teachers to make excellence their watch-word in order to achieve effective teaching and learning.

  • Authors promote reading culture

    Writing as a craft is a lifelong continuing learning process: To write well need some application and special aptitude. Some writers seem to have been born with the instinctive feel and ability to do it effortlessly. Still, even the best writers like other artists still need to develop their power. Not only by putting words to writing but the many activities the writers engage in, particularly, the engagement with the readers for feedback on what they make of the writers’ work. That opportunity to engage the writers by the readers is one of the major aims of the WIN writers’ group monthly assemblage. WIN is a new writers group that holds its monthly meeting at the beautifully nestled QuickSpace hall; 44, Community Road, off the popular Allen Avenue, Ikeja-lagos.

    As has become the tradition, the meeting of the members is for two hours after which follow a Guest Readers’ Session. This time, unlike last month, there were two readers who also, happened to be Writers; Mr. Theodore Chikelu: an author; poet with three volumes of poems published, and a fiction writer. He is also the CEO of an Aviation, Tour Guide and Tourism Company and Ms. Grace Austina Okpo; also an Author of several books, is a Motivational Speaker, Life Coach and, Business Consultant.

    Chikelu presented three poems; “Throes of the lost Generation,” “The Oracle Weeps” and “Forces of Disorder.” One poem each, from his three volumes published books of poetry. His presentation was detailed and insightful. The poems, like most African poems had much more than written words to share. They were music to the ears and senses; serenading with an inner rhythmical sounds that reach the soul. “The Oracle Weeps” like the other two poems Chikelu presented are written in elaborate exploratory language that stirred the audiences’ emotion with his play of metaphor, simile and symbolisms. The objective was obviously to grab and hold the attention of the audience but the poems did much more than that at the end, they succeeded as well crafted narratives, to converge emotion, ardour and desire. These were shown through: “The Oracle Weeps;” ‘The Chief Priest tired, watches aghast as the witches howl,’ ‘Blood, blood blood…wasted blood.’ In “Throes of a Lost Generation;” ‘Keeping our generation in futuristic speculations,’ ‘While today is dying.’ And in “Forces of Disorder;” ‘Stripping me of my alibi of silence and secrecy,’ ‘That the night hid so well.’

    It was refreshing and reassuring sharing so many aspects of the African social experiences of life.

    The book Grace Okpo presented is titled, “My Friend the Returnee;” A story revolving around Akachukwu, the providence child who had a chance encounter with Angela, who became the love of his life. Okpo really delivered a beautifully crafted love story. Thoroughly enjoyable and I was particularly fascinated by Akachukwu and everything he was going through.

    There is a lot to this story, not just Akachukwu and Angela’s relationship but the deeper, complex and touching storyline and message, sumptuously narrated.  There are so much sentiments in this book. For instance, Akachukwu who lacked prompt and confidence when it comes to taking the gauntlet of relationships though his heart always was in the right place and Angela, an angel of love. Okpo, like a good writer did a fascinating job setting these two up in beautiful love tango that it was obvious that there was going to be some downwards spiraling twists and tumbles, so I was not surprised or shocked when she uncoiled the twist. Yet, though, a writer who knew it was coming, still when it happened I felt full of grief. I love the web; the way this story all came together. It was easy to follow, a page turner, written in simple, and short sentences. She really delivered a touching and eloquent story with characters that are bound to linger in the readers’ heart a long time

    The session ended in delight with food and drinks in plenty. By next month, another very interesting guest would be reading. The WIN group is always looking for writers, authors and lovers of books interested in reading to us. And, as writers, we know life often gets in the way of writing so, whether you’re stuck halfway through writing in whatever genre you write, or find yourself in the midst of an existential crisis, the WIN group is set up to remind you of why you want to write and will help bring you back to focus.

     

  • Edo BEST Initiative makes learning attractive – Obaseki

    Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has said that the Edo Basic Education Sector Transformation (Edo BEST) programme, makes reading and the entire learning experience attractive and fun for children in public primary and secondary schools in Edo State.

    In his address at the 2018 Readership Promotion Campaign, themed: Sustaining Lifelong Reading for Positive Change, organised by the National Library of Nigeria in Benin City, Obaseki explained, “As part of the plans to over-haul the basic education sub-sector in the state through the Edo Basic Education Sector Transformation (BEST) programme, the state government has concluded arrangement to provide mini-library in each classroom in public school across the state. This will assist pupils in public schools to cultivate sustainable reading culture.”

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    He added that in the plans for the reconstruction of public schools across the state, there are provision to equip the schools with rich libraries where students can read and conduct research.

    The governor who was represented by the Commissioner for Education, Hon. Emmanuel Agbale, noted, “The pupils will be taught how to manage books in the mini-library so that on a rotational basis, every pupil in a class will have the opportunity to serve as the class librarian.”

    Obaseki explained, “There are plans to equip public schools with solar panels that will provide adequate lighting to power tablets to be distributed to students in public schools, with pre-loaded novels and story books.”

    “Survey carried out to generate data on the number of schools will assist the state in developing strategies that would guarantee the protection of assets deployed to schools for improved teaching and learning outcomes,” he added.

    Obaseki urged youths to make effort to cultivate good reading habit, noting that the time spent daily by youths reading and sending messages on social media platforms was a wrong presumption of effort at developing their reading habit.

    He noted that youths would benefit from cultivating a healthy reading habit, adding that such would set them on the path of becoming global citizens and competing favourably with their peers anywhere in the world.

    A guest lecturer, Dr. (Mrs.) Elizabeth I. Ifidon, of the Department of Library and Information Science, Ambrose Alli University,  Ekpoma, explained that the campaign on sustainable reading for positive change can only be successful if it is supported by all stakeholders including parents and educational institutions.

  • Bank supports read aloud marathon to improve reading culture

    Bank supports read aloud marathon to improve reading culture

    After five days of almost non-stop reading, Olubayode Treasures Olawunmi got a well deserved rest, courtesy of GTBank at the WheatBaker Hotel, Ikoyi, Lagos.

    The 40-year old is waiting to hear from the Guinness World Record whether his attempt to surpass Nepalese Deepak Sharma Bajaan’s 113 hours 15 minutes record for the longest Marathon Read Aloud was successful.

    He spent 122 hours from Monday to Saturday at the Herbert Macaulay Library last week attempting to break the record – enjoying only two-hour breaks every 24 hours (five minutes each hour).  During the period, he read 23 books – six more than the Nepalese – to various people who visited the library, even at odd hours of the night, to cheer him on.

    Mrs Abisoye Balogun, Project Manager, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) unit of the bank, said at an interview on the third day of the attempt that once confirmed winner, Olubayode would get N1 million from the bank.

    She said the bank, which also renovated the library, got involved to promote the reading culture.

    To this end, it mobilised resources to support Boyode’s attempt, including providing the logistics for the filming and timing of the attempt and its transportation to the London office of the Guinness World Record for assessment.

    “We are trying to promote reading in Nigeria.  There is a decline as to the way Nigerians read, write, and basically to the whole literary space.  So when he wrote to us that he needed our support, we thought it was a good idea,” she said.

    Mrs Balogun said many of the books Olubayode read were by Nigerians and Africans in a bid to promote Nigerian authors.

    “We are trying to promote African books, we are trying to promote the Nigerian authors, not necessarily based in Nigeria,” she said.

    Last Thursday, which was the World Book Day, Oluboyode read to various groups of school children who visited the library.

    The library’s children section which Mrs Balogun said was recently re-stocked, was also opened for young children to read.

     

  • Anambra partners association to enhance reading culture

    Anambra State is partnering Readers Association of Nigeria (RAN), a literacy enhancement project, to improve reading culture, Education Commissioner Prof. Kate Omenugha has said.

    She told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Awka that the partnership had led to a workshop to enhance educational development and boost reading culture.

    Omenugha said the workshop would help teachers to assess their pupils.

    She said with Anambra being a pacesetter in education, pupils should be able to read and do a self-assessment for improved performance.

    The commissioner said Governor Willie Obiano’s efforts in the sector had positioned the state on the path of academic excellence.

    She said a resource person, Prof. Rob Tierney, from the University of Sydney, Australia, was invited to speak to teachers on the need to embrace portfolio assessment.

    Omenugha said it would help teachers to assess pupils, who will assess themselves for enhanced development.

    She said teachers should play a vital role in making reading interesting to children, adding that this will enable them develop interest in academic activities.

    The commissioner urged teachers not to be harsh on pupils when they make mistakes, but correct them with love.

    She hailed the National President of RAN, Mrs. Irene Mbanefo, and her team for their good work to revive reading culture.

    Omenugha said the workshop would inculcate reading skills in teachers.

  • School debate stimulates reading culture

    The Ogun State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Mrs. Modupe Mujota, has described school debate as a veritable tool which stimulates the interest of students to read extensively while it also allows them widen their horizon.

    Mujota, in a statement signed by her media aide, Mr. Kayode Oduyebo, stated this at the public presentation of a book titled ‘’School Debate Sustaining The World Standard’’, written by a Director in the Ministry, Martins Akinsola, said school debate helps students develop inquisitive mind which propels them to discover new things through reading.

    The commissioner who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Alhaji Sefiu Rasheed, however, decried the gradual decline of the activity in schools as students and youths no longer consider it serious.

     

     

    Mujota, however, assured that the present administration in the state was set to encourage students to inculcate reading habits by establishing more libraries and furnishing the existing ones with contemporary and relevant books and other reading materials towards making students abreast of new knowledge in their studies.

    While congratulating the author of the book, the commissioner admonished him not to rest on his oars, enjoining other Directors in the Ministry to emulate him.

    Earlier in his remarks, chairman of the occasion, Retired Justice Demola Bakare, commended the author for taking the courage to write the book, calling on government at all levels to promote individual talents and provide enabling environment that would promote book writing.

     

     

     

     

  • NGO decries poor reading culture among pupils

    A Non-Governmental Organisation, Private Schools.ng, has lamented the decline in reading culture among students and youths in Nigeria.

    The body spoke in Port Harcourt on their planned mobile library for pupils in Rivers State during ongoing long vacation. The body noted that there is need to encourage youths to take reading seriously.

    The founder of the group, Xolomon Uche, said students sometimes develop less interest in reading either when they do not have books to read, or have money to buy.

    He said when launched, the mobile library would provide avenue for books for youths within secondary school age bracket, primary school children as well as unemployed youths to access books free for their studies.

    Uche added that the mobile library would provide a platform where people can freely give books that they no longer need for people who need them.

    He, however, urged scholars to buy into the drive by bringing readable books for the scheme in order to tackle the poor reading culture in the society..