Stakeholders Link Underdevelopment To Poor Reading Culture

Poor reading culture has been identified as a dangerous challenge to both individual and national development .
This was the position of stakeholders at the  National Readership Promotion Campaign organised by the National Library of Nigeria at Omoku headquarters ofvOgba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State.
A paper presented by Prof Blessing Ahiazu and Dimkpa ThankGod of the Rivers State University, Nkpolu-Oroworukwo, Port Harcourt, said reading remains the foremost process of transmitting or acquiring knowledge from generation to generation.
“ The degree of knowledge exhibited or demonstrated by any giving culture or generation reflects in their level of socio-economic  development “.
The paper titled, “ Reading Culture; A Tool For Knowledge and Wealth Creation in Nigeria: A Case for the People of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State”, said that the jnoticeable lack of interest among Nigerians in reading is worst amongst  the rural community dwellers where there are no public libraries and low access to reading materials.
“ Unfortunately, from the young to adults, the quest for material wealth continues to dominate their attention rather than desire for knowledge without realising that reading is a source of wealth creation “, the paper said.
The paper, among other things advocated that establishment of libraries in schools and communities should be made compulsory, setting up of young readers club in schools and colleges, writing of books in simply terms to enable young readers follow up what they read, and  encouraging children to read right from  home and during early chilhood.
It called on the local government councils across the nation to borrow a leaf from the National Library of Nigeria (NLN) by organising regular readership campaign programmes to inculcate reading habits in children and young adults.

By: Chris Oluoh