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Effective Reading Culture, Panacea For Social Vices -Stakeholders
One of the greatest disincentives to full maximisation of youth potentials in our society is the depletion of creative values through the abuse of the mind which is the fundamental resource base. The fragility and vulnerability of the mind therefore require conscious efforts to cultivate it for positive impact. Unfortunately, most youth today seem to have lost their minds to boredom which is evidently the disease of the age.
The consequences of this social misadventure are not farfetched; unbridled crime, craving for lawlessness, culpable indolence, brain drain among other social vices.
As part of measures of curbing the menace of boredom and other attendant vices, stakeholders have called for the rejuvenation of the faltering reading culture among youths.
A cross section of stakeholders who spoke with The Tide Metro in a random interview, traced the rot in our social systems to dearth of intellectual acumen on the path of youth.
Consequently, the stakeholders want the reading culture to be actively revitalised to make our youth productive and economically viable. Andy Akpotive, a Public affairs analyst, who spoke with The Tide Metro decried the decline in the reading culture in the society.
He pointed out that today’s youth have been carried away by some trappings that they neglect the key objective of developing themselves for the challenges of the future.
According to the analyst, the absence of a good reading culture has produced half baked graduates in the society who could barely write a good sentence or communicate effectively.
To avert the rot in our educational system, Akpotive, said debating and reading clubs should be fully reintroduced in schools.
He said, “greatness cannot be attained through loyalty to a political system, or cutting corners, greatness comes through diligence, and hard work, the secret of greatmen are buried in books, and only by reading and acquiring knowledge can one be truly great.”
Akpotive also called for the offering of special grants to writers as incentives to enable them develop good literary works. He regretted that although Nigeria was fecund with literary creativity in the world of arts, particularly in writing was yet to be fully developed.
On his part, the founder and Director of Garden City Library Project, Mr Austin Nwaeze, called for investment in library services to boost reading culture among youth. Nwaeze who runs a free library services with a huge collection of books, called for Public/Private sector partnership in the promotion of reading culture; ‘I’ve been at the forefront of promoting the reading culture for the past decades through my personal efforts, I am passionate about mobilising young minds to read because the future lies in their abilities to develop their minds, but my personal efforts has some limits, I want to use this opportunity to call government and key stakeholders, particularly the multinationals to complement our private efforts to revive the reading culture”.
Nwaeze, who is also Director of Project Read advocacy, said he had over the years floated a mobile children and adult libraries in Port Harcourt and its metropolis, and solicited for partnership to reach out to more people, particularly within the rural areas.
Dr Mbee Daniel, a lecturer at the University of Port Harcourt, who spoke with The Tide Metro, called for the proper equipping of public libraries across the state with recreational facilities to create good ambience for people to read.
Daniel said the advent of the social media has to a large extent, impeded the art of writing and reading, as most people now resort to abbreviations, making them to barely write good essays.
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu, has tasked troops of Operation SAVANNAH SHIELD to dominate the battlespace and intensify offensive operations against kidnappers, bandits and other criminal elements in the North Central region.
Shaibu gave the directive yesterday during his maiden operational visit to the Headquarters, Joint Task Force North Central (JTF-NC), at Sobi Barracks, Ilorin.
This is contained in a statement by the Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Appolonia Anele, in Abuja, yesterday.
Shaibu said the Nigerian Army would remain resolute in its constitutional responsibility of safeguarding lives and property, stressing that troops must sustain pressure to decisively deny criminal elements freedom of action.
He assured personnel of continued deployment of combat enablers and operational resources to enhance clearance operations and dismantle criminal hideouts across Kwara and Niger states.
The COAS reaffirmed his commitment to troop welfare, noting that improved welfare remained critical to sustaining morale, operational effectiveness and combat readiness.
He urged the troops to remain disciplined, professional and loyal to the Constitution and the democratically elected government.
Earlier, the Theatre Commander, JTF-NC Operation SAVANNAH SHIELD, Maj.-Gen. Yakubu Yahaya, commended the COAS for his strategic leadership and support.
Yahaya assured that troops would remain committed and steadfast in restoring peace and stability in the region.
The Nigerian Navy says it is expanding training and infrastructure to address emerging security threats and strengthen operational efficiency across formations and units nationwide.
The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Adm. Idi Abbas, spoke during the inauguration of projects at the Nigerian Navy Basic Training School (NNBTS) in Onne, Rivers as part of activities marking the Nigerian Navy’s 70th anniversary.
Abbas, represented by the Flag Officer Commanding, Naval Training Command (NAVTRAC), Rear Adm. Ebiobowei Zipele, said the projects reflected significant progress made by the navy since its establishment in 1956 from the British Royal Navy.
“Training and infrastructure have improved significantly to meet contemporary security challenges and fulfil the navy’s constitutional responsibilities.”
According to him, the anniversary provides the navy an opportunity to reflect on its achievements and contributions over the past seven decades.
Projects inaugurated included a remodelled female trainees’ hostel accommodating more than 500 occupants and an expanded golf course upgraded from one to nine holes.
Others were the NNBTS fuel dump, Chief Boatswain’s Mate House, renovated pharmacy department and a new theatre block at the Naval Medical Centre, Onne.
Abbas described the new theatre as a major milestone for the navy’s medical services.
“Previously, injured personnel requiring surgeries were referred outside the facility.
“With this theatre, surgeries can now be conducted within the base.’’
He added that a 30KVA inverter had also been installed to guarantee uninterrupted electricity supply at the training school.
The naval chief assured officers, ratings and trainees that the navy leadership remained committed to their welfare and wellbeing.
“These infrastructure upgrades show the commitment of the Chief of Naval Staff to addressing operational and welfare challenges promptly,” he said.
In addition, NAVTRAC distributed educational materials to pupils of Community Primary Schools One and Two, Ogale, in Ebubu-Eleme area of Rivers.
Items distributed included exercise books, school bags and other writing materials as part of the navy’s civil-military engagement initiative.
Zipele said the outreach was designed to strengthen relations between the navy and host communities while supporting children’s education.
“Education remains critical to national growth and youth empowerment. Some of these pupils may eventually serve in the Nigerian Navy,” he said.
He noted that the initiative demonstrated the navy’s commitment to educational development, peace, security and sustainable community relations.
Zipele urged the pupils to remain disciplined, focused and committed to their studies while embracing patriotism, integrity and hard work.
He thanked the Ebubu community for its continued support for the naval training command headquarters and the navy.
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