Arts/Literary
Many Books, Fewer Readers
Creative work has never been in short supply in Nigeria. There is hardly any year that new books do not debut on Nigerian shelves. The credit goes to Nigeria’s growing number of authors who have been dishing out a salad of creative writing.
Over the last five decades, for instance, Nigeria has produced some of the world’s best literary giants whose creative exploits have shot the country to international literary limelight.
Chinua Achebe, Wole Soyinka, John Pepper Clark, Christopher Okigbo, Gabriel Okara, Femi Osofisan, Amos Tutuola, Ben Okri, among others, led the pack of Nigeria’s old literati. Their literary success across the three genres of literature – prose, drama and poetry, has continued to rev up creative potentials in the new generation of writers in the country. And indeed, the likes of Buchi Emecheta, Helon Habila, Sefi Attah, Teju Cole and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie have kept the torch of literature alight and aglow.
Nigeria’s literary history is so rich such that Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, has been translated to more than 50 languages, while Professor Soyinka remains a trailblazer as Africa’s first Nobel laureate for literature.
The female authors are not left behind. For instance, Florence Nwapa is often referred to as the “mother” of modern African literature, while in the current era, Nigeria boasts one of the world’s best known authors in Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, whose literary breakthrough has been accentuated by her commentary on socio-political issues, especially feminism and African politics.
Ironically, despite this rich history and increasing visibility of Nigerian books on book shelves around the world, the market for books appears to be dwindling. The reality on the ground is that demand for literary fiction in Nigeria is getting poor and low.
In 2011, academics from Lagos State University released a paper titled “Poor Reading Habits Among Nigerians”, which cited the benefits of reading for self-improvement and mental and emotional health. The paper further hypothesized that Nigeria’s reading culture had suffered from widespread poverty, corruption, deprioritization, and a dearth of dedicated quiet reading spaces like libraries.
“A reading nation is an informed nation,” the dons asserted, adding that “Nigeria can not be regarded as a reading nation because the younger generation of Nigerians does not consider reading a leisure activity”.
Many literary minds are troubled by this trend. One of such is Wale Adetula, the founder of The Naked Convos, one of Nigeria’s popular youth-oriented blogs. He, sometime ago, conducted an online poll surveying over a thousand users of his site on their reading habits, and found out that many educated Nigerians only read one book a year.
The results of the poll inspired him to launch the TNC Stories app, which carries the disconcerting tagline, “Reading is dead”. This app allows contributors to create and share stories using text video, audio and music, a non-conventional method to inspire reading habits in most Nigerians.
“The reading culture in Nigeria is poor”, Adetula affirms. “Forget the number of books you see being sold in traffic and our global acclaim for excelling – Nigerians read only when they have to”, he says.
Adetula believes a culture of reading is not being written into Nigeria’s education system. According to him, “Students see it as some sort of necessary evil. And it becomes harder when you have to deal with the many distractions and challenges that come with being an adult and living in a country like Nigeria”.
Another mind troubled by Nigeria’s poor reading culture is David Dia, a writer and author. Dia attributes the poor reading culture in Nigeria to a number of factors including access to books and printed materials, poor quality of teaching and teachers churned out from a dysfunctional education system.
“But most importantly is the arrival of the digital age upon us, which has not only provided a veritable platform for the dissemination of multiple and diverse information in all fields, but has gradually made hard copy books cumbersome and obsolete”, he says.
He also partly blames the trend on publishing constraints in the country, which, according to him, has resulted in most indigenous writers engaging foreign publishers whose focus is on profitable markets in developed climes.
Ironically, Dia says the digital reading culture is quite healthy and robust, particularly on social networking platforms where both formal and trivia information, supported attractively with memes, emojis, GIFs and other instructive graphics and optics are copiously deployed and utilized.
Customer support representative, Karo Oforofuo, shares Dia’s thoughts. He notes that Nigeria has a limited number of bookshops, and that printing books domestically is a difficult and expensive process. E-books are easier to distribute, as people only need the app to download as many books as they want, Oforofuo says.
He believes Nigerian reading culture will get better by the day, given the computer age and advent of e-books”.
Another writer, Fareedah Abdulkareem, provides an insight into what may have made Nigeria’s reading habit so low and poor in spite of an avalanche of books in the market.
She says it’s unclear if it’s about people not wanting to read for leisure, or in fact not having access to fiction.
“Books have become increasingly expensive in the country as bookshops have shuttered, and with an adult literacy rate of 51%, it’s not surprising that some supporters of literature in the country are concerned about how novelists might fare once their books are published”, she says.
She quoted a senior editor of Farafina Books, an imprint of Kachifo, and one of the country’s most popular publishing houses, as saying that most of the sales for the publishing house come from religious or educational texts, not fiction.
Abdulkareem also recalls that Okada Books, one of the sponsors of the Dusty Manuscript contest, also makes much of its money selling educational, self-help, and motivational titles.
However, with the interest expressed by some private institutions and multinationals, the Nigerian literary canon has the potentials of expanding and developing.
In the last one decade, for instance, a number of literary prizes have helped support Nigeria’s literary fiction circles. They include the 9Mobile Prize for Literature, backed by 9Mobile telecommunications company formerly known as Etisalat, the Nigeria Prize for Literature, sponsored by the NLNG gas company, and the Miles Morland grant, which supports authors working on a novel for a year.
While these prizes are geared towards pepping up upcoming writers and providing a vista of opportunities for them to sell their work, it’s important to ask what kind of market their books will be entering.
Abdulkareem says this effort won’t get far if it doesn’t spread to the offices of elected representatives, or if people don’t view reading as a enjoyable hobby.
She believes, however, that if new genres continue to be supported, books redistributed and reoriented as multimedia content, and the government takes an active role in the refurbishment of existing libraries and the redesign of the school curriculum, some things might change.
Until that time, we can only urge the players in the small, but growing industry to keep fighting to keep reading alive.
By: Boye Salau
Hi kids and young minds, let us explore the road to the top ladder.
The journey begins with the vision taking the lead!
Take a slow, deep breath. Put down whatever is in your hands, clear your mind for just a moment, and concentrate fully.
Whether you are a child just starting to explore the vast horizons of school and play, a teenager standing at the crossroads of massive exams, keeping tabs of friendships, and identity crises, or someone peering over the edge into the vast, open territory of adulthood—you are on a monumental journey.
If you are like most young people, there are days when you look at yourself and something makes you wonder if you actually have what it takes to be the ‘grown up’ you want to be . You might look at the expectations piled up around you—from parents, teachers, and society and your heart skips a beat. You might be wondering, “Am I smart enough? Am I strong enough? Will I ever truly figure out who I am and where I belong?”
Here is a secret that the loudest voices in the world forget to tell you: “You already possess everything you need, to be unstoppable.”
Growing up to be that confident, successful person; not just someone who looks impressive, scores all the excellent grades but someone who is deeply, unshakeably grounded on the inside—is not a destination you magically arrive at on your eighteenth or twenty-first birthday. It is a daily choice. It is a journey of the mind which transcends to habit and the resolutions from the heart.
Let us walk through the blueprint of how you build that confidence, how you navigate the turbulence of growing up, and how you step into your full power as a child, a teenager, and eventually, a thriving adult. Let’s Go!
The Foundation – Redefining Success and Self-Worth
Our world is keen on seeing the scorecards. People place you on the ladder of your grades in school. Later on, the world tries to measure you by college admissions, job titles, bank accounts, social media likes and mentions.
If you let the world dictate your value, you will spend your entire life fighting battles for recognition… When you win, you will feel high; when you stumble, you will crash.
Your Value is inherent, not earned. You must understand this fundamental truth early: Your worth is not a score. Getting an ‘A’ on an exam is fantastic, but that is not all it takes to wear the crown. Failing a test, scoring below average, missing a goal, or not making a team is painful, but it does not make you a failure. Your value as a human being is fixed, permanent, and untouchable. When you separate your identity from your achievements, you release yourself from the bondage of terror that stops you from trying. You realise that you can fail at a task without being a failure as a person.
Redefining “Failure” As Data
Successful adults are not people who never failed; they are people who failed but refused to quit. Failure at a time does not mean, it can never be achieved. When a baby learns to walk, she does not fall down 10 times and say, “Well, walking clearly isn’t for me; I guess I’ll crawl for the rest of my life.” No, even bruises from falldo not stop her. Baby keeps trying, confident that walking is sure.
The next time you mess up—whether it is a broken friendship, a botched presentation, or a terrible grade—do not just beat yourself up. Ask yourself: “What is this teaching me? What data; information or lesson can I pull from this disaster to make my next attempt smarter?” That shift in perspective builds true resilience and a step through the road of confidence to success.
Next is. The Teenage Years – Navigating the Storm with Grace
As you move from childhood into your teenage years, the world changes shape and tempo. . The simple rules of yesterday dissolve into a complex layout of choices, changing body chemistry, intense emotions, and a deep, biological desire to find where you fit in.
This phase can feel overwhelming. It is completely normal to feel like you are walking through a fog. But remember. This is a critical stage; this fog is where your character is formed.
The Magic of “Not Yet”
Whenever you look at a peer who seems effortlessly brilliant, or an adult who has mastered their craft, and think, “I could never be that smart, or that talented, or that confident,” Watch it, it is a dangerous judgment! Wake up!
The reality is that, that today’s “Smart person” yesterday stumbled and struggled but confidently never lost hope and focus on success.
They did not get there by magic; they got there through cumulative practice.
When faced with a mountain of difficulty, banish the phrase “I can’t do this” from your vocabulary. Add one three-letter word to the end of that sentence: “yet.”
“I have not gotten the skill — yet”
“I don’t understand this physics concept—yet.”
“I haven’t figured out how to manage my public speaking anxiety—yet.”
“I am not where I want to be in life—yet.”
That simple word transforms a brick wall into an open door. It reminds your brain that its not YET over.
Choosing Integrity Over Approval
Teenagers face an intense storm called peer pressure. Everyone around you seems to be moving toward some particular trends, just to belong.
Come off it: “Fitting in is exhausting; standing out as your true self is liberating”
The people who try to force you to compromise your values, laugh at cruelty, or shrink your ambitions to make others comfortable may not be your true friends. A confident teenager and a successful adult know how to walk alone at a time, so long as it means walking in the right direction.
Be the person who has the courage to say “no.” When no is the right answering. Be the person who refuses to peddle gossips, who protects the kid felling lonely or being bullied.
Be that young mind who is quickly identified with his or her words. Your uniqueness must not be seen as a flaw to be corrected; it is your signature .Just being yourself.
Stepping Into Adulthood – Building the Architecture of Your Life
Eventually, the school years fade, and the doors of adulthood swing wide open. Suddenly, you are driving your own car, managing your own schedule, paying bills, and making important decisions.
Many young adults freeze at this stage because the safety nets are gone. Parental care diminishes. They are exposed to the real nature of the society. But this is where your training, your learnings, (school and society) comes to play. . Adulthood is not about having all the answers; it is about having the courage to look for them and how to navigate through, especially rough waters
Radical Ownership
As a child, much of your life is orchestrated by others—parents schedule your days, teacher’s guide you’re learning, and rules protect you from consequences. As an adult, “you are the CEO of your own personality.”
If something is broken in your life, waiting for someone else to fix it is a trap. If your room is messy, clean it. If your skills are outdated, update it, if trouble comes; find means. If your mindset is negative, Negativity is not an option .guard your thoughts. Taking radical ownership of your circumstances—even the ones you didn’t cause—is the ultimate superpower of successful adults. It removes from you, the victim mentality and hands the steering wheel back to you.
Cultivating Lifelong Curiosity
Fear shrinks our worlds; curiosity expands it. When you approach life with anxiety, every new challenge feels like a threat designed to expose your weaknesses. When you approach life with curiosity, every challenge becomes an interesting puzzle to solve.
Read voraciously. Ask questions—not just to get answers but to truly understand them. Travel if you can, or explore the cultures, histories, and sciences of the world through books and media. The most successful adults never stop being students. They retain the wide-eyed wonder of a child combined with the analytical discipline of a scholar.
The Give & Take Effect – Lifting Others As You Climb
One simple truth about confidence and success that most people miss is that ‘True greatness is never selfish’.
If your definition of success is standing at the top of a mountain by yourself, looking down at everyone else, you haven’t succeeded—you’ve just become isolated. Real confidence is generous. It is expansive.
Empathy As Strength: Some people mistake kindness for weakness, thinking that being nice means letting people walk all over you. Honestly, it takes immense inner strength to remain kind in a cynical world, to extend grace to someone who wronged you, and to listen deeply before speaking.
Being the Safe Space: As you grow into a confident child, teenager, and adult, makes it your mission to be a safe space for others. When you see someone struggling with the exact insecurities you fought through, reach down and pull them up. Lift your siblings, support your friends, and honor your parents and mentors who invested in your life. When you help others win, you create a community of giants and winners
In conclusion, beloved young minds, look at where you are standing right now. Take stock of your dreams, your fears, your strengths and your raw potential.
You are not a finished product, you’re growing up. You are a masterpiece in perpetual motion—a work of art that is constantly being refined, polished, and strengthened by every experience, every victory, and every tear.
The world out there is waiting for you. It needs your voice, your creativity, your resilience, and your unique brand of courage. It doesn’t need you to be flawless; it needs you to be real, to be bold, and to keep moving forward even when the path ahead is steep.
So, stand a little taller today. Look straight into your vision, straighten your shoulders and whisper to yourself: “I am growing, I am ready, I am Confident”
You have got these! Growing up, equipped with required vision, knowledge and confidence. Now go out there and show the world the stuff in you. All the best!
Nneka Amaechi-Nnadi
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