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Idowu Omisore
It is this writer’s desire that Nigeria, the world’s most populous black nation, becomes a reading republic where the wonders of books are appreciated. Growing up, I have read many books that have nourished my mind with knowledge, stretched my imagination, instilled moral values and inspired me to pursue my dreams.
On Tuesday, April 23, 2019, the World Book Day will be celebrated across the world. The World Book Day, also referred to World Book and Copyright Day, is a yearly event put in place by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to “promote the enjoyment of books and reading.
Each year, on 23 April, celebrations take place all over the world to recognize the magical power of books – a link between the past and the future, a bridge between generations and across cultures.
On this occasion, UNESCO and the international organizations representing the three major sectors of the book industry – publishers, booksellers and libraries, select a city as the World Book Capital to maintain, through its own initiatives, the impetus of the Day’s celebrations until 23 April of the following year”.
Expectedly, we are reminded of our attitude towards reading, particularly among the young ones. It is needless to say that the culture of reading is fast disappearing probably because this generation is facing with a different wave of distractions emanating from the television, mobile phones, the social media and the internet. These devices and platforms are not unwholesome in themselves but many are hardly disciplined in the way they use them. While it is great to be tech-savvy, it is important to be self-controlled. Interestingly, we are in the days of eBooks and there is a whole lot of information, knowledge and ideas online.
This means there is no room for excuses. It’s either you read online or offline, although, some people prefer to have a physical bookshelf, read books they can hold in their hands and highlight lines that strike them.
Reading enlightens and expands capacity for creativity and innovation. By all means, we should encourage young ones to read by rewarding their effort until reading becomes a habit, something they enjoy doing.
The idea is to “catch them young”. Going and growing through school from elementary school, this writer still recollects with delight how he read books like “The Sugar Girl” by Kola Onadipe, “Eze Goes to School” by Onuora Nzekwu, “Chike and The River” by Chinua Achebe, “The Concubine” by Elechi Amadi, “The Bottled Leopard” by Chukwuemeka Ike and so many books I cannot mention, ranging from academic to motivational. I was reading a book during my national youth service in Anambra State, when I got an inspiration to write my first book which I entitled “Invest Your Youthful Years” to challenge young people to maximize their youth to discover, develop and unleash their potential.
Reading is connected to thinking, writing, researching, public speaking and leading change. It is not only academic texts should be read. We need to encourage people to read wide, of course, on issues that interest them and affect them. Many young people read only their textbooks, not to seek understanding, but to pass their examinations. At the end of the day, they graduate with certificates but they lack intellectual stamina and rich vocabulary to confidently discuss issues. Nigeria needs young people who are intellectually sound, creative and innovative enough to come up with solutions to our myriad of problems. This writer keeps wondering how Chinua Achebe was able to write a book like Things Fall Apart at the age of 21, being his first novel. What kind of education did he get back then? How did he cultivate such a rich imagination?
With a reasonable investment in the education sector, the rate of literacy will increase and the annoying narrative of us being the country with the highest number of out-of-school children in the world will change significantly.
The saying that “readers are leaders” holds true even if there is more to leadership than reading. Reading transforms the thinking pattern, the beliefs, the mindset essentially. It has been said that the youths are tomorrow’s leaders but in what way are we preparing these young ones to lead? If these young ones are encouraged to read, they will become leaders who are intellectually sound, informed and ready to make a difference.
While NLNG’s Nigeria Prize for Literature and Fidelity Bank Creative Writing Workshop easily come to mind, the private sector needs to invest more in competitions and initiatives that can make reading and research exciting and rewarding. We need ultramodern libraries that will be attractive, comfortable and with up-to-date books, e-books, audio books and all materials can enhance growth. The saying that “If you want to hide something from an Africa, hide it in a book” is insulting but is it not a reflection of our society? Together, we can change the negative narratives about us. “We” here includes parents, teachers, religious leaders, celebrities, the government, the media and opinion leaders.
Politically speaking, we became a republic in 1963. Intellectually speaking, I am not sure we are yet a “republic”, not because we do not have what it takes. In terms of ideas, inventions and innovation, how much have we contributed to the world?
How many quality “Made-in-Nigeria” products have we blessed the world with? Is our level of performance traceable to how much we value education, books and reading? How many percent of our budget goes to education compared to neighbouring countries?
If we are going to move to the next level, so many things to have to be put in place. It all starts in the strategic direction of the country itself and the willpower of the leadership to invest in its human capital. Apart from any other extraneous factors, the socio-economic progress of any nation- in this information age – rests powerfully on the quality and relevance of education received by its citizens coupled with their attitude to reading.
Omisore, a youth development advocate, writes from Lagos
